Gaia Hostel

This felt more like staying in someone’s home than a hostel, just so you know. Judit was really attentive. She let us leave our bags after checkout and even offered us homemade Hungarian treats.

Judit is friendly and helpful. She helped us plan our time and suggested some great places to eat. The old building has a modern interior, and the shared kitchen is stocked with all sorts of useful things. There are free toiletries in the bathroom too, handy if you’ve forgotten yours or are travelling light. It’s also environmentally sustainable. You can book a room with its own bathroom, though the kitchen is shared. The location is right in the center: buses and trams stop about a minute away, and the M2 metro at Astoria is next to the hotel. My friends or I would stay here again when visiting Budapest.

Judit, the owner, is fantastic, and the decor is lovely. There’s good security, great showers, and a kitchen where you could easily cook every night. It’s right in the middle of everything for a city break, but still quiet enough to sleep.

There are only four rooms, so this cute little hostel never felt too busy. It’s right on the main street by Astoria, and traffic might be noisy, though I still slept well. The central location is great, and the owner clearly cares about the little touches, like soap, shampoo, and earbuds in the bathrooms.