May 25, 2023
Author: Adam Dimitrov — Budapester, Hungarian & City Expert/Guide
Are you planning to stay in Budapest and looking for a great budget hostel but need help deciding which one you should choose?
You're lucky because I've stayed at least one night in 8 hostels in Budapest in December 2023, including Avenue Hostel.
In this article, you can read about my review of Avenue Hostel based on personal experience, which made #3 on my best hostels list.
Who is this hostel for? — Budget conscious travelers. This is hands down the best hostel in Budapest if you want to save money not only on accomodation, but on food!
What was the best part of staying here? — Apart from saving a lot of money on accomodation and food, I liked dinner the most. I had a "free" chili con carne after spending 3€ at the bar. They have different meals every night. Given the price of food inflation in Hungary is the highest in the world, this is a Godsend.
What was the worst part of staying here? — Nothing was terrible, but great either - the defintion of run-of-the-mill. The hotel is located at a loud intersection, the bed has no privacy curtains and the cleanliness and bathrooms was just okay.
Did I enjoy my stay here? Would I return? — I prefer Maverick Urban Lodge over Avenue hostel, which is similarly cheap (without the free meals), but has better quality of life.
How much does it cost? Is it good value for money? — Prices start from 8€ per night, making Avenue Hostel an extremely affordable hostel. Plus you get one free breakfast meal and another dinner meal if you spend 3€ at the bar.
The best value for money hostel, right here! Bunk beds start from 9€/night and private rooms from 46€/night. These prices include breakfast (typical hotel cuisine), but you also have the option to have a deeply discounted homemade dinner (I had a massive portion of chili con carne) if you spend 3€ at the bar. In other words, you spend money, get food/drinks, and get a free dinner. If budget was my primary concern, this is where I'd come since you can save so much on food.
Very much an impersonal hotel vibe where all sorts of random people stay for a few days. It's not particularly a social atmosphere, except (maybe) in the breakfast area. Not squeaky clean or particularly modern interior. It's a trendy hostel (read: the place was full of people).
Located in the outer part of the city center, near a busy avenue (Oktogon). The party district is a stone's throw away. The public transport options close by include the 4/6 tram and the 1 metro.
This hostel has a 24/7 front desk, so you can check in anytime. First, they check your ID card or passport, then you’ll get your passcard. After that, you’re free to go to your room or you can sign up for events and tours right at the reception.
Room: The room was spacious, with a veil in the middle. Its purpose was to give the feeling of privacy. There was a normal-sized locker I could fit in my laptop and backpack, but my luggage had to stay by the bed. They sold me a padlock for about 3€ at the reception, which was reasonable. The room was loud due to the busy avenue nearby, plus the tram rolling by. Only my earplugs saved me.
Bed: My bed wasn't privacy friendly (no curtains). Later I realized there were many options with privacy-friendly beds. Oh, well. The bed had a light and a socket but no item tray. It had a metal frame and was clean.
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The two shared bathrooms in our living quarters were mediocre in cleanliness and comfort. It could accommodate two people at any given time, so somebody was always waiting for their turn. One bathroom was small and poorly designed (the shower is next to the toilet, which gets wet). The other one was spacious but didn't give me a highly clean or hygienic impression — all in all, not a strong point of my stay here, but not a deal-breaker.
Every living quarter has its kitchen. There's also a large kitchen next to the dining area on the reception level. Both were complete with all the necessities (water boiler, cookware, cutlery, and fridge).
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The kitchen and the main breakfast lounge area are your main options for laptop work. There's no dedicated workspace, however. There are some sightseeing activities offered/advertised on the walls.
The building is quite old and several stories tall. Luckily, there was an elevator, but it was old, tiny, and slow. I often resorted to walking via the staircase because someone was always using the elevator. The staircase area was open-air, so it was cold. The noise levels are high in the building due to traffic and the many guests. It's a bit inconvenient having to enter and exit to the cold stairway to go to the reception/lounge (e.g., for breakfast or dinner)
