Ujlipotvaros / District XIII

Adina Apartment Hotel Budapest

★★★★★

Families who have tried to fit four people into a standard European hotel room will appreciate the Adina. Run by the Australian-founded Adina apartment-hotel brand, it combines the space and independence of an apartment with the services of a hotel, and it is one of the most practical places to stay in Budapest for families, groups of friends and anyone staying more than a few nights. There are three types of accommodation. Studios, of about 30 to 35 square metres, have a kitchenette and suit couples. One-bedroom apartments, of about 50 to 70 square metres, and two-bedroom apartments, of about 75 to 90 square metres, have fully equipped kitchens, separate living areas and, in every apartment, a washing machine and dryer, which makes travelling with children much easier. The style is clean and modern rather than characterful. The hotel's facilities are better than many in the city centre: an indoor heated swimming pool, a jacuzzi, a sauna and a gym, all free for guests within set hours, so children can swim at the end of a day of sightseeing and adults can relax in winter. A breakfast room serves breakfast every day, with free breakfast for children up to five; older children sharing need an extra bed at a supplement, and cots are available. There is an underground car park with about fifty spaces, at a nightly charge and subject to availability, which is helpful if you are driving to the Danube Bend or Lake Balaton. The hotel is on Hegedűs Gyula utca, in Újlipótváros, a leafy residential district known for its Bauhaus apartment blocks, cafés and local restaurants, rather than in the tourist centre. That is the trade-off: you get space, quiet and a local feel, but you will use the metro or tram for most sightseeing.

Location logic: the Lehel tér station on the M3 metro line is about 150 metres away, and from there it is a few stops to Deák Ferenc tér, the hub of the city's transport network. Nyugati station, with its trams on the Grand Boulevard, is about fifteen minutes' walk. The Danube embankment is a short walk west, the Parliament is a pleasant walk or a short tram ride south, and Margaret Island, ideal for children with its playgrounds and musical fountain, is within easy reach. The neighbourhood has supermarkets, bakeries and a big market hall at Lehel tér, so self-catering is easy.

Choosing the apartment: a one-bedroom apartment comfortably sleeps a family with one or two young children using a sofa bed or cot; for two families or a family with teenagers, the two-bedroom apartments give everyone space. Book directly or check the rate rules for children, as the brand's policies on extra beds and breakfast vary by age. Ask for a higher floor for light and quiet.

How it compares: the Adina will not give you the views or grandeur of the Danube palace hotels, and it is further from the sights than the Inner City hotels, but for families and long stays, the combination of a kitchen, a washer-dryer and a pool is hard to beat at its price.