An Informative Article About Accommodation in Hungary for Tourists, Highlighting the Unique Features and What to Expect. There are some nuances that may surprise residents of colder countries. This discussion will focus specifically on accommodations: apartments, hostels, and short-term rental hotels. I’ll provide some useful tips to make your journey through Hungary more enjoyable and exciting.

Accommodation Options in Hungary for Tourists

In Hungary, tourists can find all the standard accommodation options available in any country. Particularly in the center of Budapest and other major cities, it’s relatively easy to rent an apartment or a room in a hostel located in a historic building that’s over 300 years old. These places have high ceilings, beautiful entrances, and a wonderful atmosphere.

apartments and hotels in Hungary
In the heart of any major city, you can easily find apartments in such buildings. The photo above shows Budapest’s city center.

Here are the standard accommodation options you’ll find everywhere:

  • Apartments – These are regular flats available for short-term rentals. They always come with a kitchen and a bathroom.
  • Hostels (there are many in Budapest) – These are individual rooms within an apartment or a house. Sometimes, you’ll find rooms with private bathrooms. However, the kitchen is usually shared. Hostels can vary from ones where there are 10 beds in a room and a shared bathroom on the floor to more comfortable options. Hostels are a good choice if you’re staying somewhere for just one night, checking in late in the evening, and checking out early in the morning. Often, hostels offer contactless check-in and check-out, which is convenient.
  • Hotels – There’s nothing special to say about hotels; they’re pretty standard, just like anywhere else. In the city centers, you’ll find many hotels in beautiful historical buildings. You can find a rating with prices and photos of the best hotels in Budapest here.
Accommodation in Hungary
Accommodation in Hungary also includes hotels. Pictured is the The Grand Hotel Aranybika (Golden Bull Hotel) in the center of Debrecen
  • Aparthotels – These are also available in Hungary. They offer hotel-style rooms but with a small kitchenette, as traditional hotels don’t typically provide in-room kitchens. Having a kitchen while traveling is very convenient because dining out three times a day is great, but sometimes you might want to make a sandwich or cook some pasta for your kids.

Additionally, there’s one unique type of accommodation in Hungary that’s popular among tourists but not as common elsewhere: hotels with their own thermal springs and baths. Some even come with a large aqua complex with thermal pools and their own hotel. You can access the baths directly from the hotel without going outside. Such accommodations can be found in many major cities and not just in the large ones. You can find a rating of Hungary’s hotels with thermal baths here.

Follow the link – rating of hotels in Hungary with thermal baths.

Useful to Know:

In Hungary, there are not only the famous Széchenyi Baths in Budapest. The country boasts over 1300 thermal springs equipped with baths. In Budapest alone, there are 13 major thermal baths. Surprisingly, Széchenyi Baths are not necessarily the best; it’s all a matter of marketing. For those interested, here is a comprehensive overview of the most famous Hungarian baths, particularly Széchenyi Baths.

Features of Accommodation in Hungary

In summary, here are the key characteristics you might encounter that could be mildly surprising. There’s nothing critical, but it’s good to be prepared for these.

  • A lot of accommodation in Hungary has ordinary ceramic tiles on the floor. This is a common trend in many European countries. Ceramic tiles are durable, resistant to moisture, and cool during hot weather. However, in winter, you’ll need warm socks or slippers. If you have cold feet, I recommend bringing warm socks with you.
  • Central heating in Hungary is often gas-based and not available everywhere. In places where it’s present, a large gas boiler heats all the apartments in the building. In many smaller towns, they still use wood for heating. Gas is expensive, so even in winter, the radiators are warm, not scalding hot. It’s perfectly normal to walk around the apartment in a sweater.
  • Parking throughout the country, especially in city centers, is often paid. Finding parking in paid zones can be quite challenging. If you’re traveling by car in Hungary, pay attention to accommodations that offer free parking nearby. Usually, hosts mention this in the property description.
apartments in hungary parking
It even happens like in the photo – the outskirts of a small town, and all parking is paid.

Travel Tips

Here are some general tips to help you with your choices and get a clearer picture:

  • At the end of the article, you’ll find links to popular accommodation rental resources for tourists throughout Hungary. There are many options available.
  • Hungary is an entirely safe country. You can book accommodation in any neighborhood or city without worrying about criminal areas. Tourists are safe at any time of day, but common-sense safety precautions are still advisable. Learn more about safety in Hungary for tourists and where you might encounter scams.
  • Over the past few years, starting from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Hungary has seen significant price increases. Annual inflation is around 15-20%. Consequently, accommodation in Hungary for tourists has become noticeably more expensive. Today, the average price for a standard apartment with a kitchen for two people is around 40-50 euros per day. Hostels can start at 15 euros per bed.
  • If your budget allows, I highly recommend considering hotels with thermal baths. The standard price across the country is 150-250 euros per day for a double room in such a hotel, including breakfast and unlimited access to the baths. Often, the hotel itself is like a palace.
hotels and castles in Hungary where to stay
A very cool hotel, Hunguest Hotel Palota, with its own thermal baths in the Hungarian mountain village of Lillafüred

In conclusion, accommodation in Hungary caters to every taste and budget. Unlike certain unique features you might encounter in places like China, where public restrooms don’t have doors, Hungary offers standard apartments and hotels like those found in many European countries. However, there is a niche of hotels with their own hot springs and baths.

Wishing you comfortable and cozy accommodations!

IMPORTANT: Below are useful links that will help organize your trip to Hungary and Budapest:

  • Flight: Aviasales – compares prices for flights among 30+ airlines flying to Budapest.

  • Tours and excursions:
    • Viator and GetYourGuide – the best services for finding tours in Budapest and Hungary with the largest database of activities in Hungary. They offer river cruises on the Danube, tickets to baths, and 1000+ tours (available in different languages).

  • Accommodation, apartments, hotels, hostels:
    • Hotellook compares the prices among dozens of other booking services and offer the best price

    • Booking – the most popular booking platform

    • Agoda – even more accommodation options in Hungary

  • Car rental: DiscoverCars – the leading and largest car rental service in Hungary.

  • Travel Insurance: EKTA.

  • eSIM – Airalo virtual SIM card in Hungary.

  • Taxi and airport transfers: Intui.Travel