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Welcome back to Beautiful Spaces—a series of posts in which I talk about the apartments, hotels, hostels, & B&Bs we stay in all over the world. It all started in 2013 when I realized that my contentment on the road is directly connected to how much I love where I’m living…and so made a commitment to find beautiful spaces to call home along the way. This lovely Budapest hotel was kind enough to give me a complimentary night in exchange for this review. Opinions are my own.

On our way from Prague to Brasov (a train journey that takes several days), we stopped for an overnight in Budapest.

There were several reasons for the stop. One was that it was a convenient location, about seven hours from Prague and an overnight train ride away from Brasov. Another was that I’d never been to Hungary and even though I don’t really travel based on checklists of new countries, there is something delightful about going somewhere new, even if only for a few days.

Then there were the recommendations, the friends who said they’d loved it.

By the time we left for Budapest, I was feeling nervous about big cities, feeling ready to be out of them and into nature. And so I was pleasantly surprised with how much I really enjoyed Hungary’s capital. It’s hard to say much about a place after a short stop, but both Chad and I wished we had a couple more days to explore. Of course, part of why we liked it so much was that we lucked out with our accommodations: the cheerful, charmingly decorated, very friendly, well-located Hotel Parlament.

We liked our room with its large, comfortable bed and the fruit platter they so kindly set out for us.

Luna liked her big dog bed and the dog dishes they supplied.

The lobby was a charmer, decorated in mirrors and brightly colored chairs.

And the breakfast room was even better with its variously-sized crates along the wall and the incredible breakfast spread that included things like flavored cream cheese, a machine for making fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice on command, pancakes, eggs, and a spread of local meats and cheeses.

The hotel also features a wellness area with sauna and jacuzzi and a free coffee and tea station open until 5pm. Even better was the location. The riverfront, with its view across to the grandest of buildings, was a short walk away, as was a clean, lively shopping district with good vegetarian food (at Gelarto Bistro). We ate gelato shaped into roses and walked through squares surrounded by grand architecture. We wandered into quirky local coffee shops with our food tour. And then we circled back to the hotel, all by foot. Everything we wanted was at our fingertips.

Of course, pictures tell the story even better than words: If you’re heading to Budapest, I definitely recommend Hotel Parlament. Rooms start around 95 euros in the off-season and around 115 closer to high season. The breakfast is lovely, so if you can, I’d choose a package that includes it. Pets are an additional 15 euros per day. Make sure to check with the hotel about traveling with your pooch before you book.



