Hilton Budapest

Stayed at the Hilton in July 04 after getting an excellent deal through LastMinute which included transfers. Our bedroom was larger than expected and very tastefully decorated as was the bathroom. Looked forward to having the bed turned down each night cos they left you a lovely chocolate each in it's own little box.

Breakfast was absolutely fantastic with an enormous array of hot and cold dishes + they seemed to be happy to cook stuff to order e.g. pancakes.

The position of the hotel is great just along the cobbled streets from the palace and is quite bustling during the day then becomes an oasis of calm in the evenings as there is no traffic allowed up there and the day trippers have disappeared.

The location is obviously quieter than the Pest side with a few restaurants and bars in easy walking distance but if it's action and nightlife you want on your doorstep you'll probably want to stay over the other side though we quite enjoyed the walk across Chain Bridge.

My husband and I spent two nights at the Hilton in Budapest in August and had a truly wonderful experience. The room was much larger than average, had a mini-bar and a small staircase that led down to a landing in front of a large window with a view out to the bustling street.

The hotel staff are not the most agreeable in the world, but the concierge did provide us with some good recommendations in flawless English.

The area, as others have noted, is gorgeous and perfect for an afternoon stroll. We often walked across the Chain Bridge to the Pest side for lunch and nightlife.

For 99 Euro/night, I couldn't have asked for more!

My husband and I vacationed for 2 weeks in Europe at the end of August and this was our last destination. Perhaps it was disappointing because we stayed in so many nicer places in Prague and Austria, but I really think there must be better choices in Budapest because an average, moderately priced hotel in a major US city would be nicer than this. We quite honestly were expecting better.

First let me say that we loved this location. The surrounding area was great to just wander around in. It didn't feel like a major city but rather a quaint town and the church close by was beautiful with the view of the city (which we could see from our hotel room) that was truly awesome.

The issues we had were primarily around the service. We had requested a nonsmoking king room. They said they had one available and gave the porter the key to lead us up. Well it was a teeny double bed. So we called downstairs and the front desk person said 'oops we meant to give you the room next door'. We went next door and it was an identical room. The porter was annoyed and called downstairs. The front desk person said oops again, that our room actually wasn't ready and we needed to wait an hour. Five minutes later, our room was ready. It was the same as the other two rooms only with the bigger bed. Basically, all of the 3 rooms we saw were fine but quite honestly decorated in a tired way from 20 years ago. Bathrooms were small and done very basically with ceramic tile. Beds were very springy with thin linens. All of the views though were GREAT.

Then I went to get ice. I couldn't even believe the ordeal. There was no ice bucket in the room. I went to the bar downstairs and said I needed a bucket of ice. He said he couldn't give me a bucket of ice, that to get that I needed to go back to my room and call room service. But he did tell me that there was ice on the 3rd floor. How did I get the ice back to the room if I have no bucket? He offered me a cocktail glass. Didn't exactly do it because we wanted to chill a bottle of wine which would require more than the 8 ice cubes that would fit into the glass. So I went back to the room and hauled out the plastic laundry bag which my husband and I spent 5 minutes filling with the ice from the community ice machine. After staying at the wonderful Four Seasons in Prague earlier in our trip, I couldn't believe my vacation was deteriorating to this!!!!

Three recommendations - spend the $25-$30 USD to hire a real cab to get you to the airport. You get what you pay for when you take that free airport shuttle and the cab fare isn't exactly breaking the bank. Second, the Cafe Pierrot was awesome - we had lunch outside on the street one day and a late evening dinner there one night - the atmosphere (live piano playing & nice overall ambiance), service and food & wine were delightful. Third, we really enjoyed the Parliament tour and an evening night cruise on the river charterd by a company that the hotel recommended.

We stayed at Hilton Budapest (Castle) July 2001 we only now "publicize" our experience because we weren't aware that such a site existed. Until now, our lousy experience has only been reported to Hilton management and of course no action has been taken on their behalf. So to be fair, here are exerts of that letter:

1)Taking advantage of their FREE Airport shuttle pushed you to wait 15 min in queue while all other "paying" customers were constantly being taking care of before us. Only after numerous complaints that one of the drivers finally did us a "favor" and agreed to go to the Hilton.

