If you’re visiting Budapest for the first time, we recommend staying in Pest, between Deák Ferenc tér, St Stephen’s Basilica, the Opera House and Oktogon Square.

You can reach most of the sights on foot from here. You’ll also be close to the underground, restaurants and nightlife. What’s more, the 100E bus from the airport stops at Kálvin tér and Deák Ferenc tér.

Choose Buda mainly if you’re looking for peace and quiet, views, and don’t mind using public transport more often.

The cheapest and best hotels in Budapest

If you don’t want to spend time searching for the best deals, we’ve selected the best hotels for you in several categories.

Cheapest accommodation

The cheapest hotels with en-suite bathrooms in Budapest start at just 30 eur per night fora twinroom; standard prices for budget hotels range up to 55 eur.

• TL Hotel Budapest Oktogon – a typical, very basic yet functional and modern hotel
• Easy Star Hotel – a small, simple but clean little hotel in the wider city centre, just a short walk from the underground station
• Dean's College Hotel – a highly rated, modern, smaller hotel in the south of the wider city centre, again just a few dozen metres from a metro station

Hotels offering the best value for money in terms of location and quality

These hotels are the best choice for a classic stay of 2 to 4 nights. They aren’t always the cheapest, but you’ll save both time and money on daily travel.

• T62 Hotel – a modern and well-reviewed hotel near Nyugati railway station. Trams 4 and 6 will take you quickly to many parts of the city.
• Hotel Moments Budapest by Continental Group – A higher-quality hotel on Andrássy Avenue. The city centre, the Basilica and the Jewish Quarter are all within walking distance.
• Ibis Budapest Centrum – A simple chain hotel with no major surprises. Its advantage is its location near the M3 and M4 metro lines and the airport bus.
• Florin Apart Hotel – An apartment hotel right next to Deák Ferenc tér. Suitable for longer stays, families and groups who’ll appreciate the extra space and kitchenette.

Hotels with views of the Danube and the Parliament

A river view isn’t guaranteed, even at hotels right on the embankment. When booking, always specify the type of room with a view.

• Novotel Budapest Danube – situated on the Buda side of the river, directly opposite the Parliament. It offers one of the best value-for-money views.
• InterContinental Budapest – a luxury hotel on the riverfront in the centre of Pest. From the rooms facing the Danube, you can see the river, the Chain Bridge and Buda Castle.
• Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest – The most expensive, but also the most exceptional option. The hotel is housed in a historic palace right by the Chain Bridge.
• Hotel Castle Garden – It does not have a direct view of the Danube, but offers a peaceful atmosphere near Buda Castle. It is ideal for couples and visitors who do not wish to stay in bustling Pest.

Luxury hotels

If you want to treat yourself to the ultimate in luxury at the very best hotels, Budapest is the ideal city for this. Compared to other major cities, prices for luxury hotels here are lower, and 5-star hotels start from just 140 eurper night for a double room:

• Corinthia Budapest – a beautiful 5* hotel on Budapest’s Ring Road with a superb indoor pool and luxury suites, though prices start at a reasonable 120 eur per room
• Aurea Ana Palace Hotel – several establishments are vying for the title of the very best hotels, but Aurea Ana has the best reviews. The cheapest room is available from 180 eur

Accommodation near the thermal baths

If you’re heading to Budapest mainly for the thermal baths, you have two options: stay directly in a thermal hotel, or choose a hotel near the public baths.

Thermal hotels on Margaret Island

• Ensana Thermal Margaret Island – the more modern of the two hotels. It offers thermal pools, a swimming pool, saunas and other wellness facilities right in the building.
• Ensana Grand Margaret Island – a historic hotel in the park. It is connected to the thermal and wellness centre of the neighbouring hotel via a covered walkway.

Both hotels are situated in the peaceful surroundings of Margaret Island. However, you’ll need to travel a short distance to reach the sights and enjoy the nightlife.

Hotels near the Széchenyi Baths

• Mirage Medic Hotel – an elegant hotel right next to Heroes’ Square. The Széchenyi Baths are about a 10-minute walk away.
• Alice Hotel – A stylish, smaller hotel in a historic villa on Andrássy Avenue. The baths are within walking distance and you can reach the city centre by the M1 underground line.

