-
Morning all,
With an upcoming trip to Budapest (Christmas Markets) I was hoping for some advice.
1. Arriving late into BUD so will grab a taxi from the airport to centre. Do those familiar with the city recommend Uber or using the airport taxis outside terminal?
2. Any ‘must visits’ that I may not already be tracking? Restaurants/activities etc
3. I notice there is a Mastercard lounge at the airport? Anyone used this? What are the entry requirements?
Any help is much appreciated!
FWIW
1. Personally I would get a taxi from the airport. There was no queue when we arrived last month and I do find it can be tricky confirming a location on an App when arriving at an unfamiliar airport. After that Bolt every time. Inexpensive and very quick to arrive.
2. We only did the obvious. I would give the New York Cafe a miss. Great bar in a tower in the Castle. Opposite the back of the Hilton.
3. No idea.FWIW
1. Personally I would get a taxi from the airport. There was no queue when we arrived last month and I do find it can be tricky confirming a location on an App when arriving at an unfamiliar airport. After that Bolt every time. Inexpensive and very quick to arrive.
2. We only did the obvious. I would give the New York Cafe a miss. Great bar in a tower in the Castle. Opposite the back of the Hilton.
3. No idea.Great thank you.
Do you recall the cost of the airport taxi? Used Bolt quite a lot in Estonia so agree there
I fondly recall Budapest as our first taste of business class travel! It was quite a long time ago now but we had an wonderful meal (with excellent local red wine) at the Fisherman’s Bastion. A dinner cruise on the Danube was also quite pleasant for enjoying the city’s architecture.
Depends where you go. For us the taxi stand was simple. Queue for few minutes and easy to pay upfront. Cost was around £23 to get to near Rakoczi ter metro station.
We were there for 4 days and used the public transport deals which cost £26 for 2 adults.
The castle is beautiful, as are most of the places.
We went to the Bistro Dash Cafe 3 times as we loved the food there (Turkish).
For the airport of its size, it had a few lounges. Can’t recall the name but the food was very good. Was the last lounge nearby the gate for our flight via WizzAir to London.Morning all,
With an upcoming trip to Budapest (Christmas Markets) I was hoping for some advice.
1. Arriving late into BUD so will grab a taxi from the airport to centre. Do those familiar with the city recommend Uber or using the airport taxis outside terminal?
2. Any ‘must visits’ that I may not already be tracking? Restaurants/activities etc
3. I notice there is a Mastercard lounge at the airport? Anyone used this? What are the entry requirements?
Any help is much appreciated!
I’d recommend two bars:
If you’re into cocktails:
Boutiq Bar: We entered there by chance to then find out it was quite highly rated after speaking to a friend who’s really into cocktails and stuff.We got there early in the night, and tried to go back for a night cap but there was a huge queue!
Leo Rooftop: Overpriced, but offer great views of the chain bridge and the parliament. Worth one drink for the view though!
I’d completely give it a pass to any of those “ruin bars”.
The tourist hop on hop off bus is a convenient and cheap way to get round the city- they also includes a Danube cruise which is interesting.
Bring your own flip flops to the Thermal Baths to avoid having to buy a pair there.
The ice skating in the park is good fun- especially at night.
The Hospital in the Rock is worth a visit as well.Currently planning a trip with my parents who are first timers. The Anantara New York looks like a grand dame but its location seems subpar compared to others located closer to the river. Is that fair? Also its cafe appears to attract many non-guests which may become tiresome.
The IC has the best location IMO but I wouldn’t return there whilst the rooms are Soviet chic. The Marriott is too bland for my parents so mulling the W, the Dorothea or the Matild.
Thoughts welcomed
Just catching up on the replies – thanks all for the advice and suggestions! Will let you know how it goes.
FYI, I’m staying at the IC. Fully prepared for the ‘vintage’ decor, but had a load of points and CSU to use. Hopefully the river view room will make up for the aged appearance!Just catching up on the replies – thanks all for the advice and suggestions! Will let you know how it goes.
FYI, I’m staying at the IC. Fully prepared for the ‘vintage’ decor, but had a load of points and CSU to use. Hopefully the river view room will make up for the aged appearance!The view is fantastic and the club lounge is a good one.