2) At check-in we were greeted by the "hell team" Peter and his lady manager. I can't quite figure out who was worse. From the very first second, they started arguing with us about the price that we were quoted by a Hilton US reservation attendant. He gave us an ultimatum, either we pay more for a double occupancy or we forfeit the continental breakfast, but it wasn't about the money, after all the difference was a mere $7 per day, it was the tone of voice he used, the un-courteous manner, his inflexibility about something that he was completely wrong about. Let's say for a moment that we were wrong about the rate, which we were not, but hypothetically assuming that, we still should have NEVER been treated like we were. We arrived exhausted from a very long flight with delays, than more delays at the shuttle service and all you want is to rest at this point. Wow good thing you reserved at the Hilton, you will be treated like royalty, right! At least be more accommodating, suggest looking into it. No, he had to treat me as if I was trying to steal from him get a quick one over him. It was just simply humiliating and disgusting. When we were finally "allowed" to be seen by his manager if we were willing to wait, she finally came out after about 5 minutes just to take the same inflexible stance as her colleague. I was, so tired at this point, that I gave her the reservation # I was given, the name of the Hilton rep who made the reservation and then the US 800# for Hilton, and I told her we'll sort it out in the morning. So in the morning, she approached me and told me that I was right, BUT never once did she express regret for the inconvence or apologized. That would just be beneath her.

3) And to prove that she was so displeased with the arrangement, she approached me yet again, the next day, indicating that we must pay the difference on the 2nd room since only one guest was a Hilton Honor member and couldn't therefore be entitled to the discounted rate on both rooms. What baloney!!! I never heard of such ridiculous argument in all my life. You will take my money in a heartbeat, member or not. You are not going to tell me that if I am traveling with friends, you don't want my business. I can't make the arrangement for 2 rooms under 1 Hilton Honors #? Ok, let's say that that is the case and it is YOUR policy, then why in the world did the Hilton USA reservation ACCEPT the reservation to BEGIN with, without any red flags? Yes, you guessed it, I fought that too, and at the end she conceded that I could theoretically and practically fill out another application for Hilton Honors right there and then and voula. No more hassle right? WRONG. It would have been acceptable to me, that if she needed that second HH# so bad she could of simply asked for it and not start the whole penny pinching ordeal again. So we reluctantly did fill out the application but hoping at this point that the stay can only get better as it certainly can't get any worse.

4) We were told that there is a swimming pool around the corner from the Hilton that we may use free of charge. Well, forget the fact that it's not free; there was NO swimming pool for a 20-block radius. We were told, that the best they can do is calling us a cab to take us to the swimming pool and then pay at the door. Gggggee, thanks but no thanks. The idea behind a hotel swimming pool, is that after a long day sightseeing or business dealing, you just want to relax, not to run around town with cabs and different places.

5) The two rooms we were given we not the same size, one was considerably smaller. It's not that I really mind, but when you have a party of 4, they bound to enter each other's rooms and compare. And I felt it wasn't fair for one couple to get stuck with the smaller room without being told that and still be paying the same amount of money. If you ask me, I think Peter, did it purposely, to try and save a buck or two, or "teach" me a lesson for arguing with him and being right. Ohh my God, he feels less of a man now, what have I done? Or rather what haven't he did? I thought, at least the USA and USA corporations, that the customer is always right. DISGUSTING.

6)Not to mention, that during reservation BOTH rooms were promised a gothic/water view. Well, one of the rooms was kind of a gothic view, but the other was simply overlooking the check-in street, how interesting. Don't you think?

