Maverick Budapest Soho — Hotel in Budapest

I can confidently say this is one of the worst hostels I have ever stayed at in my entire travelling experience. But, let's start with the positives: The bed frames are private with curtains It is central to the city so easy to get everywhere Some of the staff are friendly Decently sized security lockers

Now for the negatives: It is a dirty hostel. The bathrooms stank of urine everyday. I was booked for 5 days, I didn't see anyone clean my room once. I had a girl sick come in on my last day, I got sick a day or two later despite practising hand-hygiene. It is not social. As a solo traveller, I was really disappointed that this place didn't have any areas to hang out. There's the kitchen which few use as it's not comfortable & the lobby is small with maybe 2-3 seats. So this place was difficult to meet people. Don't stay here if solo traveller. The rooms are tiny & uncomfortable. I woke up the next day with a sore back because I could feel the wooden base through my mattress. THE WORST PART - the rudest manager I have ever met. I could've ignored everything if this had not have happened. When I had two nights left, I went to the staff in the afternoon (around 3-4pm) to ask if I could cancel my last night. They said yes I could as I had paid extra for a flexi booking. But, they informed me that I needed to come back the next morning as they didn't have a manager present to perform the cancellation. I asked if I could get written confirmation but they assured me they'd pass on the message for the next day. The next day I came in the morning, explaining that I would like to leave that day and had already spoken with the staff. The manager with dreadlocks was so purposefully rude and refused to help me (even though staff had already agreed to) because she claimed one day wasn't enough notice. I tried to clarify again with her that I came the day before. She said that I should have had 'common sense' and come in the morning the day before when a manager was present (how is a guest meant to know the staff roster?). Being upset and shocked by this, I walked away. When I came back, I overheard the manager assisting another women who asked for the exact same thing as me. I was really hurt.

I will never stay here again and I advise all solo travellers to avoid it. Their service is rude and I cannot believe how disrespectful...

I've visited many hostels, hotels and suites whilst travelling around Europe and over the years I have rarely come across a place as friendly as Maverick, let alone the facilities on offer. This place quickly became one of my top three hostels that I've stayed in. The rooms are comfortable and clean and the bed space is large and private, none of the mixed dorms house more than 6 people lending to a less chaotic environment, literally the only reason it isn't 5* on the rooms is because they're a tiny bit squished but really not a huge problem. The staff are wonderfully welcoming, I literally screwed up my booking and what would have usually been a stressful experience was quickly turned into an "above and beyond" service experience; the people here sorted out my booking post haste and had me laughing and feeling relaxed during the process. I immediately liked this place. The location is about as good as it gets, to my knowledge, as it's right in the middle of everything, cafes, restaurants, galleries, beautiful buildings and close to the Danube river which leads to some absolutely stunning natural and historical landmarks. Most of all, the sheer number of facilities on offer just amazes me, I don't think I've ever been to a place with as much on offer as Maverick City Lodge. The staff have organised a calender of social events designed to break the ice between guests (presumably) and to my understanding most if not all of it is FREE. Free wine tasting, free games nights. The bikes are free to use (first come first serve) there is even a meet up point just outside the accommodation where you can get a free guided tour of the city. I extended my stay the same night and I definitely think I would return here if and when visiting Budapest. All of this and it manages to be so affordable that it's just a no brainer. If you're still looking for somewhere to stay in Budapest and you aren't sure who to trust (we all know how hostels can be) then look no further. Friends, solo travellers, ladies looking for a decent female dorm, this is definitely the place to be. Even the reception has a lounge feel that's so warm and inviting with a 24hr desk. I actually can't sing the praises of this place enough so just come and check it out for yourselves, I promise you...

As a seasoned traveler, I think I can say this place is pretty overrated, especially given its 9.4 total score. It's OK, but read this for a more realistic picture:

Some of the staff are friendly and helpful, like Orsi with her excellent food recommendations, and Garry, Mimi, and Jas for their upbeat behavior and enthusiasm. However, the rest seem dead inside, only answering queries with minimal enthusiasm.

The location is great! Can’t fault that—right in the middle of the old Jewish neighborhood! The beds are good, and while the air-conditioning works somewhat—it’s not stellar, but definitely better than nothing. The lockers are also spacious.

The big downside for me is the hostel's design. It's spread over three floors and really feels quite industrial, with room after room packed in to maximize visitors and $$$. It doesn't have that tight-knit, family vibe that some hostels have that makes them super good at creating a really social atmosphere where everybody talks to each other by happenstance. This hostel does organize cool events, but most are nightly and outside the hostel. Other hostels do better by organizing daily and internal events, like city visits, meal nights, or (card) games in the kitchen or main area, before heading out for evening activities.

A big disadvantage is that there’s only one set of showers and bathrooms for all two to three floors, which, while I can see that the hostel clearly tries proper daily cleaning, can’t scale that well. It’s clean temporarily before getting dirty again and filled with stink bugs at night.

The hostel has an attached restaurant with a 10% discount, which is really good and convenient, but it’s being renovated right now. It’s already rough enough to sleep with people who don’t prepare their bags in advance and thrash lockers around early and late, but add super loud drilling to that, and it’s almost impossible. I understand that the hostel doesn’t have control over the renovation, but it would be fairer if they warned people online and in person that there are works and there will be early drilling.

All in all, the experience was OK (nothing is black or white), but as I say, pretty overrated. There are definitely things that could improve. Thank you, however, to the helpful desk...