InterContinental Budapest — Hotel in Budapest

We stayed at the Intercontinental Budapest for 12 days. The room was a river view suite. Good first. Location was good. River view was good. Room was large. Receptionist was kind. Porter and doorman were nice. Cleaning staff very nice. The welcome fruit platter and wine was tasty. Now the bad. Vent pipe in the wall busted and the room smelled like cigarettes. We called in maintenance but they couldn't do anything about it. Shower and toilet is really small. I am 5.7. I am not obese. I could not stand correctly since the tub was so narrow. Room outdated and looks like it has not been updated in at least 5 years. Carpet stained, walls not too clean, etc etc No pencil or memo pad in room. Executive lounge closed, business center for suite users closed. Breakfast chaotic and stupendously crowded. So crowded that they hid the waffle maker and you had to know about it to ask for it. Fried eggs often broken in the yolk when served. Croissants taste horrible. Food in general was really salty (maybe this is normal in Budapest) and the quality very very mediocre. Breakfast very mediocre. Low quality food which a 3 star hotel offers. No separate breakfast room for suite user. AZR restaurant service is pretty poor. Poor service, they bring out the wrong food, they substitute one food for another, food served cold several times, don't bring out the bread, etc, etc. Maybe this is the level of service in Budapest. Who knows. The stupid ship in front was loud till past 1 am at some nights. Sofitel casino? That place is so loud till the wee hours and unluckily it is on the bedroom side. I need to confirm this but I believe it is Sofitel. Chlorine level in pool was very high. I understand it has to be for hygiene but your hands would smell like chlorine. Also tons of kids unmonitored. My wife actually had to save a drowning child. They don't tell you about the exec lounge being closed until you prepay.

There is one more thing that happened which really bothered us. One night we were in the room, it was around 1110pm. We had put our son to bed and my wife and I were trying to get ready for the next day when all of a sudden the door to our suite suddenly opened. The door was locked and we had the bar across the door which prohibits anyone from entering even if it is unlocked. There was no way to get into the room without breaking down the safety bar. My wife asked ''can we help you?'' but the guy just left saying ''wrong room''.

I looked at my wife, went to the door, and peaked out the hole, then proceeded to open the door and asked the guy who was now in front of the elevator. (We were at the far corner of the building). I asked loudly ''Is there anything we can do for you?''. The man just said, '' sorry wrong room'' and quickly left.

I called the front desk who then told us to wait while they check the security camera. The front desk called us back and said that the ''man'' was delivering pillows and somehow confused our room with someone else's .

Not being a total idiot myself, I do remember looking at him as he hurried away he was not holding a pillow or towel or gown or whatever he was supposed to be holding.

The unusual part is that my room has a door bell. The man did not ring the door bell or say '' room service'' or anything for that matter. He just tried to barge into the room, which was deterred by the safety latch.

I did not pursue this any further but things like this should never happen. We ended up closing the outer suite door from that point on.

I could go on but you get the point. This InterContinental is not a 5 star hotel. It is a 3 or 4 star hotel at best. The price does not match the facility at all. I am dismayed, being an IHG member, I can say that this hotel needs a major upgrade. The layout of the room is 30-40 years old and very outdated. If you don't mind any of the above, go ahead and stay. Travel group Family Rooms: 2 Service:...

Overall, a very disappointing and underwhelming experience particularly after having stayed at other IHG hotels elsewhere in the world.

Rooms: 2 / 5 Service: 2 / 5 (2 only for housekeeping and SPA staff) Location: 5 / 5 (the only excellent thing about this place)

ROOMS

Rooms are really outdated and a lot of the facilities are broken or unkept. In fact, after complaining to reception about the state of our room for which I paid a hefty £200+ per night, the reception manager simply said 'Yes, I know our hotel is shit and the rooms have not been refurbished for many years, nothing I can do.' Very unprofessional and demotivating response. However, I do admit that after paying nearly £100 on top, our room was upgraded to one with riverside views - much better and less depressing than street / courtyard views but still quite outdated. In terms of cleanliness, the room was overall clean but still furniture is shabby and the bathtub was rusty and it looked dirty because of how worn out it was. First time, I preferred to shower in the gym / SPA rather than in my own hotel room. I found the bed to be very comfortable, but the pillows were awful. Overall, the room wasn't very spacious and it didn't live up to its value.

FACILITIES

The SPA and gym are quite small, but free to use. The gym is actually quite disappointing as, again, the equipment feels old and there was some broken equipment as well with no warning on it. So... quite unsafe actually unless you know your way around gym very well. There was also a lack of water somehow in the evening. The SPA was good, especially the sauna and the steam room, although the swimming pool is rather small and the steam room broke down during our second day in the hotel.