7)Both rooms were asked to be non-smoking, well well, it turns out you have a special marking on the room doors that are really "smoke-free" but since the smell wasn't bad we didn't complain, at first. On the 2nd day of our stay, I couldn't use the bathroom, don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a little smoke smell, but my bathroom smelled so much like smoke, I couldn't breath in there and my asthma started acting up, I tried looking for some sort of a fan just to find what appears to be a reverse vent since it brought all the smoke from other rooms into mine. Bottom line, the room STUNK with smoke, I called house keeping then front desk, they were courteous and suggested to switch rooms, ON a different floor. I decided to gruel it out if it was going to be that one night, and it turns out the smell subsided the other days, so we stayed. But for that one day I had to use my colleague's bathroom, it was horrible. Not to mention, that I then noticed that in their bigger room, they DID have a fan in the bathroom.

8)Wait, but there is more, stay right now at the Hilton and you will get all the mentioned above plus we will throw in: Single room furnishing via house keeping for a double occupancy room. Every day, they would fill up the towels as if one person was staying there. At first, you dismiss it, especially since we had the double/single problem at check-in. But when it gets to be everyday, it's a pisser. I would call EVERYDAY to house-keeping since I had to request extra towels. I wonder if Peter had anything to do with that either?

9)The beds were never made behind the basic sheets. The cover was never left on the bed. So every night, I would have to go to the closet, get out the cover. Open it and make the bed with it MYSELF. Call me crazy but I thought that was the maid's job? I understand if you do that when it's really hot, since people don't want the cover. But it wasn't hot at all. It was just plain rude.

10)What is that? You didn't hear enough, well don't worry because I have much more: Thursday morning, about 8:00AM. We were rudely awaken by very loud internal construction / repair work at proximity of the next room. I called front desk, to express my discomfort and my concern and they assured me that all the work was external and behind their control. Displeased with the answer I hang up but understood that some things you just can't control. I try to lie down again, just to awaken in 1 min with the same loud noises, so this time, I decided to investigate on my own since the shaking and noise was so intense it seems rather close by. I went outside to the hall, and from WITHIN the hall, the sound and rattling was emanating. I immediately, got on the phone with front desk AGAIN. And this time gave them a piece of my mind. First for waking me up 8:00AM on my vacation and making me feel groggy the entire day. Second, for LYING to me to my face about it. However, this time they were more receptive, they kindly put me on hold for 5min. And once they came back on the line the noise was gone. Although, happy with the resolution for the day, I would have been happier without any problem to begin with. However, the constant external noise of construction was a constant nuisance through out our stay including the weekend. Behind their control or not, still horrific.

11)And your hotel taxis. We just loved them. In case you are not familiar with them, they are billed at twice the going rate since they bill for a return trip back to the hotel to rip-off the next sucker. In what country do taxis bill for a return trip? It's like my plumber charging me for coming over and going home. I don't charge by boss GOING to work or COMING back home. What a rip-off. At the very least disclose such highway robbery rates upfront. Above all, I find that Hilton has something to do with setting the rates. GREAT !!! More good news, so I decided not to use their taxis anymore and order a taxi by phone, so we asked somebody at the front desk and he told us to go to the bell boy and request one. This taxi company is reliable, quick and doesn't charge twice. The taxi showed up in the usual one-minute speedy conzales speed and the bellboy showed us to the car. Upon getting in, the driver begins to have a discussion in Hungarian with the person at the front desk. It turns out, he wants us out of the taxi because it's not out taxi. You can't imagine the embarrassment, especially when I was with my spouce, how much lower can you guys stoop??? He claimed that he ordered the taxi for another couple, yet a minute ago he was the one claiming that he doesn't order cars but rather the bellboy is the only one that does, go figure. We then waited 30sec for the other cab. Come-on, for 30sec was it worth all of that hassle, humiliation and embarrassment to myself and to Hilton's reputation? I think not.

12)Finally upon checkout they insisted to charge me an "early departure fee" oooohhhh, I am scared now. The money at this point, is insignificant if I can't enjoy my vacation then what's the point being there in the first place? I would have happily paid double to stay at a competing 4-5star hotel like the Hyatt or the Inter-Continental only to find out they were sold out for that weekend. So can you really blame me for not wanting to stay another minute in this hell-hole?

