Stars and Lights Budapest - Oktogon

Gabor was very welcoming, and the apartment was spacious, clean and well furnished, with excellent Wi-Fi. It’s centrally located, about a 5-10 minute walk from the heart of Budapest. We had a great vacation here. Highly recommended.

We stayed in the small room with its own bathroom. The bed was very comfortable, the room was well equipped, and the Wi-Fi was very good, though there was no soap or shampoo and no TV. The kitchen was very well equipped too. The apartment itself was in good condition, but the building is old and doesn’t look very good. There’s no elevator, so you have to take the stairs. The modern furniture wasn’t very sturdy, and the bedside table was poorly attached to the wall. The desk was well placed for computer work or studying. The toilet wasn’t clean when we arrived, but we asked them to clean it and they did. The host arrived late, so we waited half an hour at the door. For the price and location, I’d recommend it to people who mainly need a place to sleep.

We’d arranged an early check-in by email because we had small children, and agreed to pay €10 for it. We arrived at 11:15 a.m. as arranged, but nobody was there. When I called, they seemed surprised we’d arrived. Someone came 20 minutes later and said they still needed about half an hour to clean. I told them we’d go eat and they could take their time. When we came back about two hours later, I was shocked by how dirty, run-down and unhygienic the apartment was. The previous guests’ dishes were still there, loose cables were dangling, the furniture was old and uncomfortable, and the toilet seat had urine stains from previous occupants. I couldn’t imagine staying three nights in that dump, so after just 30 minutes I packed up my family and we found a hotel. The extra effort was worth it and our short trip turned out wonderful after all. My email to the apartment owners went unanswered. Then on Sunday I got another email asking for a positive review. Not from me. Never again, I’d rather spend a little more money.

It was quiet and comfortable, with everything we needed, and the public transport connections were good. A parking garage, plenty of good shops, pubs and restaurants are nearby. The landlord was very friendly and attentive to guests’ well-being.