InterContinental Hotels Group Stay Forum - IC Budapest Review

I have just spend the weekend at the IC Budapest as an RA and I was very satisfied.

It is a nice location, situatied on the danube river, near the Szechenyi bridge, with the best view the historic monuments.

I arrivied by plane and the bus (200), followed by the metro ride (400 HUF - about 1,5 EUR) and a little walk for 2 minutes took me to the hotel. There is also the minibus for (2300 HUF) available, which brings you and other people to the hotels.

I booked a standard room with the 2 for 1 promo for 45 EUR per night. Including tax the 2 night had cost me 110,70 EUR !! A great value for a great IC. I got a room upgrade to the Queens Club river side room, which was great because of the beautiful view the the castle. Also got a free upgrade to the club, which includes the breakfast and the snacks at evining.

The staff is very helpfully and all of the staffs speaks german. Of course english as well. Service was very good.

I good every day a fruit platter and the mineral water. The present was a local red wine and fine pralines. Also recieved a greeting letter from the hotel manager, which describes also the RA and Club benefits.

The minibar was stocked every day and includes nonalcoholics and alcoholics, also snack like chocolade and pringels.

The club lounge is located at the 9th floor, also view a good view to the historical monuments.

The selection of food and drinking is very good. For breakfast you will be asked for your egg selection, what you want to have.

At evening there are warm and cold snacks, always very tasty.

Overall a very good hotel, I enjoyed my stay and I will definitly come back.

I concur.

This is a great hotel in a great location in a great city.

Hi,

I just had a looked at the estimated rate, and saw that the taxes came to a total of 77 Euro! Is that normal?

317,00 € EUR
per night (1 room(s))
Extra Persons Charge / Night 20,00 € EUR
Total Tax † 77,51 € EUR
Estimated Total Price †: 414,51 € EUR

:eek:

I concur as well.... good hotel...

Hi,

I just had a looked at the estimated rate, and saw that the taxes came to a total of 77 Euro! Is that normal?

317,00 € EUR
per night (1 room(s))
Extra Persons Charge / Night 20,00 € EUR
Total Tax † 77,51 € EUR
Estimated Total Price †: 414,51 € EUR

:eek:


Sounds about right. Checked out today, and on a room rate of c.HUF 33500 there was VAT at HUF 6700 (20%) and a HUF 1000 tourism tax per night.

Interesting to see the room rate change every night for four nights - the rate was 137 Euro, i've never noticed forex-related changes like this before :)

I contacted the Club Lounge in advance, RA upgrade was a choice between a club room or a regular suite - I went for the suite (Room 610) and was impressed with the size of the living room and awesome Danube view. Decor a bit dated but a great hotel at a great rate.

Hungary seems to be one of the countries where virtually all hotels quote their prices ex-VAT (although prices are supposed to include VAT). In this case, IC is following local practice. However, in the UK, only IC quotes ex-VAT, while every competitor I've checked includes VAT, as they are supposed to. I find that behavior deceitful.

Back to BUD. Stayed there most recently late May 2007 for 2 nights, 199 Euro (plus VAT) rate, got upgraded to a junior suite (not really much of a suite) but with Club access, with nice Danubian view.

Location is great. Hotel services OK, although I don't like the style of the hotel (and IC Praha) with their Soviet-era construction. And I lament the fact that IC has been shedding the majority of its "classic" style historic properties in Europe and settling on nondescript, cookie-cutter, characterless metal-and-glass towers. Incidentally my favorite hotel (though more $$$) is the 4 Seasons Gresham Palace Hotel, which is adjacent to the IC. Beautiful hundred-year-old Art Nouveau masterpiece. Stop by there (it's right at the foot of the chain bridge, so if you're walking from the IC across the river, it's right on your way) and gawk at the beautiful detail, the stained glass, the liquid-look detail.

Concierge services good with restaurant reservations, etc. (favorite is Vadrosza)

On transportation, a total screw-up with picking me up at the train station. Basically, instead of picking me up at 16:30 they had organized it for 6:30 pm. And then it was a circus (think Fawlty Towers). And pickup charge is ridiculously high at 25 Euro, while return trip to train station is cheap at about 6.