Pest (the centre)
The flat, busy side: shopping streets, restaurants and nightlife. Right for anyone who wants to walk to everything from the hotel door.
Sources and further reading · Pest (the centre)
Hungary
Hotels in Budapest
Budapest is two cities on either side of the Danube. Which side you sleep on shapes the holiday more than one star up or down.
This guide helps you choose an area. Hotel prices and availability are checked when you search with dates and guests.
Get to know the area before choosing a hotel
Buda
The hilly side, quieter, with views over the river and the city. Right for a calm evening if a short ride into the centre is no trouble.
Sources and further reading · BudaDistrict VII (Erzsébetváros)
The old Jewish Quarter in Pest, known for its courtyards, cafés and ruin bars. The liveliest part of the city at night — good for going out, less so for early sleepers.
Sources and further reading · District VII (Erzsébetváros)District V, by the Parliament
Pest’s riverside heart around the Parliament and St Stephen’s Basilica. Central and elegant, and calmer at night than District VII.
Sources and further reading · District V, by the ParliamentAndrássy Avenue (District VI)
The grand avenue from the centre to Heroes’ Square and City Park, with the Opera House and the M1 metro beneath it, and the Széchenyi baths at its far end.
Sources and further reading · Andrássy Avenue (District VI)The Castle District
The old town on the Buda hill, with Buda Castle and the Fisherman’s Bastion. Quiet and atmospheric in the evening, a bus or funicular ride from the river.
Sources and further reading · The Castle DistrictWhich area suits your trip
- A first visit
- Central Pest — District V or VI — with the river, the basilica and the metro on foot.
- Couples
- The Castle District or the Buda riverside, for evenings with a view over the Danube.
- Families
- District V or VI: flat, central and near the metro. Check for a lift.
- Going out
- District VII, with its ruin bars and late cafés.
- The baths
- Near City Park for the Széchenyi baths, or the Buda riverside for its older baths.
Getting in from the airport
Budapest Airport (BUD)
The 100E airport bus runs to Deák Ferenc tér in the centre, where three metro lines meet, and the 200E bus connects to metro line M3 at Kőbánya-Kispest.
Getting around the city
Four metro lines, trams along both banks of the Danube and buses cover the city; tram 2, on the Pest riverside, passes the Parliament and many sights. Tickets and passes are sold at stations and in the BudapestGO app. Central Pest is flat and easy on foot, and Buda is hilly.
When to go
- Spring and early autumn are mild and pleasant for walking along the river.
- Summer is hot, with festivals and long evenings by the Danube.
- Winter is cold, sometimes freezing, with Christmas markets from late November — and the outdoor thermal pools at their best.
Before choosing your address
- Check which side of the river the hotel is on before comparing prices.
- Entry to a thermal bath is not included by every hotel. If it matters, look for it in the rate description.
- Check the route from the hotel to the nearest metro station, not only the distance to it.
Questions before you book
Should I stay in Buda or Pest?
Pest, for a first visit: it is flat and has most of the restaurants, shops and nightlife. Buda is hillier and quieter, with views over the river.
Which district is best for a first visit?
District V, by the Parliament and the basilica, or District VI around Andrássy Avenue. Both are central and close to the metro.
Is District VII too noisy?
It is the liveliest at night, with ruin bars and late cafés — good for going out. Early sleepers may prefer District V or VI, or a room facing the courtyard.
How do I get from Budapest Airport to the centre?
The 100E bus runs to Deák Ferenc tér, where three metro lines meet, and taxis wait outside the terminal.
Do hotels include entry to the thermal baths?
Only some, and usually only to their own spa. If a bath matters, look for it in the rate description.
Worth reading before you book
How to choose a hotel: what to check before you book
The right hotel is not the grandest on the list; it is the one that fits the days you planned. Five checks, in this order.
What you pay at the hotel: taxes, fees and the deposit
The booking closed at one price and the bill shows another. Usually that is not a mistake but a local tax.
How to read a flight before you book: times, stops, duration and the fare rules
Two flights at the same price can be very different trips. Everything that tells them apart is already on the result — it only has to be read in the right order.
