Where to stay in Budapest?

Budapest, Hungary’s capital, offers a magical atmosphere, one of the best classical concert music experience, colorful night life and must visit baths to its visitors. It is one of the most beautiful capital cities in Europe and called "Paris of The Eastern Europe" thanks to its romantic and historic facade.

Budapest is bisected by the River Danube into two "cities"; the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A 19th-century Chain Bridge connects these two districts which were separate cities until 1873.

Budapest is divided into 23 districts which are numbered using Roman Numerals. Buda contains the most historic part of the city where you can find Buda Castle, Fishermen's Bastion, the Labyrinth and Mathias Church here. Districts I-III, XI-XII, XXII are also in Buda. The east of the Danube River is Peste which has District IV to IX and is the lively hearth of the city.

Let's come to the title question, where to stay in Budapest? If you have budget, the best places to stay in Budapest are hotels in Budavar (near Castle Hill). Outside Castle Hill, you can find more luxurious or middle class hotels in Buda. If you are looking for a budget hotel or hostel, you will need to look at Peste side.

In Budapest, hotels range from 7 Euros per night hostels to 5-star luxury. If you have arrived Budapest by train, you will see many aunties trying to rent you a room in their houses as well as people working for cheap hostels. Instead of picking an accommodation here, we suggest you to book your hotel online.

Budapest is bisected by the River Danube into two "cities"; the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A 19th-century Chain Bridge connects these two districts which were separate cities until 1873.

Budapest hotels can be divided into 3 categories : hotels up to 3 stars (22 - 127 USD price range), 4 star hotels (32 - 252 USD) amd 5 star hotels (90 USD - 328 USD).

The oldest part of Budapest houses the Castle Hill, Buda Castle, The Labyrinth, Mathias Church and Fishermen's Bastion. These are the must see places in the city. But this area is also the most expensive place to stay in Budapest. But if you have the budget, it worth to stay here. For hotels in these area, you can check Budapest hotels near Matthias Church and Budapest Fishermen's Bastion Hotels pages.

Let's now write some Budapest hotel recommendations.

If you are looking for a luxury Budapest hotel, below are some of the best :

Four Seasons Gresham Palace – The hotel is in an Art nouveau building and has one of the best view of Budapest. The rooms are very nicely decorated and everything else is as you would expect from a Four Seasons hotel.

Sofitel Budapest Chain Bridge Hotel – This luxury hotel has one of the best hotel locations in Budapest but it is designed more for business travelers than leisure travellers.

If you want a hotel with a good and popular location, here are our recommended hotels :

Palazzo Zichy – Housed in a 19th Century town house, the hotel is located near university and a lot of bars and night clubs.

Boutique Hotel Zara – The hotel is in the center of the city which is closed to vehicle traffic. It is a nice and modern establishment which is a stone throw distance away from Danube.

Brody House – This is the most cool hotel in the city, or at least it is known like that. It is like Soho House of Budapest.

If you are looking for a cheap Budapest hotel, there are a lot of options. We will recommend Molnar, a  family hotel in the outskirts of the city.

Where to stay in Stockholm?

Sweden's capital city Stockholm is located on 14 islands on Lake Mälaren which are connected to each other through 14 bridges. Although the city is located very north, its climate is relatively warm. And thanks to its northern location, the days are 18 hours in summer and are just 6 hours in winters. With its 2 million population, Stockholm is also the largest city in Sweden and is a must see with its historic city center, cultural activities and the beauty of its nature.

Where to stay in Stockholm? Stockholm hotels get naturally cheaper as you go further from the city center. The best value for money Stockholm hotels can be find just outside city center and next to public transportation stations which will still provide an easy access to city center where most Stockholm tourist attractions are.

The name of the Stockholm historic center is Gamla Stan. There are accommodation opportunities in Gamla Stan but if you want to stay in this popular and expensive Stockholm area, you need to book in advance. Other than Gamla Stan, Lower Norrmalm (just to the north of Gamla Stan) is known as The City and is the most central area in Stockholm. Hotels in Lower Norrmalm are expensive but towards the north of the area you can still find some nice and relatively cheap Stockholm hotels.

In the 4 star Stockholm hotel category, there is high competition and this is reflected to customers as campaigns and discounts. The room rates in this class are usually between 900 - 1200 SEK. Since there is a huge competition, we suggest you to use an online hotel comparison web site to check for the best prices.