I've not used any other facilities after the unprofessional treatment upon checking in. Normally, I enjoy room service or trying the restaurant, but I decided it was not going to be a trustworthy or nice experience.

STAFF AND HOSPITALITY

Very underwhelming in terms of customer service. Reception staff don't seem bothered at all if there are any issues. When I was checking in, the main thing was for me to pay, including some deposit of 150 euro, without being given any paper bill afterwards. Btw, I am still waiting for this deposit to be refunded to me two weeks later after my stay. They definitely ripped me off in the end as there is some exchange play of euros and forints, unknown and confusing to any foreigner. The only staff that I found very welcoming was the SPA receptionist, always smiling and happy to assist, and the bell boy (sorry I cannot remember their names!). The housekeeping was great as well as she kept the room clean overall and stocked with water and coffee. There were other moments which confirm this isn't a 5* experience - I already mentioned the reception manager's response when I said I didn't like my room; but then, one evening, I was very thirsty after exercising and I had finished my bottle of water (1 x 750 ml water bottle for 2 people per day!). I went to reception to kindly ask for another bottle and was told 'Just drink tap water.' Which how ridiculous?

LOCATION

The location is probably the only benefit of this hotel as you really are close to everything on foot, as well as to key public transport. There are also plenty of local restaurants, bars and cafes in the area.

Overall, I feel like I stayed in a 3* hotel, based on the experiences I've shared in my review. Hard to believe a reputable brand like IHG has hotels like this, especially after the amazing experience I had in Doha. I would not recommend Intercontinental Budapest to anyone, especially for the price range. In fact, I will not be considering staying in another IHG hotel in...

Review: InterContinental Budapest – Deluxe Riverview Room (3 nights)||We stayed three nights in a Deluxe Riverview Room at the InterContinental Budapest.||Room & Facilities|The room itself is small (around 25 m²) and the bathroom even smaller, with no separate shower — just a bathtub and a cheap-looking plastic curtain. The toilet is directly in front of the sink. Décor is very 1970s: lots of wood paneling, tired furniture, and clearly overdue for a renovation. The mattress, towels, and sheets are serviceable but not five-star quality. Towels especially look worn. Avoid rooms ending in 31–38 on each floor — they are the smallest, with only a single narrow window instead of the wide windows across the river-facing rooms.||The lobby is large, but the furniture is worn and hasn’t been updated in over a decade.||Location & View|This is where the hotel truly excels. The property sits right by the Chain Bridge, with the Four Seasons as a neighbor and the entire city within walking distance: all major landmarks, countless restaurants, and the heart of Budapest at your doorstep. The front of the hotel opens with an all-glass façade directly onto the Danube. Book a riverview room — it’s essential. The panorama of Buda Castle, Matthias Church, Fisherman’s Bastion, and Gellért Hill is spectacular, among the very best views in Budapest.||Do note: there’s heavy pedestrian traffic in front of the hotel and plenty of party and dinner boats on the river, so evenings can be noisy, but it quiets down by around 11:30 p.m.||Breakfast|Breakfast can get busy, but the quality and variety are adequate for a major five-star hotel. The breads and pastries are first-class. The buffet is a bit light on Asian options, which is surprising given the number of Asian guests, but otherwise the choice is solid. Staff here, like everywhere in the hotel, are extremely friendly and attentive.||Service|Check-in was efficient, valet parking available, and the operation is well managed overall. Although we booked a twin, we were initially given a king. The hotel was almost full, but the staff quickly rearranged another room, splitting a bed to accommodate us. Not perfect, but handled professionally. A technical issue with the TV was also fixed immediately.||The staff is the strongest asset of this hotel. Friendly, polished, consistently professional, and with just the right amount of small talk. As a frequent traveler, I can say their level of service stands out. It’s clear they are well trained, which reflects positively on the hotel’s management.||Overall Impression|This is not a true five-star luxury hotel anymore. Think of it as a solid four-star tourist hotel with factory-like efficiency. Rooms are dated, décor is tired, and amenities fall short of luxury standards.||But then you look out the window. Every time you feel disappointed by the age of the room or the worn furniture and decide you might not come back, that view of the Danube, Castle, and Fisherman’s Bastion convinces you you’re exactly in the right place.||If you find a good rate, the InterContinental Budapest is an excellent base for sightseeing. For two or three days in the city, it delivers what short-term visitors need: professional service, convenience, and that...