West Budapest Hostel

The place is warm, very cheap, and well located, but the kitchen and the only bathroom with a shower were dirty and in poor condition. Little cockroaches wandered around, and the staff didn't speak English and sometimes seemed drunk, or acted that way. There isn't a reception desk or much communication with staff, and there's no security system. A friend's bag was stolen from the "lobby." You might get a connecting room, which means other guests keep walking through it. If you're after an adventure and the lowest price, it could suit you. Otherwise, I'd spend a bit more and stay somewhere else.

The beds were uncomfortable, and the place was dirty. There wasn't a hotplate or oven, so cooking wasn't possible. We shared a room with inconsiderate people who made noise and turned on the light while we were sleeping. One guy even vomited in the room. The receptionist used our things during our stay, which was a first for me. The staff didn't speak English at all.

We booked and paid in full for a private room two months ahead, then confirmed the day before and called that morning. They told us everything was fine, but when we arrived we couldn't check in. We asked if there was a problem with our room and were told no, then told to go with them to another location. They let themselves into a room that was occupied by someone else's belongings. What they tried to give us was a small mattress on the floor in awful condition. We said it wasn't what we'd booked or paid for. They just shrugged and didn't apologize or actually say our room had been double-booked. DO NOT STAY AT THIS HOSTEL!

We were glad to stay just one night. The building smelled bad and was hard to find, with no signs. The bathroom was filthy, and our room had glass doors looking onto the shared dining area. It was unbearably hot and noisy. The receptionist and manager couldn't speak English. On arrival, the receptionist demanded immediate payment. When I asked for a receipt, he said only the manager could provide one. I asked to talk with the manager by phone, but he either pretended not to understand or really couldn't speak any English. I said I'd pay in the morning when I could get a receipt, but the receptionist insisted on payment right then. In the morning, while we were getting ready to check out, a stranger walked into our room without a word or introduction, handed me a handwritten scrap of paper as a receipt, and left.