Gamla Stan (Old Town)

Gamla Stan is the historic center of Stockholm and is also known as Staden mellan broarna (the city between two bridges).  Gamla Stan is in fact an island. North Gamla Stan houses the Royal Palace and Swedish Parliment House and the rest of the area houses cobblestone streets, historic buildings and most of the tourist attractions in Stockholm. Royal Palace (Kungliga Slottet), Stockholm Cathedral (Storkyrkan), Riddarholmen Church (Riddarholmskyrkan), German Church (Tyska Kyrkan) and Nobel Museum (Nobelmuseet) are all in this area.

Small Riddarholmen Island forms a part of Gamla Stan and is a must see place with its 17th century houses and palaces.

Hotels in Gamla Stan are very popular so book in advance if you want to stay here. Especially in summer time it is very difficult to find a hotel here. The area is close to car traffic so if you have a car and you want to use it, this area may not be for you.

For Stockholm hotels in this most popular and central Stockholm area visit Stokholm Gamla Stan Hotels pages.

Stockholm Cathedral(Storkyrkan)

Lower Norrmalm , The City

Lower Norrmalm is known as The City and is the most central area in Stockholm. This is also the financial and business center of Stockholm. There are usually 4 and 5 star Stockholm hotels here but as you go further north to residential areas, you can find cheaper and mid level Stockholm hotels. One of the advantages of staying in Lower Norrmalm is that you can access Gamla Stan on foot.

In 1950s and 1960s, Lower Norrmalm has been redeveloped to create a modern city and unfortunately most of its 19th century building were demolished in this process. Especially the Klara District has lost its character completely in this era.

Grand Hôtel (Södra Blasieholmshamnen 8 (T Kungsträdgården)) next to Royal Palace in Norrmalm is the most luxurious hotel in Scandinavia. This hotel was the place where royal families stayed and now it offers classic, old fashioned luxury and a unique experience on its own. The rooms with lake view are very popular and usually full. Even if you do not stay here, the piano bar of the hotel is a must see.

For a comprehensive list of Stockholm hotels in this area, you can visit Stockholm Norrmalm hotels page.

Östermalm 

Stureplan Square in Östermalm, a high class neighborhood in Stockholm, is an important Stockholm night life and shopping center. Kungliga nationalstadsparken (Royal National City Park), Skansen Open Air Museum, Gröna Lund Amusemement Park and Vasa Museum are also in this area.

Some of the most famous and expensive restaurants in Stockholm such as Sturehof, Spy Bar, Riche, Laroy, Hell's Kitchen, East and Sturecompagniet and expensive bars are here between Stureplan Östermalm and Norrmalm. You can also find shops like Versace, Hugo Boss, Gucci, and LV here. If you want to stay in this colorful, central and luxury area, you can check Stockholm Stureplan hotels pages.

For hotels in Östermalm, you can visit Stokholm Östermalm otelleri pages.

Arnoldhuset's Spy Bar is one of the most famous and luxury night clubs in Sweden.

Södermalm

Södermalm Island is just to the south of Gamla Stan and is simply known as Söder (South). Götgatan Street crossing the island from south to the north is ver famous and houses one of the most colorful Stockholm night life spots, Medborgarplatsen. Fjällgatan on the north shores of Södermalm offers a fantastic Stockholm view.

Götgatan and the adjacent streets are full of restaurants, bars and shops. Götgatsbacken is closed to vehicle traffic and is a very popular area.

Business hotel Hilton Slussen in Södermalm offers a fantastic Gamla Stan view. Hotel Rival, is owned by Benny Andersson from ABBA. One of the most interesting and extraordinary hotels in Stockholm is Rygerfjord Hotel and Hostel which is basically housed in an old passanger ship.

For a comprehensive list of Stockholm hotels in this areas, you can visit Stockholm Södermalm hotels page.

Gamla Stan view from Södermalm

Where to stay in Miami?

Miami is the largest city in Florida, United States. The city, which lies between Atlantic Ocean and large Everglades swamps is 100 kilometers long but just 20 kilometers wide and is famous with its beaches. If you ever visit Miami, going to Miami Beach is a must. Thanks to the almost tropical climate in Miami, it is possible to enjoy the sea and the beach year around.

