Hotel Palatinus City Center

Palatinus Hotel is an easy walk from the center of Pecs, and we found the location excellent. Reception and breakfast staff were hospitable, and the breakfast buffet had something for everyone. Our room was a practical size, with most of the amenities needed for somewhere to shower, rest, and sleep after being out all day. The beds and sheets were clean, and the firm European-style mattress was comfortable. The furniture is old, though I heard management is planning renovations. The air conditioning barely worked and needs maintenance and cleaning.

Our room, 112, had a lovely large balcony, and the hotel is in a pleasant part of Pécs close to many sights. The building and interior are beautiful. The room was fine and clean, if a little old, and the bathtub and shower could use renovation. Breakfast was good but somewhat disorganized, and I expected more variety from a hotel that otherwise feels so luxurious. Still, we had a pleasant stay and I’d be happy to return.

We’ve traveled with pets for nearly 10 years and never had an experience like this. The lack of clear communication and the way the hotel handled everything left us with a bitter taste. We wouldn’t recommend staying here with pets. At check-in, we were told the pet fee was double what we’d originally been quoted. After we challenged it, they charged the earlier price of HUF 5000 per night, so we assumed it might have been a mistake. Later, we were told someone needed to check our room for planned maintenance. We had no issue with that, but instead a woman came in and photographed things the hotel thought we or the pets had damaged, including ordinary wear, dust, and stains. It felt like a police-style inspection. We should have been told they’d noticed possible damage and asked to discuss it, rather than having a fake maintenance reason. After that, we felt badly treated and no longer comfortable. On departure, they asked for EUR 300 for damage. We disagreed, since the curtains were the only real damage, caused by the cat, and wanted to speak with the manager, but apparently that wasn’t possible. When we refused to pay EUR 300, the charge fell to EUR 200. We asked for proof the curtains cost that much, but none was provided. The claim was then lowered again to EUR 130, which we paid even though it still felt unfair. We don’t mind paying for damage, but this felt like an attempt to rip us off. We’d already paid about EUR 300 for the pet’s stay, and would have thought that amount covered minor damage at a cat-friendly hotel.

The mattress was pleasantly firm, which is the only good thing I can say about this old hotel that needs renovation. The room was the smallest I’ve ever had, and I kept bumping my shins. There was a cigarette in the toilet despite it being a non-smoking room. The bathroom fan hummed all night, and shower water kept switching from cold to hot, with no way to set a steady temperature. There were no outlets by the bed, so I couldn’t charge my phone while relaxing there.