Gul Baba Saray Apartments

The apartment was in poor shape. The bathroom handle came off when I tried to open the door, the metal framing on the showerhead fell apart, and the curtain rod dropped when I tried to open the curtain. Cleanliness was questionable too: the fridge and dishes were dirty, and the carpet was filthy. There’s no proper ventilation, so it felt stuffy even with the window open. I can’t imagine how uncomfortable it would be in summer. Smoking is allowed on the premises, and the smell seeped into the apartment; with no ventilation, there was no way to escape it. The Wi-Fi kept dropping, and there was no mobile signal at all. Workers also came in the morning without warning and made a lot of noise cutting metal. We hadn’t been told any work was planned. Hungarian regulations required us to provide personal information after booking. The host on Booking asked for our details, saying he’d handle the paperwork. We gave them to him, but ended up having to fill out the forms ourselves. That left me wondering why he’d asked for our information if he wasn’t going to use it as promised.

The area is being modernised, with parks, groceries, and cafes really close by, and the famous island of Budapest is only five minutes from the house. It also felt very safe. My wife felt comfortable enough to go running in the dark. The balcony is pretty, and the bikes were a huge bonus and lots of fun. Check-in was automated, and Nora was responsive and had everything prepared, though we didn’t meet her. We had a few minor weather issues during our stay, but enjoyed it very much. Once we have a baby, we’re going to come back and try the baby carrier tricycle too.

It didn’t meet expectations. The bathroom is really small, and as a couple who are both six feet tall, we had a lot of trouble fitting in there.

The owner and family are super nice, and they won’t let you leave without trying their fantastic homemade Hungarian spirit called pálinka. The location deserves 5+ stars, in a quiet historic Turkish quarter of Budapest, not far from Margit Bridge.