Hotel Carat Budapest - Budapest, Hungary     

I must say that all of the problems that seem to have occurred in this hotel during the opening weeks have now been cleared up. I booked this hotel on the recommendation of a friend and it was a good recommendation. If you prefer a smaller boutique hotel rather than one of the bigger chains this one is very good. The rooms are tastefully furnished and very comfortable. High ceilings, good quality bed linen and immaculately clean. The bathrooms although small are modern with butler sinks and chrome fittings, integrated tub and shower. All furnishings were really good quality and of nice design. There’s a well stocked mini bar and enough space left to put in your own water etc. Breakfast was included in my rate and was good with a choice of omelettes or ham, bacon, eggs etc cooked freshly to order. Also, there was a range of cereals, fruit, meats and cheeses. There is not really a bar in the hotel, but there is plenty of good places to eat and drink around. The hotels location on Kilary Ucta can’t be beaten. It’s two minutes walk to a major transport hub, 5 minutes walk to Vaci Ucta and the Danube. Kilary Ucta is a nice street with a few bars and good restaurants, arty and antique shops. Andrassy Ucta and the Opera House are just around the corner. I did not feel the need to use public transport except for a trip to Buda Old Town. There’s a 24 hour shop opposite and a larger supermarket within 20 meters. One point which I will note is that all central hotels in Budapest experience some noise. My room was on the front of the hotel on the 3rd floor. Most of the noise seemed to be caused either by police cars or stag parties (and a mixture of both). There are a few small bars on Kilary which advertise very cheap alcohol and it did seem that mayhem was breaking out well into Saturday night and Sunday morning. The hotel staff were polite and courteous on all occasions, checking in/out was a breeze. Reception was 24 hours and I felt extremely safe both in this location and in the hotel. A friend of mine visited the hotel and was stopped and “interrogated” before being allowed in, which showed that keep an eye who their guests are. I’d have no problem recommending this lovely hotel to my friends it’s small intimate and well designed.