Living room (18th Century Mirror), Overlooks the Park
Location: Budapest, Hungary, Europe (In the Center of the Belvaros (Vth District)) View Map
Accommodations: Apartment, 1 Bedroom + Convertible bed(s), 1 Bath (Sleeps 5)
If you are like us, your ideal place to stay when you travel:
• Is at the center of a city's life, yet tranquil and calming.
• Evokes the flavor and history of the city .
• Is within easy walking access of the major sights and all public transit.
• Has all the comforts of your own home, plus some amenities you wish you could take back with you.
That's Apartment Max at Károlyi Kert.
Nestled in the very center of Pest (the 5th District or Belvaros), there lies a gated vest pocket park with meticulous landscaping and cascading fountains and playgrounds.
Originally the private garden of Count Antal Károlyi, this park sits behind the 18th Century mansion that is now the city's Petöfi Literature Museum. One block from the National Museum and two blocks from the two major Metro lines (the Red line at Astoria and the Blue Line at Kalvin ter), the park is also just two blocks from the Great Synagogue (the largest synagogue in the world), three blocks from the Danube, 2 blocks from the historic pedestrian street Vaci utca, and conveniently midway between our two favorite Budapest cafes...the Cafe Central and the Alibi (and three blocks from our favorite pastry shop, the Jeg Bufé).
Only 21 apartments have balconies overlooking Károlyi Kert and Apartment Max is one of that select group. Because the traffic bars driving around the park, cars are discouraged from the area and many Budapest natives have never even stumbled across this gem that is within walking distance of all of central Pest!
As a result, guests at Apartment Max wake up to the birds' singing and toast the setting sun over the Buda hills with a glass of wine from the apartment's balcony.
The apartment itself is no less extraordinary than its location. Approximately 80 square metres, it has 4.5 metre (15') ceilings in a building that is more than a century old. Restored to the kind of cozy luxury that we imagine the apartment afforded in the 19th Century, with period antiques and modern conveniences (including satellite TV and large LCD display).
This is a lavish 1 bedroom apartment, with the option of using the living room as a separate second bedroom. The living room has a daybed and a separate queen-size convertible bed, with a very comfortable mattress (it is a pop-up, not a folding mattress). The living room and master bedroom each have separate entries from the foyer, permitting privacy for those sleeping in each room. Each has convenient access to the bath/wc and kitchen through the foyer.
The master bedroom has a king-size bed and balcony overlooking the park. .
The bathroom is entirely new, with twin sinks, a custom shower and toilet.
The kitchen is also fully renovated and provides a dishwasher, washer, dryer, and all cooking appliances (including convection oven). There is a small Espresso counter in the kitchen with a Nespresso coffee system, as well as a water kettle and selection of teas, and two seats where you can sit and look out on the courtyard.
The study area in the foyer has a computer for email and Web access, as well as high speed Wi-Fi throughout the apartment. A VOIP phone provides unlimited free calling to landlines throughout most of the world and all phones in the USA and Canada, as well as a mobile phone for guests' use with a local Hungarian SIM card.
We have tried to equip the apartment with everything we would want in a new and unknown locale...from rain ponchos and umbrellas to guidebooks, maps and compilations of tips about the city...even toys, games, and dvds for rainy or lazy days at home.
We are not the typical apartment rental business. We are a pair of midlife American academics who love to travel. John's father was born in Hungary and left in the mid-1930s. John grew up hearing tales of Budapest, but we first visited it in 2001, decades after John's father' had died. We fell in love with the city and its vibrant yet relaxed lifestyle and culture, and we purchased and renovated this place just two years ago for family use as well as rental. It is furnished and equipped to provide everything we would want to find in an apartment when we travel ourselves, and more. We want you to be as enthusiastic about this city as we are, and will be available to answer any questions or to assist in any way we can.
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Air Conditioning
- Washer
- Dryer
- Linens Provided
- Elevator
- Beds
- King Bed
- Queen Bed
- Twin/Single Bed
- Convertible Bed
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV: 36" flatpanel display connected to satellite TV antenna with English, Fremch, German, Arabic, and other llanguage channels
- DVD
- Video Library
- CD Player
- Music Library
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen: Includes Nespresso coffee system and wide selection of coffees at no cost.
- Cooking Utensils Provided
- Refrigerator
- Dishwasher
- Microwave
- Outdoor Features
- Balcony: Overlooks landscaped gardens, Karolyi Kert. The Petofi Literature Museum and the Egyetem Church are down the street, and the Buda Hills can be seen in the distance.
- View/Location
- Monument View: Karolyi Kert is one of Budapest's most famous and meticulously maintained small parks.
- Communications
- Telephone: Two phones are provided, a Hungarian mobile phone with Hungarian incoming number, and a VOIP phone with a New York City incoming number, providing free worldwide international calling.
- Free Long Distance: The VOIP line provides unlimited free international outgoing calls to the countries covered by Vonage's Enhanced World Plan, and incoming calls are charged to the caller as calls to NYC, not Budapest. Local Budapest calls are available on both the VOIP line and the mobile phone, which includes free local calling.
- Cell Phone: The mobile phone has a Hungarian telephone number and SIM card; you may remove the SIM card and use it on your own phone during your stay.
- Computer: Computer runs both Mac OSX and WindowsXP; includes digital photo disk reader, dvd/cd burner, printer, scanner, fax.