Before going into the answer for the title of this blog post, where to stay in Miami, we would like to give some general information on Miami hotels. Miami is famous for its boutique hotels. Especially the Miami Boutique hotels of South Beach are very famous. Thanks to hotel designers such as Ian Schrager (the Delano, Shore Club), André Balazs (Raleigh, Standard on Belle Isle) and Todd Oldham (the Hotel), the area is full of interesting and creative hotels. But there is something you should know about Miami boutique hotels in general : hotel rooms are generally small and if the hotel is constructed during Art Deco time, they are extra small. If you are looking for larger rooms to stay in, you should book a room in a large, multi storey hotel instead of a boutique hotel. You can find such large hotels to the north and south of South Beach and Downtown Miami. But these large hotels are usually luxury and expensive. If you are looking for something in between, cheaper but relatively larger rooms, try to find a smaller chain hotel.

The peak season for Miami hotels is the period between November and April. While rest of USA is deep in cold winter, the weather is relatively warm in Miami so Americans flow to warmth and create the peak season. And during the peak season there are organizations like Winter Music Conference and Spring Break, during which hotels are extra full and expensive. If you are planning to stay in South Beach and a boutique hotel, you need to book your hotel room months in advance.

And a last but important warning : Miami hotels will charge 12.5% room tax and some Miami hotels will charge 15% service charge which will not necessarily be reflected in online or agency room prices.

Now let's look at some of the most popular places to stay in Miami.

Miami Beach and South Beach

For almost a century, Miami beach is the undisputed king of beach holiday in USA. In addition to the beach, the colorful night life, cultural and art activities in Miami makes the area a tourist magnet. The Miami Beach area is on the opposite shores of Biscayne Bay compared to Downtown Miami. South Beach and Collins Avenue, which runs parallel to Atlantic Ocean is full of art deco hotels. After 21th Street, MiMo (Miami Modern) architecture dominates and Miami Beach starts. The 6 mile long jogging street here is very famous and you will easily recognize it from many movies.

In Miami Beach you can stay in a hotel or a rental condo near the beach. For a comprehensive list of hotels in this area with price compared room rates and guest reviews, you can check Miami Beach Hotels or Miami South Beach hotels pages.

Miami South Beach

Coconut Grove and Coral Gables

Coral Gables and Coconut Grove are wealthy neighborhoods to the south of Downtown Miami. Once a bohemian village, Coconut Grove is famous for its alfresco Cocowalk shopping and restaurant complex, night life and high class shopping opportunities as well as beautiful hotels. Coconut Grove Playhouse is famous with its Broadway shows. Coral Gables is famous with its Mediterranean style houses and high class shops and Venetian Pool from 1920s here is a must see.

Miami Map. As you can see in the map, famous Miami Beach is on the opposite side of Downtown Miami.

Downtown (Central Business District, Park West, Omni, Brickell)

Miami is not only a tourism center. It is the cultural, business and economy center of Florida. Downtown Florida is full of museum, business centers, parks, shopping malss and historic buildings. If you are in Miami for business hotels like InterContinental Miami, Hotel Urbano, Marriott Biscayne Bay ve Trump National Doral Miami are some of the best Miami hotels to stay. But Downtown Miami becomes almost deserted in the night (although it is lively in daytime).

For hotels in Downtown Miami, check Miami Downtown hotels page.

South Miami

The most important tourist attraction in South Miami is Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens (once known as Miami MetroZoo). This is the only tropical zoo in United States and is a must see tourist attraction in Miami. Monkey Jungle to the south is a very fun place to visit in Miami with its 400 monkeys.

Where to stay in Cappadocia?

With its increadible  cone-shaped rock formations named fairy chimneys, cave houses, stone carved churches, Cappadocia is one of the most magical places to visit in Turkey and on planet earth. It is a place to go every season; it is beautiful when covered with snow and also beautiful in summer. It is also one of the best places to take hot air balloon and it also offers unique cave hotel experience and a lot of good food and nice Turkish wine.

Cappadocia's infamous landscape is shaped 2 million years ago by many once active volcanoes, most famous one being nearby Erciyes Mountain. These volcanoes covered the surface by 150 meter deep volcanic ashes and later wind and water patiently carved the landscape you see today.

