Danubius Hotel Astoria City Center

We stayed at Danubius Hotel Astoria Budapest for five days. While our check-in experience was smooth and the young gentleman at the reception was very helpful and kind enough to assist us with our luggage and bring our belongings to the room, unfortunately, the rest of our stay was quite disappointing. The hotel certainly has history and character, but the room felt very old and poorly maintained. The carpeted floors and bedsheets had a dusty smell, and the entire room felt dusty and uncomfortable. The bathroom was particularly unpleasant. It had a musty, unpleasant odor, and there was what appeared to be a small splatter of dried blood on the bathroom surface. I noticed it on our first day and spent the rest of our stay trying not to look at it. This was especially concerning from a cleanliness and hygiene perspective. The experience with the reception staff on our last day made things even worse. On our first day, we asked whether a late checkout would be possible. We were advised to ask again after three days, which we did. However, the older gentleman at the reception told us to ask his colleague the following day, which was already our checkout day. Since our flight was at 8 PM, we approached the reception early that morning to ask if a late checkout was possible. We were more than willing to pay an additional fee. Before I had even finished explaining our request, the receptionist, a woman with a ponytail, was already looking away and appearing hesitant. She then responded, “No, we’re full house today.” I completely understand that late checkout is subject to availability, and I would have accepted a polite refusal without any issue. However, there is a way to communicate with guests respectfully and professionally. The way she handled the interaction made us feel dismissed and unwelcome. Unfortunately, the same thing happened again when we were bringing our luggage downstairs. My mother went to the reception to ask if someone could help us carry our bags, as both of us have scoliosis and my mother also has a slipped disc. The same receptionist simply replied, “We don’t do that.” We understand that assistance may be subject to staffing and hotel policies, but the complete lack of courtesy and empathy was upsetting, especially considering our circumstances. Even a polite explanation or an attempt to suggest an alternative would have made a difference. By this point, we honestly could not wait to leave the hotel. Danubius Hotel Astoria may have historical significance and a beautiful story behind it, but history alone cannot make up for poor room cleanliness, an unpleasant bathroom experience, and unwelcoming customer service. The kindness of the gentleman who assisted us at check-in was one of the few positive parts of our stay, and I hope the hotel recognizes and appreciates employees like him. My recommendation: If you are considering staying here, especially if you are traveling with children, babies, elderly family members, or anyone who may need assistance with luggage, I would suggest looking at newer hotels with better-maintained rooms and more attentive service. A hotel stay should feel comfortable, clean, and welcoming. Unfortunately, that was not our experience here.

Great location, beautiful old world decor. Friendly and very helpful staff. Spacious rooms with comfortable beds and pillows. Good bathroom with tub and a shower. Restaurant looked pretty but we didn't have time to visit. Our room had a lovely balcony

Hotel Danubius exceeded my expectations. Great location and easy access to the airport and train station via public transportation. The hotel looks impressive the minute you walk in. The lobby is big with old fashioned furniture and so is the breakfast room with plenty of food to choose from. Everything about the hotel looked royal to me. The hotel rooms are also cozy and decorated in old fashioned style. However, there is a newer section of the hotel with modern rooms and that's what we had. I was amazed by clever design of the bathroom, plenty of closet storage, refrigerator and the whole room was awesome and very modern looking. I don't know about the other rooms but ours wasn't facing the main street and it was very quiet. I would definitely stay there again.

At first glance, the hotel looks very nice, and the location is excellent. It's centrally located, making it easy to get around, although the street outside is quite noisy. The rooms were fairly standard, but there were several issues. The shower was inconsistent—sometimes the water suddenly turned cold or became too hot, and the water pressure was very weak, which made washing my hair difficult. There was also mold in the shower and several silverfish in the bathroom. Unfortunately, the condition of the bathroom significantly affected my overall impression of the room. During one rainy day, the TV also lost its signal for several hours, so no channels were available. The staff were okay—not particularly friendly, but not rude either. However, I never really felt genuinely welcomed. At breakfast, it seemed that some of the staff were inexperienced. For example, our table was cleared while we were still eating, simply because we had briefly gone to get more coffee, making it seem as though the table was being prepared for the next guests. The breakfast itself wasn't really to my taste, as I found the food a bit underseasoned, although I understand that's a matter of personal preference. Overall, the hotel has a great location and a pleasant appearance, but the maintenance issues and the bathroom, in particular, made the stay less enjoyable than expected.