Mercure Budapest Korona - Budapest, Hungary 

I've stayed in this hotel in the middle of May 2008. It was a business trip, and we had a meeting in the same hotel. The location of the Merucure Korona is pretty good: it is close to Danube river & Vaci street, few meters away from the Market Hall and right accross from the National Museum. There is also a metro station next door and a Raday street with a bunch of nice trestaurants and bars. However, on the Kalvin square where the hotel is located, there is a metro construction going on that occupies the whole square. I think it would go on for another couple of years. Still, this is just about the view - thankfully, there was no noise or any other disturbance from this construction. Overall, the hotel looks quite nice - the lobby, the bridge bar, the restaurant. But when you get to your room, that's when the disappointment begins. It is very small, especially for the 4 star hotel. Also, it is absolutely plain. Something you would expect in holiday inn or any 3* chain hotel. The bathroom is very small as well. The rate we've got was fine, so probably for that price it was a good value. However, the rack rate at that time was almost twice as much. If your budget allows, I would definately suggest staying in some other hotel.

Arrived on Saturday 22nd March 2008 - Departed 26th March2008 The Rooms : For a supposedly 4 star rated hotel the rooms were extemely small, pretty basic and VERY claustrophobic !!. No tea/coffee facilities in the room and no iron - after contacting reception to have one brought to our rooms - the maid arrived and advised us to go down three floors, where we will find a corridor (used as a tea-room/ storeroom for the chambermaid staff) with an iron and ironing table - we had to do it ourselves !!! The bathroom : Tiny - two people could not be in it at the same time ! The mini-bar - Not a great deal to choose from - had a 'flat' coke - probably been there for a while, more than likely due to the prices !!! A miniature of Vodka was ?6.00(GBP) !!! Breakfast : This was between 7:00-10:00, however I wouldn't bother going after 9:00am - food was cold, waitresses were sparse (most of the guests, including ourselves who arrived after 9:00am, found ourselves clearing our own tables and rummaging through the cupboards for clean cutlery. When my wife found that the urn containing milk was empty, she pointed it out to one of the waiters - who simply shrugged his shoulders and walked away !!! The Bar : I have stayed and dined at Gleneagles in Scotland and Raffles in Singapore - but I never felt as ripped off as I did here !! Over ?6.00 (GBP) for a local beer / ?8:00 (GBP) for a brandy (cheapest) and coke. Two small beers (local) and two coffee's - almost ?20.00 (GBP) - two doors down in a local tourist bar the same local beer was ?1.60 (GBP) and the brandy and coke ?3.60 (GBP). The Restaurant : We didn't bother !!! On our departure the desk manager asked us how our stay was, when we told him about the breakfast situation - he said he would speak to the staff and tell them to be more attentive in future - we left !!!!! Perhaps we simply stayed on the wrong four days of the year (!?!) but from what we experienced we will probably NEVER stay in another Mercure hotel. THIS WAS NOT A FOUR STAR EXPERIENCE !!!