Danube Trip: Hilton Budapest (Castle District)

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Danube Trip: Passau, Germany
Danube Trip: Wachau Valley and Göttweig Abbey
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Danube Trip: Budapest, Hungary
Danube Trip: Hilton Budapest (Castle District)
Danube Trip: Budapest to Chicago

We arrived at the Hilton Castle District by taxi in the late afternoon after having walked all over the Pest side of the city.  A bellman quickly assisted us with our bags and we found the bell staff was very helpful each time we needed them.  We’d arranged for the taxi driver who brought us up the hill to take us to the airport on Monday morning.  When he didn’t show, the bell staff jumped in and got us another taxi right away.

There are several sets of entrances into the lobby.  Upon entering, the front desk is at the right side.  The lobby’s stainless steel and dark wood look combined with the rather low ceiling should make the area feel smaller than it is but I never felt like the walls were closing in.

Hilton Castle District Lobby

There was no wait to check in and we were promptly helped.  My Gold status (thanks to the Hilton Surpass American Express) was recognized.  We were quickly given the keys to our room and clear directions on how to reach it.

Across from the elevators was an open-air lounge with several different seating areas.  This section had higher ceilings and splashes of color that I quite liked.

Hilton Castle District Ground Floor Lounge

We’d reserved a Twin room using points and were upgraded (I suppose) to a room that had a partial view of Danube.  We were on the north side of building and could see a bit of the river to our right but straight ahead and to our left all we could see was another wing of the building.  While a better view of the river or a view of the castle would have been nice, we mostly had booked the room for its convenient location so we couldn’t be too disappointed.

Once inside the doorway, the bathroom was to the immediate right, followed by a closet and then into the bed area. We got the twin beds we requested and we each had our own nightstand, which was great.

Twin Guest Room Beds

Beyond the beds was an easy chair as well as a desk with a chair. I liked the extra space between the chair and the wall as it was a convenient place to leave my open suitcase, which doesn’t fit well on a typical suitcase stand.

Twin Guest Room Desk and Chair with Ottoman

Waiting on the desk was the welcome amenity of some cheese, fruit and a sweet along with a bottle of water.

Twin Guest Room Gold Welcome Amenity

Facing the beds was a low chest that doubled as a TV stand.  We didn’t make use of either.

Twin Guest Room TV and Chest

The bathroom was a very nice size though I thought it would have been nice to have some extra shelves under the sink as there was relatively little counter space for two people.

Twin Guest Room Sink

Toiletries by Peter Thomas Roth were provided.

Twin Guest Room Peter Thomas Roth Toiletries

On the right side of the sink were the shower stall and the toilet.  I liked that the showerhead could easily be raised and lowered though the stall itself seemed rather small.  I wondered how long it had been since someone stayed in our room because when I used the shower the first day the water came through in fits and starts like there was air in the line.  And maybe other people in our area were using the water because at one point I was nearly scalded it got so hot.  Not sure what caused that.

Twin Guest Room Shower and Toilet

On the left side of the sink was a soaking tub which I did not use.

Twin Guest Room Bathtub

Just outside the bathroom was the closet which also contained some shelves and the safe.  Slippers were provided and an iron and ironing board were tucked in there too.

Twin Guest Room Closet, Shelves and Safe

In the corner between the closet and the bed area was the coffee & tea station.

Twin Guest Room Coffee and Tea Station

Underneath that was the fridge which had a number of beverages.

Twin Guest Room Mini-Fridge

We were able to enjoy the buffet breakfast one morning though it was quite busy so I didn’t take photos.  Unfortunately the next day we had to leave for the airport too early to be able to eat there.

The hotel does have a gym with several cardio and weight machines as well as some handweights and a fitness ball.

Hilton Castle District Cardio Machines

Hilton Castle District Weight Machines

There is an executive lounge with a business center.  During the day there wasn’t really much in the way of food available though we did not visit during breakfast or dinner time when the best of the food would have been set out.

Hilton Castle District Executive Lounge Seating

Hilton Castle District Business Center

Down on the ground floor is the bar which is actually quite large.  Perhaps it’s busier on other nights but the Sunday evening when I took this photo, it was very quiet.  The photo only reflects half the bar, which is on the left side of the picture.  The walkway actually extends in a U-shape around the bar but there were patrons on the other side of the bar.

Hilton Castle District Bar

This hotel has had a renovation in the last several years (see Ben’s review from 2013 for pre-renovation photos).  The lobby, ground floor lounge and bar all feel fresh.  The rooms and hallways have been updated too though they still seem a little dark. I would have loved a full river or castle view but the hotel is super-convenient to activities on Castle Hill.

The hotel itself was fine and if I wanted to stay in the Castle District again I’d be happy to stay here.  But at this point I feel like I’ve “done” this section of town so I might stay in Pest next time so that I could explore that side more.