Hotel Name: Expo Congress Hotel Budapest
Star Rating: ****
Location: Expo Congress Hotel Budapest, H-1101 Budapest, Expo tér 2.
Rooms: 120 standard rooms, 36 superior rooms, 4 disabled access rooms.
Top Tip: Make sure to check out the Sky Bar and enjoy a few drinks relaxing with a nice view.
Expo Congress Hotel
If you’re looking to go for a short city break and admire amazing views and stunning architecture, Budapest, Hungary is a great choice. Expo Hotel Congress is situated not far from the city centre. A short 16-minute tube will get you there in no time. There are a total of 160 stylish rooms at Expo Hotel Congress. All rooms feature nice designs and consist of the basic hotel facilities.
Other services available at the hotel include;
- Sky Bar
- Expo Brasserie
- Lobby Bar
- Spa and Fitness
Location:
Budapest is well known for its beautiful buildings and stunning architecture. There is plenty to see and explore around Budapest. With the hotel being situated not far from the city centre, you’ll be able to relax and unwind in a quiet location in a more local less-touristy area.
The quickest way to get to the city centre is via the Metro which is situated right near the Puskás Ferenc Stadion – a short 24-minute walk.
After checking in at Expo Congress Hotel, we explored the local area and came across a Burger King not too far from the hotel itself. We decided to grab some food from there and explore more areas. Due to our arrival time in Budapest, we didn’t manage to explore the city until the following day.
Due to the location of the hotel being situated a little out from the centre, you will be required to use public transport to access the main attractions – but don’t worry, if you pick up a 24-hour or 72 hours Budapest card, you’ll be able to travel on the Metro, Trams and Buses using your ticket.
The Superior Room:
Upon arriving at Expo Congress Hotel, there was no queue so we were able to check-in within minutes. We stayed in the Superior room on the 9th floor with a front-facing view towards the Castle and Parliament in the distance. The Superior room accommodates up to two people in single beds or a double, upon your request.
After stepping inside, I was very happy with the room. It was pretty spacious and stylish and consisted of the usual hotel room facilities.
- LCD TV
- Spacious Safe
- Free Fast WIFI
- Climate Control
- Minibar
- Walk-in Shower
- Tea and Coffee Facilities
What was very handy that I’ve not come across in other hotels during my travels, is the travel-buddy phone they provide to guests. In your room, you’ll find a smart-phone docked with interesting Budapest attractions and guides along with more hotel information. This makes your trip more enjoyable knowing you don’t need to worry about your data usage on your own smartphones.
I’m happy to say, the hotel came equipped with the basic needs for a short city break stay.
Dining at Expo Congress Hotel:
Expo Congress Hotel has a bar and a restaurant. The bar is available on the 12th floor and is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 17:00 till 24:00. Whilst you can’t order major food and snacks, you can take advantage of the happy hour promotion and great prices for an evening drink with a lovely view.
The food available in the morning at the Expo Congress Hotel restaurant concluded of the usual all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast. You can also request the breakfast to be delivered to your room for a small cost.
The dinner menu was quite interesting. I opted for the stuffed chicken with pasta, it was pretty nice and needed after a long day of exploring.
Amenities & Entertainment:
The hotel has various spa facilities which include, a sauna, steam bath, jaccuzi, relaxing area and sundeck terrace. Other facilities available in the hotel include the fitness studio, which consists of various machines, dumbbells and access to the sundeck terrace. Both are open from 7am to 10pm.
All facilities and services:
- Free WIFI
- Restaurant and Bar
- 24 Hour Reception
- Fitness Centre
- Sewing service
- Ironing service
- Shoeshine service
- Porterage
- Complimentary Luggage Room
- Late check-out until 3 pm for EUR 25 / room
Pros:
- Quick and easy check-in and check-out
- The room was very spacious and comfortable
- Breakfast can be delivered to room
- Safe is spacious, big enough for a laptop
- Beds were comfy for a short stay
- Location is slightly good, not too far away from the city centre but will require public transport
- Stylish wall-art and designs
- Travel buddy phone – Extremely handy!
- Bathroom has a walk-in shower
- Nice view looking towards the Parliament building and castle
- Good choice of food available at the restaurant
- Variety of drinks available at the Sky Bar
Cons:
- Some food was a little too cold to enjoy
- Water wasn’t complimentary and carried a €2 price tag
- No swimming pool at the hotel
- No Instagram account specifically for this hotel, which is a lost opportunity to connect with the guests staying at Expo Congress Hotel
The wrap up:
If you’re looking to explore Budapest for a few days and not be situated right in the centre with everything going on, but still a short metro ride away, then Expo Congress Budapest is the ideal hotel. All rooms are very stylish and easy to access via lifts or stairs. The staff at the front desk are ready to help if you have any issues during your visit.
Disclosure: My stay was hosted by Expo Hotel Congress, Mellow Mood Hotels, but all views are my own and reflect my stay accurately.
Duration: 2 nights, Monday 4th December - Wednesday 6th December 2017
9 Comments
The water costs something? Whew. That’s really a big con. Is the tap water drinkable?
Going back, the hotel room looks grand and spacious. Thanks for sharing this review.
“travel-buddy phone”now this is the first time i heard something like this . Very thoughtful gesture from the administration part of the hotel and definitely deserves some brownie points.
What about pick up and drop facilities , do they offer something on that front too ?
The hotel looks comfortable and the rooms specious. And really, even I have been to like over hundred hotels so far but never heard of a travel buddy phone. In fact , I have been to places and found it frustrating when the intercom doesn’t seem to work. This phone they provide is really their USP
With all those nice food options (liked the stuffed chicken), how could you opt for Burger King? 🙂
Thanks for sharing this. Btw: I have seen these phones a few times in Asia already. But nice to see that Europe is keeping up with the progress 😉
As a long-term traveler, I always look for that sweet spot between affordability and comfort. However, there are times when I splurge a bit more than my usual budget on accommodation, so it’s great to see helpful (and detailed!) reviews like this from fellow travel bloggers. 🙂
I liked the wall art. I would love to see travel photos on a wall fully. Transports me to another world within where I live. The mobile app as an assistant is a great idea. Imagine getting notified on what’s happening around. It opens up a new world of possibilities in helping a traveler get to know the hotel/environment better.
I’ve never heard of a hotel that provides a phone to be used by their guests. Now that is really something, and quite helpful if you happen to be carrying a phone that is not factory unlocked.
I don’t like the color scheme of the hotel, but it does look grand. Sad about the fact that there’s no free water. That’s important.
The concept of buddy phone is quite interesting. I wonder if they would allow you to take it out with you when you head to explore the city. Even without, such little perks go a long way in attracting guests.
Loved the concept of Travel buddy phone ! Very thoughtful. Did you tell them about Instagram ? Maybe they aren’t social savvy yet but should ? Great review and thanks for sharing.