The word "Cappadocia" is probaby derived from Khepatukha, which means "The Subjects of Hepat God" or from Persian Katpatuka which means "the land of beautiful horses". The area is a very important place inhabited almost last 4,000 years. In Roman times, early Christians escaping from persecution sought refugee here. The incredible cave churches and large underground cities from early Christians are must see.

How to go to Cappadocia? You can take a bus from Istanbul or Izmir (12 hours), Antalya (9 hours) or Ankara (5 hours) but it is better to fly to Kayseri and then rent a car or take a short bus/minibus ride to Cappadocia. The area is quite large and the sightseeing places are quite far away from each other so renting a car in Cappadocia is a very good idea to explore it well.

Let's come to the where to stay in Cappadocia question. In this post, we will not give individual hotel recommendations but introduce the most popular areas in Cappadocia to stay. But where ever you stay, we strongly reccomend you to stay in a Cappadocia cave hotel. Although some are quite primitive, cave hotel does not mean that you will live like a caveman. These are luxurious rooms with all the comfort of the regular hotel rooms in their range. But stay in a real cave room, one which is carved in rock, not in one which is in a building next to cave rooms.

Warning : Cave hotel rooms are authentic and once-in-a-lifetime experience but they are probably not suitable for people with breathing and lung related problems. They are also quite humid so if you are not well protected, you can easily get sick in one of them.

Map of Cappadocia and the location of Cappadocia.

Urgup

Urgup is the hearth and center of Cappadocia and is the most developed town in the area. With its shops, restaurants, bars and accomodation, it offers a very convenient place to stay in Cappadocia. Its night life and transportation alternatives are also best in the area. If you do not know where to stay in Cappadocia or new to the area, we suggest you to stay in Urgup. The town is also very accessible from the airport and a short distance to most places to see in Cappadocia.

In the last decade, with the increasing popularity of Cappadocia among Turkish and international tourists, almost all stone town house and cave available are converted to a type of hotel. You can find all types of accommodation in the area but most of the luxurious Cappadocia hotels are also located here. If you are in the night life, this also the place to stay.

For hotels in Urgup, with details like room rates and guest ratings, you can check Cappadocia Urgup hotels page.

Cave hotels are the most authentic places to stay in Cappadocia but not all rooms in cave hotels are not in caves. Photo - Elkep Evi

Goreme

Some of the best Fairy Chimney formations are in Goreme and it is as famous as Urgup. Goreme is a small town and can easily be explored on foot. So if you are looking for some action, you cannot find in this small town. There are around 200 hotels and motels here and in fact Goreme now looks like a place composed of only hotels, restaurants, small shops and travel agencies.

Goreme also offers a lot of nice cave hotel but there are also other types of accommodation here. Historic town houses are also quite nice places to stay.

Given its size, you would expect Goreme to be a calm town but unfortunately it is not. If you are looking for a calm place to stay in Cappadocia, you would need to head to Cavusin (belongs to Avanos), 4 km to Goreme.

For a list of hotels in Goreme, you can check Cappadocia Goreme hotels page.

Uchisar

Uchisar is the highest point in Cappadocia and is famous with its castle and the incredible Cappadocia view from here. Uchisar is also famous with its nice restaurants and local food.

For a list of hotels in Uchisar, you can check Cappadocia Uchisar hotels page.

Avanos

Avanos is not as amous as Urgup, Goreme and Uchisar but is a calm place and has some nice food and hotels. Here is less tourist oriented compared to other towns. For hotels here, take a look at Cappadocia Avanos hotels.

Where to stay in Copenhagen?

Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark, may have just about 1 million inhabitants but it is still large enough to offer more than satisfying shopping, colorful night life and cultural activities. It is an intimate, safe and very easy to explore city which has started its life as a small Viking fishing village in 10th century and became Denmark's capital in 15th century. Copenhagen became the most important city in its region in 17th century and today, it is the 3rd richest city in the world. It is not only a major Scandinavian finance and commerce hub; with Tivoli Gardens, the Little Mermaid statue, Amalienborg Palace, Christianbsorg Palace, Rosenborg Castle, Frederik's Church and many museums, it is an important tourist destination.

