The best cheap hotels in Budapest in 2026

It’s no surprise that rooms go quickly here, right next door to the New Theatre, an Art Deco masterpiece, and a few steps from the Opera House. It’s not just the location – up-and-coming Hungarian artists have been given multi-coloured leeway to fashion these 25 rooms, introducing quirky design touches within the loose confines of four styles. Whether you’re in Heaven, Cool, Classic or Natural, your overall impression will be one of bright minimalism and high ceilings typical of many Pest residences.

But this house wasn’t built as most of those on the nearby showcase boulevard of Andrássy út, tied to the great urban development of the later 1870s. Paulay Ede utca 31 dates to well over a century earlier, its ivy-clad courtyard underlining its heritage.

Within, artists have run riot in the public areas, too, dangling installations in the entrance passageway, and decking out the Tuk Tuk Bar in the fire red reminiscent of a Shanghai speakeasy of the 1920s. Cocktails are similarly Asian-inspired, enticing guests to a longer linger despite the plethora of options nearby in Budapest’s party quarter.

Below ground, beneath vaulted ceilings, a spacious Finnish sauna and gym can be accessed 24/7, another boon for guests treated to a fine breakfast spread of prime cold cuts, fresh fruit and tasty pastries topped off with sparkling wine. These come courtesy of your booking, along with in-room tea and coffee, and a concierge service from the helpful receptionists in English and other languages.

With winter rates booked online below €100 a room, but higher in high season, the Casati should qualify as affordable, perhaps lower mid-range, but such are its qualities, breakfast and sauna included, be flexible, book early and you should be in for a memorable stay. Over-14s only.

Time Out tip: If you need to put on a social or business event in Budapest, the jazzy Lounge Hall, with its glass-roofed dining room and relaxing lounge area, brightly displays the same design touches as the rest of the hotel.

Neighbourhood: Terézváros

Address: Paulay Ede utca 31, 1061 Budapest

Price: Double/twin (winter, booked directly) Ft 35,000-41,000 (€92-108)

Closest transport: M1 Opera

It’s extraordinary that you can stay somewhere this central and this inventive, steps from the Danube, at these kinds of prices, but such is the competition in Budapest these days, a double at the aptly named ‘Bohemian Art’ can be yours for the pair of you for around €75 by direct booking and with winter discounts.

True, this will get you the smallest of the seven types of room at 16sqm, but even the Classic Double is large enough to accommodate a flat-screen TV, minibar, wardrobe, shower and toilet. Higher up the scale, in every sense, the Loft Suite is almost twice as big and sleeps up to five on two levels

While you may not write home about the free water, tea, coffee and kettle, the décor will win you over. ‘Every one of our rooms is a canvas,’ claims the Bohém Art, with no little justification, talented Hungarian artists given carte blanche to get creative and colourful. Sweetheart staff man reception 24/7, offering personal recommendations as part of Bohém’s concierge service.

Paid extras include airport transfers, private parking, early check-in and late check-out. Fast Wi-Fi, AC and luggage storage are givens.

Time Out tip: Staff can have your buffet breakfast wrapped for you if you’re dashing for an early flight – you wouldn’t want to miss out on that fresh orange juice.

Neighbourhood: Belváros/city centre

Address: Molnár utca 35, 1056 Budapest

Price: Double/twin (winter promotion) Ft 28,000 (€73). 3-person suite/triple for up to 5 Ft 50,000 (€130)

Closest transport: M4/tram 2 to Fővám tér

One of the fastest-growing new brands in the industry, TRIBE set up camp in Budapest close to the Ferencváros stadium, and therefore the main road to the airport, in 2024. A year later, a lozenge-shaped sister branch was unveiled right by the air terminal itself. Though acquired by global hospitality juggernaut Accor (Novotel, Mercure, ibis) in 2019, TRIBE maintains its independent streak: the Melbourne couple who founded it still oversee operations in the Antipodes.  Here in south Pest, a riot of colours contrasting with the neighbouring gleaming corporate offices proclaims something unmistakeably TRIBE. And it’s still very much affordable.