13)You also quote prices for the room in DM to later convert and charge the client in HUF? What's the point there? Confuse the customer or just make more money of the conversion rate? I mean, if I got to a grocery in says Canada, they will not quote in Canadian and ring up in US currency, you need consistency, something this Hilton certainly lacks. I know since I stayed in many other Hiltons, including the one in Florida and Canada and it was a superb experience so you can understand why I was so mind bufferled with this horrendous, uncurtious and inattentive service.

14)All in all it was one, if not the worst hotel experiences in my life. And coming from Hilton such a reputable name it's hard to believe. Now I have been rehabilitated and I make every effort to stay clear of Hilton. Marriot has been treating me great so far, in all my 11 stays.

I agree with the guy who was in awe of the view although this view comes at a price - right by the Fisherman's Bastion, therefore attracting loads of tourists who mill about right by where you are staying. The hotel looks out over the Parliament Building and to really enjoy the views, stay in a suite if you can afford it. However, it was built on a former monastery site, complete with graveyard, and a few guests over the years have complained of bad vibes and eerie spine-tingling feelings. Possibly because they incorporated some of the original features and it's baaad feng shui. Well, you wouldn't be the happiest spirit alive if you had a 60s concrete block plonked on your resting place would you? Check out the WWII scarred buildings on your way up to the hotel though for a reminder of Budapest's tumultuous past.

I am sure the Marriott , Intercontental hotels are wonderful BUT its all to do with location , the Hilton is in the middle of a heritage site on Castle hill , the views from the hotel are truly wonderful , we paid 60 pounds a night b&b and paid another 20 pounds for the Danube views , crazy prices , it was worth 250 pounds a night easy , ask for a Danube view room on the 6th floor , negatives , bathroom was a touch small and to get into town for the action is a taxi ride or walk but the VIEWS make it worthwhile

What a gem of a hotel! We stayed here at the end of June 2004. We had been to 12 cities throughout Europe on this trip, plus visited family in Southern Hungary for a few days. We were exhausted. We took a taxi from the Nyugati train station(which is in Pest) to the Hilton Budapest(which is in Buda) and I have never seen such a welcoming sight! The Hilton is located right next to Matthias Church and the Fisherman's Bastion, up on Buda hill. What a view! Morning Noon and Night! We walked in to the Hilton with our backpacks and scrungy traveling clothes(5 hour train trip with 3 connections) but were treated like we were dressed to the nines. We had 2 rooms(one on the 2nd floor and one on the 5th floor), 129 Euros each, with the Danube View. Both rooms were fabulous! Huge, clean luxurious bathroom with the best towels ever. Mirrors and lights all over the rooms. Room service was very prompt and the entire staff there was wonderful! This is what a Hilton and a five star hotel should be! This was our favorite hotel in all of our visits! It couldn't get any better! We will definately be back!

We stayed at the Hilton for 3 days from 2-5 June 2004. Booked thru the Hilton site at 80 euros per night - fantastic value. The room was modern and spotless. The service in the hotel was excellent.

In the town the public transport is unbelievable. We never waited for a connection for a metro bus or tram. It cannot go on like this for long. The people are very friendly and they all seem to speak English. With Easy Jet flying in the prices will rise and it will be the next Prague.

The big bonus if you stay at the Hilton is that they pick you up from the airport and take you to the door. Brilliant fast service and quite complimentary.

I would stay at the Hilton again but I fear I will not get such a good deal again.

This is a gorgeous hotel with beautiful rooms and excellent unobtrusive service. Like the other reviewer, I was treated to a complimentary bottle of bubbly and a cake as it was my birthday! The free transport from the airport is a nice touch as well. Very highly recommended

This was a fantastic hotel - a very pleasant surprise. The room was very luxurious and the breakfast fantastic. The staff could not have been more welcoming or helpful. The staff found out it was my birthday during our stay and arranged for a complimentary bottle of champagne to be delivered to the room. We thoroughly recommend this hotel and will stay here next time we visit Budapest.