Hotel Patria - Pecs, Hungary 

I've stayed in this hotel on several occasions since the mid-1990s, most recently in December, 2007, and January, 2008. I know Pecs and its hotels well, since I have a summer home here, and have many friends and colleagues among the locals. I stay in hotels when I have reason to come for short periods of time, and don't want to open up my summer place. In my opinion, the Patria is the best in-town hotel in Pecs. It is clearly more appealing than its sister hotel, the Palatinus (also a member of the Danubius hotel chain). Most of the rooms (including bath) seem to have been modernized within the last 5 - 7 years, so the Patria does not have the faded/jaded feel that some reviewers have found in the Palatinus. The furniture in the guest rooms is modern, but with some warmth, and the beds are comfortable. There is space in the mini-bar for a few things of your own. Most rooms seem to have balconies. The only two shortcomings in the rooms are (1) internet access is charged as a phone call, and (2) no CNN International. There is lower-cost internet access through the small business center in the lobby. The hotel restaurant is entirely acceptable, although the room service menu is pretty limited. The breakfast buffet is well above average. More important, the Patria is just a 10-minute walk from the main city square (Szechenyi ter), which anchors the center of the pedestrian shopping street (Kiraly utca), where there are a number of better-than-average restaurants. (The best restaurants in Pecs are not in the city center, but rather in the Mecsek hills -- the Tettye, the Bagoly Var, and the Kikelet. Those three places are just a 10 - 12 minute drive from the center. In the center, I prefer the small, rustic Dom Vendeglo [in a passage off the Kiraly utca], and the Fregatt Arizona.) The other thing that really sets the Patria apart from other Pecs hotels is the quality of the staff. The front desk manager, Mr. Tamas Balashko, is professional, courteous, efficient, and helpful. Likewise for the reservations clerk, Ms. Bernadett Konya, and their colleagues. The restaurant's head waiter at lunch and dinner is very professional. (Prepare to be less impressed at breakfast, but then it's buffet-style.) The room cleaning staff are considerate and courteous. Overall, the Patria is a clear number one for an in-town location in Pecs, and arguably better than the best outlying hotel, the Kikelet, in the Mecsek hills.