Walking into this cool, urban environment, the expansive, funky lobby, new-wave coffee bar and Californian cuisine, your guess at rack rates would be wrong. A standard twin-bed (‘Essential’) with balcony weighs in at €70 for the two of you, €6 less if you’re an Accor member, ie many of you. Juggle dates, include parking, treat your loved one to a romantic getaway, and all kinds of deals appear.

So, what do you get for your €70/€64? Fundamentally, a sharp-looking guestroom which lends itself to work and relaxation, with its own desk and coffee machine, whose floor-to-ceiling windows belie its standard size of 17sqm. Not that it should matter that much but that gratis bottle of mineral water is always welcome and the provision of an alarm clock means that someone in Melbourne has been doing their homework – not everyone likes to set their life by their mobile. There’s a wake-up call service, too. BeIN Sports is a rarer find among hotel TV channels in this part of the world and the Wi-Fi is predictably fast, given the cosmopolitan nature of the TRIBE brand.

But it’s when you leave the room that you better feel for the place, not just the aforementioned café/restaurant (and gym), but the Cloud IX Skybar, its cocktail menu 16-strong, its long, Hungarian-tinged G&T selection, and views over Ferencváros, District IX, and its revered football stadium.

Named after the unsung park of Népliget over the junction, where the first Hungarian Grand Prix took place in 1936, the metro station serves blue line 3, central Deák Ferenc tér ten minutes away.

Time Out tip: To see the Hungarian champions play at the Ferencváros football stadium round the corner, you’ll need to bring your ID and register for a membership card. The process is easy, English-friendly and takes two minutes. Tickets should be available for every domestic fixture – for European games, register as early as you can, ideally the day before.

Neighbourhood: Ferencváros

Address: Könyves Kálmán körút utca 34, 1097 Budapest

Price: Standard double/twin Ft 27,000 (€70.50). Member’s rate Ft 24,500 (€64.50)

Closest transport: M3/tram 1 to Népliget

There’s boutique and then there’s boutique. While many hotels of this genre make do with nice light fittings and laboured soundbites, Metropolis takes the concept a little further by theming their nine comfy rooms after a famous Magyar or at least someone with a strong Hungarian connection. (Don’t worry, you won’t have to devise a cunning strategy of escape if you’ve been allocated the Harry Houdini.)

The concept was created by Metropolis St Petersburg, the ‘first immersive historical hotel’ and elder sister to this one in Budapest, ‘another European capital with a complex history’, in the heart of the Jewish Quarter. First things first – despite its name, this is not a hotel in a standalone building but a collection of apartments in a classic residential building from the Habsburg era.

It does have, however, staff, lovely staff at that, who provide a warm welcome and informative presence during your stay. There’s a reception desk to check in and enquire at, recommendations offered for the many attractions – Opera House, Liszt Music Academy, ruin bars – on the doorstep.

Bedrooms range from the petite – 13sqm honouring legendary photographer Robert Capa or footballer Ferenc Puskás – to 17sqm themed after Rubik and Dracula, and 24sqm after Liszt and inventor Nikola Tesla. (Claimed by much of ex-Yugoslavia, the eccentric scientist was working in Budapest when he hit upon yet another key find.) All rooms are en-suite – the two largest have bathtubs.

Bathrobes, slippers, AC and an LCD TV feature throughout, and a minibar for most guests. Blackout curtains are also a rare but welcome provision in every room. All in all, a unique, convivial stay in an ideal location, close to Budapest’s urban buzz but several blocks from rowdy ruin-bar hubbub.

Time Out tip: Those celebrating a birthday in Budapest can take advantage of the hotel’s offer of a 15% discount for five days before and after the day in question.

Neighbourhood: Jewish Quarter

Address: Kertész utca 39, 1073 Budapest

Price: Double/twin (direct booking, winter) Ft 21,500-26,000 (€56-68)

Closest transport: M1 Oktogon/tram 4-6 to Király utca/Erzsébet körút

Berlin-based, red-branded, pet-friendly Dormero has recently moved into Budapest, having set up some 80 properties across the German-speaking world. Their two hotels in the Hungarian capital sit side by side in the criss-cross of quiet streets between busy Nagymező utca and the Nagykörút, handy for transport, the Opera and the city centre. The main branch comprises 137 rooms, the neighbouring one, aptly called NEXTO Dormero, 125.