If you do take up RV’s recommendation of Leo Rooftop bar (I haven’t been) then I would also recommwnd walking along another five minutes, towards Parliament but still on the Buda side, to Corvin. It describes itself as as a gastropub. The vibe, food and drinks are all great. They are aimed more at the local market, but more than happy to entertain tourists. https://www.corvinpub.hu/
You can skip the taxi queue entirely by ‘ordering’ one from the yellow machines in the baggage claim area – it gives you a ticket with a number on that essentially takes you to the front of the line (useful when it’s busy!).
However, if you like a bargain, there is also a very convenient bus just to the left of the taxi stand – buy a ticket on the blue machine at the bus stop for a few euros and it heads straight in to the centre. Albeit about 10 mins slower. Same goes for returning to the airport on the way home. Blue machines and bus stands in the city centre.
+1 on going ice skating on the frozen lake.
It’s a very well run operation and a nice setting.Personally I find that Airbnb beats the chain hotels in Budapest by a mile. You get so much for your money with high-ceilinged parquet floored apartments. Just be sure the reviews, AC, and Shower look good.
Agree about the NY Cafe. We had a lovely stay at the Anantara and the breakfast room is spectacular. But the public restaurant is a total zoo.
You should try one of the ruin bars. Szimpla Kert Is probably the most well known and is pretty bonkers. There’s a nice restaurant nearby, Mazel Tov. Both are walking distance from the tram.
The Christmas markets are lovely and we bought some Christmassy things we’d not seen anywhere else, but don’t eat there as the food is stupid expensive.
You are overthinking the taxi; it’s not as hard as you expect.
However, if you like a bargain, there is also a very convenient bus just to the left of the taxi stand – buy a ticket on the blue machine at the bus stop for a few euros and it heads straight in to the centre. Albeit about 10 mins slower. Same goes for returning to the airport on the way home. Blue machines and bus stands in the city centre
If it’s the 100E airport express bus you’re referring to, you can just tap on with your bank card rather than buying a ticket at the machine.
The stops arent necessarily too close to the IC though.
I went in my stag do to Budapest in June so may not be entirely relevant.. lol
The steakhouse on Sas u was amazing for a 4x sharing feast if that’s your thing
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g274887-d2174034-Reviews-Prime_Steak_And_Wine-Budapest_Central_Hungary.htmlThe firing range “Churchill’s” was quite the experience!
https://www.churchillshootingbudapest.com/We had a cruise down the Danube but expect that to be Baltic at this time of year.
Agree that a taxi / Uber from the airport isnt expensive and easily done.
We went in May. I recall us getting the airport bus and I didn’t have to wait. We didn’t have much luggage, so just literally walked off the bus and onto the metro.
We also stayed at the IC and had a fantastic river view. We didn’t pay the hefty breakfast charge, but opted to go round the corner and ate at a fantastic cafe for breakfast. I can find the name for you if you like?
We ventured over the bridge to the Buda side quite early in the morning. Would definitely recommend that, as it avoids the large crowds.
Lastly, we walked into the ruin bars to see it, but walked back out. Not my thing. Instead, went to a lovely cocktail bar and a quirky bar with quality beer and decent music.
Currently planning a trip with my parents who are first timers. The Anantara New York looks like a grand dame but its location seems subpar compared to others located closer to the river. Is that fair? Also its cafe appears to attract many non-guests which may become tiresome.
The IC has the best location IMO but I wouldn’t return there whilst the rooms are Soviet chic. The Marriott is too bland for my parents so mulling the W, the Dorothea or the Matild.
Thoughts welcomed
I just booked the Kimpton BEM for Feb as a 3 for 2 night option. Looks nice
The opera house is stunning, has recently been refurbished, and is considerably cheaper than comparable places in the UK or other countries. Even if you’re not normally an opera buff, I would strongly recommend going there for a performance.
And a respectful, reflective walk – maybe even a prayerful walk – around the former Jewish quarter will remind you, if a reminder is needed today, of all days, of the horrors that arise when antisemitism is afforded a comfortable seat in society.
Would highly recommend Mak for dinner, a modern and delicious take on classic Hungarian fare! If you fancy exploring Hungarian wine (actually a real quality product and not just Tokaj), then would recommend a tasting at the Faust wine cellars underneath the Hilton hotel
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Popular articles this week:
