Website (not their): http://animationcityhostel.gportal.hu/
Address: 2. Haris koz, Budapest, 1052-HUN
Telephone: 00 36 20 329 7007
E-mail: animation.city.hostel@gmail.com

How to get to

The closest Metro station is Ferenciek Tere on M3 (blue). If you come from the airport, this is where you should get off. Take the Kossuth Lajos u exit and make a right on Petofi Sandor u. First to the left is the street you want to be on. Walk almost to the end which meets with Vaci utca and at nr 2 you’ll find the hostel (15 on the intercom).

If you come from the train station (Keleti pu), you’d want to take M2 (red) and get off at Astoria. Take the Rakoczi ut exit and follow the street until you get to Petofi Sandor u and then get to the hostel.

If you have a day transport pass, get off at Deak and change to M3 then get off at Ferenciek Tere. Otherwise this is not worth the combined ticket you’d need to buy.

The room

The double “superior” room had nothing superior about it. The “private” room was NOT ensuite (ok, I could count this as my fault for not asking if by private they mean ensuite). We got a key and a bathroom at the opposite end of the living room (by the entrance door). The heating in the room was not working properly. Or shall I say that the radiator didn’t get hot and at the same time the wind blew through the closed window?

We had a double bed, a cupboard, two night stands, a mirror and a larger nightstand with drawers.

The apartment

This “superior” room was part of a larger apartment which also had the “private” bathroom, a dining – living area (with a TV which never worked), working kitchen and another family room (with bathroom ensuite this time). There was free wi-fi in the dining-living area and in the room. The promised free coffee & tea didn’t happen. Our “private” bathroom also had the washing machine for the entire hostel.

Our experience

I found the place via hostelbookers but decided to email them and reserve the room like that. Although it wasn’t cheaper.

When we got to the hostel, the first thing I moaned about was the bathroom. I was expecting ensuite. And for 36 euros/night it should have been. Plus, as mentioned, the room wasn’t “superior” at all and made me wonder how the hell the regular rooms look (didn’t dare ask!). The sun was up on Friday and the room was nice and warm. A bit windy but we both figured the window was open.

When we came back from the city around 4 pm (already cold and dark outside),our room was …just as cold. I searched for an open window. Nope, all closed. The radiator wasn’t hot. I hailed the girl at the reception – she never told me her name, nor did any of the guys, although I always started my sentences with “I’m Cristina from private room 7 and…“. She said she wasn’t aware of the issue and put the thermostat on 24C (there was heating based on gas, one of those independent units for each apartment). And she told us to hail her colleague an hour later if things didn’t improve.

An hour later, pissed as hell, I marched to the reception (one level up from the apartment) and asked the nameless guy to come and check. It took him quite a bit and we got the same answer: turn thermostat at a higher heating level and that’s all they could do. I was super pissed by then. I looked up other places to stay but where I knew it was warm, they were booked up. Boohoo.

Bundled up – I sleep in a t-shirt at home but there I slept with a long sleeve shirt and sports pants on – under two covers we woke up to an even colder room. Wanted to throw a scene at 9 a.m. (when reception opened) but decided – well Alex decided, I was still going to march to the reception and throw a scene – to just go out in town, come back late, bundle up again and that’s it. So that’s what we did. Next night was a bit warmer but only because I forced that damn thermostat at 25C.

When we checked out the other nameless guy asked me how the room was. I told him: COLD.

Sure, the apartment was clean and modern decorated but the cold really made me hate it with all my heart. That and the bathroom , that’s mostly because there was a nice Jacuzzi we couldn’t use as we had company (family with 2 small kids).

I would not recommend this place to anyone. In fact, stay away from it. Far away. It’s not worth the money and they do not deliver on what they promise. Common courtesy is not their thing either (when I complained about the cold room they could have offered to put us in another double, even if it was shared…but no, they couldn’t do anything about it). For a while I was tempted to report them to the authorities.

I can compare the size of the room to the one at Astoria or in other words, tiny and cramped!

The good

1. location: it’s right on Vaci utca , right smack in the city center
2. the equipped kitchen so you can cook if you don’t want to spend money at restaurants
3. the Jacuzzi provided you don’t care who hears you
4. bed linen and towels included in the price
5. free , working wi-fi

The bad

1. the cold room (and general maintenance of the windows and radiators)
2. the “private” bathroom ; the only private thing about it is that you get a key, which you WILL use after one of the kids ends up using your bathroom (which you left unlocked because you are too nice)
3. the staff who lacks common courtesy of telling you their names
4. the things offered at booking (via email) vs what they actually offer; there is nothing superior about that room

>>another option is to stay with a local in their home

Our rating