Given its recent arrival, everything at the Dormero Hotel Budapest still feels fresh, the plentiful light wood and bare-brick effect in the spacious standard rooms, and gleaming surfaces and see-through shower doors of the bathrooms. Custom-made Dormero beds feature throughout, the company’s USP and a topic of regular praise on booking sites. Paying extra for a Deluxe Room means you get a few more square metres of space and a half-balcony.

NEXTO Dormero differs slightly in that it has a Junior Suite a third bigger than the standard option, and a meeting room. Both hotels have 24-hour reception.

Time Out tip: If breakfast isn’t included in your booking, you might be wise to skip its €20 price tag and seek a friendly little café – such as the Zaj round the corner, Jókai utca 11. It’s open daily from 8am, 9am at weekends.

Neighbourhood: Terézváros

Address: Dessewffy utca 32-34/36, 1066 Budapest

Price: Standard double (online smart rate, no breakfast) Ft 20,000-24,000 (€52-€62)

Closest transport: M3/tram 4-6 to Nyugati pu or M1/tram 4-6 to Oktogon

All hotels in this budget-conscious selection have Wi-Fi. Some have buffet breakfasts, gardens, parking facilities, paid-for later check-outs. This one, between City Park and the Puskás Aréna, has a pool. And around it, a sauna, gym and jacuzzi, open from early morning to late at night.

These appealing features apart, the Lion’s Garden comprises 50 guestrooms, 20 of them interconnected to accommodate friends and families. Along with a minibar, AC and an LCD TV, a bathrobe, towels and slippers are provided for guests to pad over to the spa, without having to book or pay. The Deluxe Double comes with views of the soaring, century-old, neo-Gothic Queen of the Rosary Parish Church from its sixth-floor balcony.

Even the rates for the luxury option here barely click above €100/night, with online booking and out of season. Inclusion in Germany’s mini-chain of select hotels MUZE means that the long-established Lion’s Garden has had to up its game where breakfast is concerned, Hungarian cold cuts, seasonal fruit and pastries among the impressive spread of goodies, with vegan and vegetarian alternatives always provided these days. Proper cocktails are mixed in the bar, Magyar specialities served in the restaurant in the evening, its terrace open in the warmer months.

Barely five minutes’ walk from here, just the other side of Thököly út stands the Puskás Aréna, the national football stadium and stage for the Champions League final on May 30. Major events see the Lion’s Hotel book out fast, so book early for that heated pool.

Time Out tip: The Lion’s Garden is also convenient if you’re arriving by international train from Prague or Vienna as Keleti is two bus stops away or a simple stroll, keeping the station to your right as you do so.

Neighbourhood: Zugló

Address: Cházár András utca 4, 1146 Budapest

Price: Double (winter, direct-booked) Ft 26,000-29,000 (€68-76), spa inclusive

Closest transport: M2/M4 Keleti pu then/or bus 5, 7, 110 & 112 to Cházár András utca

Yet another design-forward newbie in a key part of town, WONDER sits on the king of streets, Király utca, in the heart of the action. Opening in time to attract custom during the Christmas holidays of 2025/26, WONDER has yet to unveil its day spa, La Pausa, or rooftop bar, 7th. Both are due for spring 2026, in time for the Champions League final being played in Budapest on May 30.

On the upside, doubles are currently going for under €90, a snip given what the pair of you are being treated to. With its own in-house, glass-roofed Italian restaurant, Populare, and speakeasy cocktail bar, Coco, this boutique retreat should soon build on the positive reviews already garnered, although with so many places to eat and drink within a 200-metre radius – 50, easily – hiring kitchen staff and mixologists can be seen as pretty ambitious.

Your €88 gets you a stylish if smallish room, smart TV, smart bathroom, bathrobe, minibar, coffee- and tea-making set, the bed wide enough to convince you to linger amid the sheets a little longer. To push the boat out, boutique-wise – be warned that WONDER lays it on thick with its concept spiel – opt for the Heritage Loft Double or, better yet, The Residence, a jacuzzi on its private terrace, a bathtub in its bedroom, and enough space to dine and convene.

All rooms glimmer under fire-red chandelier fittings – it’s glittering silver in The Residence – and guest reviews are similarly glowing, raving of extra pillows upon request and L’Occitane toiletries by the sink. Early days, yet, and prices are sure to rise once that spa eventually opens – get in quick to snag a real bargain.