- Broadband Internet
- WiFi (Wireless Internet): Highest available speed WiFi connection as well as Ethernet hookup for your laptop.
- Other Amenities
- Nespresso Coffee System with Coffee, iPod Charger/Speakers/Dock,Guidebook Library, Toys & Games
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Wheelchair Accessible (may have limitations)
- Kid Friendly
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities (on site and nearby)
- Shopping
- Sightseeing
- Restaurants
- Fitness Center/Gym
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Antiquing
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Live Theatre
- Museums
- Other Activities
- Adjacent to Budapest's Loveliest Private Garden and Playground; a 10 minute bus ride or 20 minute walk to the Rudas Baths, the last remaining operating mineral bath built by the Turks during their occupation of Budapest. One block from the National Museum. 5 minute walk to the Central Market. Adjacent to the two major Metro lines (2 blocks from each).
Rate Details (In Euros)
Winter ........ Nov-Dec-Jan .............. €100/night. (1-2 adults).
Spring, Fall .. Feb-Mar-Apr-Oct .. €120/night. (1-2 adults).
Peak Season ... May-Jun-Jul-Aug-Sept .............. €140/night. (1-2 adults).
Holidays ...... Christmas, New Year's, Budapest Spring Festival & Formula One
may be subject to a surcharge.
Children 17 and younger stay free. Additional adults add 20 Euros/person/night
Based on season - 14 nights or longer stay may be eligible for 10-25% discount.
Cleaning fee of 25 Euros/week.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Credit Cards Accepted:
Map & Owner's Profile
Year Purchased: 2007
Why the Owner Chose Budapest
eanne and I visited in 2001 with my father's younger brother, spent a weekend and fell in love with it. We purchased and renovated these apartments for our own use (Belle and Sarah are our daughters, Max is our son, Olive and Andrei are our grandchildren) and only rent them when we are not using them ourselves for friends and family (we have another apartment where we stay ourselves, not very far away).
The Unique Benefits at this Apartment
We are passionate about Budapest and want to share that enthusiasm with our guests. We would be happy to assist in any way we can to help you have a wonderful trip whether you stay with us or elsewhere. Unless you speak Hungarian, booking tickets to concerts or events can be daunting, and are best handled in advance because so much sells out so swiftly...we are happy to take care of this kind of thing, advise about the city, or book a reservation in a restaurant for the day you arrive (though you may be weary by then).
A serene and majestic apartment with 20' ceilings, period antiques, high tech equipment, and a balcony overlooking Budapest's best kept secret: a gated garden in the absolute center of the city.
Owner's Map of Budapest
John's father grew up in Budapest, and John grew up hearing about it, filtered through the oddly appealing love/hate lens of nazism and communism and Central European nostalgia. His father left in the mid-30s, and never went back until a 1975 week-long visit. But Hungary lived within him throughout his colorful career as a journalist, popular historian (author of the books that the films Patton and Tora, Tora, Tora were based on), propagandist and operative for Radio Free Europe. He died in 1980.
Property Photos
- Living room (18th Century Mirror), Overlooks the Park - Budapest Vacation Apartment
- Your private balcony. - Budapest Vacation Apartment
- Dining/work area with a View - Budapest Vacation Apartment
- Dinner Overlooking the Park
- Daybed and Large Flat panel Satellite TV/DVD/iPod Dock
- Home Office in Foyer
- King-sized bed, antique wardrobe, and private balcony...
- Cozy King size Bed
- Kitchen counter
- Kitchen Espresso Bar
- Bath with antique mirrors and lamps, modern fixtures.
- Custom Shower, with separately controlled twin handshowers and seat
- The central fountain in Károlyi Kert
- Part of the Playground in Károlyi Kert.
- Rough floorplan of apartment Max
- National Museum, a block away
Guest Comments (23)
First (10) of (23). View all comments
Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #151479
There have been 8272 visitors to this page since the counter was last reset in 2007.
This listing was first published here in 2007.
Date last modified - August 05, 2009
Positive Rating
, McKinney, TX
Positive Rating
J & D ,
Positive Rating
Peter Stapleton , Sydney NSW
Positive Rating
Great time with friends in Budapest We were two couples who rented both Sarah and Belle for 6 nights in July and had a wonderful time. The apartments are very well located in the centre of Budapest, near to good restaurants and cafes and a short distance (about 300 metres) to the main metro stop through which all three lines pass. The loft bedrooms were a little tight for the tall men in our group, but the apartments are very comfortable especially when we opened the connecting doors. We held a dinner party for eight people after shopping at the Great Market as our friends had rented Apartment Max and Apartment Andrei. We all agreed that the apartments are very well equipped and that John and Jeannie go out of their way to make everyone welcome, both in the apartments and in Budapest. Our highlights of Budapest included the Hop On Hop Off Bus from Elizabeth Square, which gave us a good sense of the city, tour of Parliament House, relaxing in the Szechenyi Baths, roast goose at the Cafe Bouchon and casual dining outdoors at Cafe Gerloczy.
Positive Rating
, Tacoma, WA
Positive Rating
, Albany, CA
Positive Rating
Bob & Linda , Newtown, PA USA
Positive Rating
Betsy ,
Positive Rating
J. Blumstock ,
Positive Rating
andrew gonczi , sydney, australia