A hotel with its own wellness centre in the city centre

• Corinthia Budapest – a luxury hotel on Grand Boulevard with the impressive Royal Spa wellness centre. When booking, check whether your rate includes access to the wellness centre.

We compare other public thermal baths, prices and practical information in the chapter ‘Thermal Baths in Budapest’.

Hotels for families or those travelling by car

• Bo33 Hotel Family & Suites – offering larger rooms and suites, a smaller wellness centre and paid private parking right next to the hotel.
• Florin Apart Hotel – a centrally located apartment hotel suitable for families and larger groups. The advantages include a kitchenette and paid parking on the premises.

We recommend booking a parking space in advance. In the centre of Budapest, parking is not automatically included in the room rate and the capacity of hotel car parks tends to be limited.

Where to stay in Budapest based on location

You don’t need to know the names of the city districts. When choosing a hotel, it’s more practical to use well-known landmarks and transport hubs as your guide.

Area	Suitable for	Specific hotels
Deák Square, the Basilica and the Opera House	First-time visitors, short stays	Hotel Moments, Florin Apart Hotel
Oktogon and Nyugati	Good value, easy transport	T62 Hotel, TL Hotel
Jewish Quarter	Restaurants, bars, nightlife	Wombat's City Hostel
Buda	Peace and quiet, views, romance	Novotel Budapest Danube, Hotel Castle Garden
Margaret Island	Thermal baths, wellness	Ensana Thermal, Ensana Grand

Is it better to stay in Buda or in Pest?

For your first visit, we recommend Pest. There’s a wider choice of hotels, restaurants and shops here. You’ll also be closer to the nightlife and most metro lines.

Buda is quieter, greener and hillier. Choose it for the views, the area around the castle or the romantic atmosphere, not because it’s more practical for exploring the city.

Where should you avoid staying?

There isn’t any large area in the city centre that tourists need to avoid for safety reasons. The specific street you choose is much more important.

If you want a quiet night’s sleep, don’t stay directly above the bars in the Jewish Quarter. For a short stay, it’s also not worth staying in a hotel on the outskirts of the city unless it’s right next to the metro and significantly cheaper.

You can find details about the metro, trams and night services in the chapter on Transport in Budapest.

Accommodation prices in Budapest

Budapest is no longer an extremely cheap city. However, you can still find very good value for money here, particularly in mid-range and higher-end hotels.

Type of accommodation	Typical price per night	Note
Bed in a hostel	20–40 eur	Price per person
Basic twin room	55–100 eur	Often outside the very centre
A well-reviewed hotel in the centre	100–180 eur	Usually 3* or 4*
High-quality 4* or boutique hotel	150–250 eur	Better location and facilities
Luxury hotel	from 250 eur	Views, spa facilities or prime location

Prices are indicative for a double room, except for hostels. Prices rise most during weekends, public holidays, festivals, Christmas markets and major sporting events.

It’s worth booking early with free cancellation. If the price drops later, you can cancel your original booking and make a new one.

Check hotel prices and availability

What to look out for when booking

• View – a room with a view of the Danube must be specified directly in the name of the booked room category
• Noise – in the Jewish Quarter and on the main boulevards, it’s best to choose a room facing the courtyard
• Air conditioning – it gets very hot in Budapest during the summer
• Lift – these may not be standard in older buildings
• Wellness facilities – access may not be included in all hotel rates
• Parking – check the price, the height limit in the car park and whether you can reserve a space
• En-suite bathroom – the cheapest rooms and hostels may have shared facilities

Where to book a hotel

The widest selection of hotels and apartments is available at Booking.com. We recommend first looking at a few specific hotels from our recommendations and then comparing similar offers in the surrounding area.

For more expensive stays, also check Agoda.com. The same room may have a different price or different cancellation terms for a specific date.

Find a hotel in Budapest

Before you travel, do also read up on how to get to Budapest, and plan your travel around the city based on the hotel’s location.