Time Out tip: With newly opened WONDER looking to win friends and influence influencers, room upgrades are sometimes applied when you book – do ask when you arrive if not.

Neighbourhood: Terézváros/city centre

Address: Király utca 36, 1061 Budapest

Price: Standard double (direct-booked) Ft 34,000 (€88). Superior double (direct-booked) Ft 43,000 (€112)

Closest transport: M1 Opera or M1/M2/M3 Deák Ferenc tér

Direct-book and you can snag a double here, near Kálvin tér at the gateway to the city centre, for around €80-€85 for the pair you. Yes, it may be on the small side but each, from Economy Double to Deluxe Quadruple, contains a flat-screen TV, shower/toilet and minibar.

Any sense of hardship is quickly alleviated by the plush bedding, daily housekeeping and bright, original décor. The walls “speaking in patterns and portraits” as the management likes to put it. Sadly, the floorboards also speak in occasional creaks from the room above, a not uncommon complaint said management might do well to address. Kudos, however, for installing AC in every room – downtown Budapest wilts in high season.

That apart, the Ottofiori offers the benefits of staying in a hotel rather than some random flat with byzantine entry protocol – there’s 24-hour reception, a genuine sense of service and tour booking if required.

The many bars and cafés of the Palace Quarter are just across main Múzeum körút, where you’ll find the namesake National Museum and a string of secondhand bookshops opposite.

Time Out tip: Airport transfers can be arranged but you’re literally three minutes from the stop for the direct 100E bus, almost as 24/7 and as quick as any taxi.

Neighbourhood: Belváros/city centre

Address: Bástya utca 20, 1056 Budapest

Price: Double/twin (direct-booked) Ft 31,000-32,500 (€80.50-84). Deluxe twin/triple (direct-booked) Ft 35,500-37,000 (€92-96)

Closest transport: M3/M4 and tram 47/49 to Kálvin tér, also 100E bus for Budapest Airport

As this lovely little spot on Budapest’s Broadway, Nagymező utca, has no website, you’ll have to reserve through the regular booking sites. That said, there are great deals to be had at present, doubles for €60 and the like. Even without current discounts, the pair of you can sleep in designer comfort for under €80, although couples on their first honeymoon might find it easier than those on their second – for those in the upper rooms, it’s stairs and more stairs, with no lift.

Though there’s no 24-hour reception, staff are accommodating, helping with luggage if need be, and dealing with requests to extend the somewhat draconian 10am check-out if they can. Many more times than not, however, the Butik Art is a genuinely charming place to base yourselves for a few days, bright, tasteful décor making it a real home from home in the heart of Budapest’s theatre district. If breakfast isn’t included in your reservation – some bookings give you the choice – there are any number of convivial cafés on this same street, particularly if you head towards Andrássy út.

Time Out tip: For a real slice of urban history, walk 300m to the Mai Manó House at Nagymező 20. Today a fabulous café and photography gallery, this was the site of the notorious Arizona cabaret, a den of spies, wheeler-dealers and bon vivants between the wars. Nip in to see the plaque.

Neighbourhood: Terézváros

Address: Nagymező utca 66, 1065 Budapest

Price: Double (through hotel-booking sites) Ft 23,000-29,000 (€60-75). Superior apartment Ft 40,000 (€104)

Closest transport: M3 Arany János utca or trolley 70/78 to Báthory utca/Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út

The key to the grand concept behind this quite unusual hotel comes from an expression formulated by the nation’s most revered poet, Endre Ady. For him, musing on the political crisis of 1905, Hungary was a ‘Ferry-land’ between East and West, between the wild and the civilised. At its heart, Budapest, a city divided by the Danube: Pest the gateway to the Great Steppe towards Mongolia; genteel Buda, its Royal Palace overseen by the Viennese royals.

