Central Basilica

Breakfast was the letdown. There were very few choices and many items had run out, making it one of the worst hotel breakfasts I've had. It really needs work, so set your expectations accordingly, especially for the morning meal. The rest of our stay at Hotel Central Basilica was wonderful. It's modern, stylish, and exceptionally clean, with comfortable, well-designed rooms. The location in the city center is unbeatable, within walking distance of restaurants, coffee shops, and major sights including the Hungarian Parliament Building. They also stored our luggage free of charge, which was handy. The staff were amazing too. Special mention to Balcatz at reception, if I'm spelling that right. He was friendly, professional, and extremely helpful. Despite the disappointing breakfast, I'd recommend the hotel, especially to families.

The main drawback was the room's age. The plumbing and AC units seemed outdated, and there was a smell from the old plumbing. The AC and heating also smelled when switched on. We only slept there, so it didn't bother us much, but it could be a dealbreaker for some. Otherwise, it was mostly positive. The location is close to all the attractions, and we could leave our luggage after checking out at 11. The room was quiet and clean, though not spotless: there was some hair on the bathroom floor when we arrived. I also felt there weren't enough toiletries for two people. Breakfast was good, but when it got busier, the food wasn't replenished often enough. I can imagine that being a problem in season.

On the afternoon of 26.11. 2025, we visited Basilica Brunch and Dunch. We ordered 2x sandwiches and 3x glasses of 1.5dc wine. The dark-haired woman serving us brought a bill for 39,000 HUF, with extra items we hadn't ordered. We pointed this out and insisted on a corrected bill. The staff canceled the first one and issued a new bill for the actual food and drinks, 14,925 HUF. The correct receipt is number 100003910 from 26.11. 2025. I don't recommend the place if only female staff are working. This was a disaster, and the management shouldn't employ staff who rob customers.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and at checkout they stored our luggage so we could enjoy more time in Budapest without carrying it around. The hotel is well located and quite nice overall, but plan ahead for arrival: there’s no dedicated loading zone, so you have to park around the corner and bring your bags in from the street. That could be difficult with kids or lots of luggage. We stayed in a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment, but the layout was odd. Both bathrooms opened onto the living room instead of the bedrooms, so you had to cross the common area to use them. With teenagers, that was inconvenient. If I forgot my makeup, I had to get fully dressed and walk out to retrieve it, since neither bathroom was en suite. There were no robes, which would have helped. One bathroom also wasn't very clean. Soap residue was right by the handle on the glass door, and it made me wonder how thoroughly the room had been cleaned.