Here, two tram stops from Europe’s greatest river, East and West are reflected in the development of Hungary’s capital, expressed in 18 rooms, each a different aspect in this urban history. Cafés, public transport, the arts and 15 other spheres inspired the designers of East-West to seek out 18 significant stories from the archives. If you’re staying in the Love Bus, you’ll find out about János the old driver, whose Communist-built Ikarus vehicle broke down in the 1970s and the romantic adventure that ensued in the long wait for a replacement. The Free Atmosphere celebrates the city’s coffeehouse culture, and the apocryphal tale of the impoverished writer at the legendary New York Café who whiled away the hours writing of its atmosphere without ordering a drink. Then, a waiter came up to him and said, ‘Sir, the atmosphere here may be free but there’s rent to pay for the chair’.

These mini novellas and embellish relaxing lodgings, each guest granted a bathrobe and slippers, the furniture antique appropriate to the theme, the amenities – AC, LCD TV, minibar – contemporary. The larger of the three sizes of room contain a minifridge. Helpful staff at the open-plan reception can direct guests to the many bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity around the gentrifying streets where District VIII meets IX.  

Time Out tip: Check out the statue and plaque by the Corvin cinema close to the hotel. They honour the brave teenage combatants who stood up against Soviet forces in the aftermath of the Hungarian Uprising of 1956. Seventy years ago, these streets witnessed the fiercest fighting.

Neighbourhood: Józsefváros/Ferencváros

Address: Vajdahunyad utca 30, 1082 Budapest

Price: Double (winter, booked directly) Ft 22,600-29,600 (€59-77)

Closest transport: M3/tram 4-6 to Corvin-negyed

Bobbing at the gateway to Budapest’s most up-and-coming quarter, Margit-negyed, the Grand Jules lodges its guests in six types of cabin, with either a river or city view, lapped by the Danube. Each of these 37 units has its own private shower, AC, Wi-Fi and flat-screen TV (local channels only).

While sleeping quarters are a little on the small side – the sole single 12sqm, the largest, for families, 25sqm – guests invariably spend much of their time out on deck, in the shadow of Margaret Bridge, with the Pest cityscape to gawp at. There, on the top terrace, breakfast is served until 10.30am. There’s also enough room to store your bicycle, though the city’s main artery, and busiest tram route, runs alongside on dry land. Reception is 24 hours and staff can provide all local tips and advice. Furnishings could be less dowdy and more seating provided on deck but for the price, and mostly for the views, guests come away pleased with the experience and return visits are common.

Time Out tip: Of the many dining and drinking options nearby, Bookta can provide top-quality sandwiches and coffee in literary surroundings while drinks are best enjoyed in the ruin-bar ambience of the Manyi Kulturális Műhely, which also puts on live music and other cultural offerings.

Neighbourhood: Margit-negyed

Address: Angelo Rotta rakpart, 1027 Budapest

Price: Standard cabin (winter, booked directly) Ft 26,000/with breakfast Ft 29,500 (€68/€77)

Closest transport: Tram 4/6 Margit híd-Budai hídfő

Not every Budapest hostel is a party hangout. The laid-back Shantee House sits in residential Buda, near the trendy cafés and galleries of Bartók Béla út. There’s a communal kitchen, and if you prefer sleeping in the great outdoors, you can camp in the garden or slumber in a hammock (lockers are available). And if you’d prefer not to share a dorm but still want to save money, you can book your own bedroom, either en-suite or with shared facilities. Prices are still as cheap as the many less attractive shared lodgings in Pest, and you’re spared the noisy revelry.

The fact that Shantee House isn't just another forint flytrap for the summer's many backpackers and Interrailers is thanks to the origins of the people who set it up. Attila put enough hard yards trekking around Asia to know what the weary, wallet-conscious traveller needed when flopping through the door of such a hostel – warm showers, plentiful powerpoints and a pleasing amount of greenery were always high on his check list. (Attila was also responsible for building the Asian-style gazebo himself.) Sustainability is another important factor, with a system in place to ensure a relatively low consumption of water and energy.

All in all, Shantee House is pretty much a textbook example of how to operate a convivial hostel and still run a business according to your principles.

Time Out tip: For students and digital nomads, Shantee House offers long-term stays depending on budget and length of residence. Email shanteehouse@gmail.com 

Neighbourhood: Újbuda

Address: Takács Menyhért utca 33, 1113 Budapest
Price: Private single Ft 16,000 (€40), private double/yurt Ft 46,000 (€115)

Closest transport: M4 Újbuda-központ or tram 19, 47 or 49 to Karolina út