In this post, we will answer where to stay in Copenhagen question. Most Copenhagen hotels can be found in the Copenhagen city center, which is called Indre By, and the southwest of the center, an area called Vesterbro. Hotels in Copenhagen, like other Denmark hotels, are expensive. So book your Copenhagen hotel online to avoid more expensive prices and chase the hotel discounts. If you leave the hotel reservation to the last minute, you can spend almost all your Copenhagen travel budget to a hotel room!

If you are looking for relatively budget Copenhagen hotel, one of the 3 hotels of Cab Inn hotel chain are good options. Hotel Cabinn City is a central and relatively cheap Copenhagen hotel. CABINN Metro Hotel is 10 minutes to Copenhagen city center by metro and is 5 minutes away from Copenhagen Airport by train. The rooms are quite small but basics like TV, shower and toilet are decent.

Copenhagen map and regions. Indre By, the center of Copenhagen. Most Copenhagen hotels
Indre By and Vesterbro.

Indre By

Indre By (means Inner City) is the Copenhagen City Center and this area within the city walls was all Copenhagen until 1850s when King Christian IV has allowed people to settle outside city walls. Indre By is naturally the historic center of the city and most of the sightseeing and tourist attractions of Copenhagen are in Indre By.

In the heart of Indre By, city's medieval part, named Strøget, can be found. Cornered by Rådhuspladsen, Slotsholmen, Kongens Nytorv and Nørreport, this square shaped area is full of historic buildings, churches and narrow streets. This is also the shopping hearth of Copenhagen. To the south of Strøget, you can find parliment house in Slotsholmen, and giant Christiansborg Palace (plus some museums).

The answer to the title of this blog post is Indre By. But already expensive Copenhagen hotels are extra expensive in this area. If you want to stay in this historic center of Copenhagen, you can take a look at our Copenhagen Indre By hotels page.

Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen

Tivoli

Tivoli is between Copenhagen City Centre and Vesterbro and is the most tourist oriented part of the city. Staying in a  Tivoli hotel puts you just in the geographical center of attractions in Copenhagen. You can find infamous Tivoli Gardens, central train station and  lively Rådhuspladsen town hall square here. Tivoli is also home to museums like Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and Nationalmuseet and modern art and architecture centers like Danish Design Centre.

For a comprehensive hotels in this popular part of Copenhagen and details like nightly room rates and guest reviews as well as price comperisons, you can check our Copenhagen Tivoli hotels page.

Vesterbro (Sydhavnen. Enghave, Valby and Vanløse)

Although central, Vesterbro was not considered a safe place until recently but thanks to a huge renovation effort, it is now one of the alternatives to accommodate in Copenhagen.  If you are looking for a Copenhagen budget hotel, you can find the cheapest ones near central train station and the neighbourhoods behind Trivoli. Although the area still has some junkies and prostitutes in the night, you can also find some of the best Copenhagen hotels here.Safety here can also be increased by taking Vesterbrogade direction to walk to your hotel instead of Istedgade.

There is almost nothing interesting for tourists in Vesterbro. The most important attraction here is probably Carlsberg Brewery. The only reason you would stay here is the proximity of the location to Copenhagen City center and the price of the hotel room. For hotels here, check Copenhagen Vesterbro hotels page.

Carlsberg Brewery and its famous Elephant Gate

Christianshavn

If you have not decided yet on where to stay in Copenhagen, we can also recommend Christianshavn, a neighbourhood just outside the city center. With its nice cobblestoned streets, canals and old Dutch style houses, the area is nicknamed as "Little Holland" and is a very beautiful place to see. This area is on an artificial island between Indre By and Amager and once, it was considered a separate city. The main attraction in Christianshavn is Christianshavn itself and its Amsterdam like aura.  Freetown Christiania is also a place to see here. The area was famous among tourists to "smoke" but thanks to the official effort it is difficult to find something to smoke now. Hardcore drugs are illegal in Copenhagen so even if you may see its trade, stay away from them.

For a comprehensive, price compared list of Christianshavn hotels, you can visit Copenhagen Christianshavn hotels page.


Amalienborg and Nyhavn

Amalienborg Palace is towards the north-east of Copenhagen city center and is home to Denmark's royal family since 1974. The neighbourhood next to this area, Nyhavn is famous with its pastel colored buildings, colorful cafes, restaurants and bars right next to beautiful canals. This area is lively all around the year and is the starting point for most Copenhagen canal tours.

For a comprehensive list of Amalienborg and Nyhavn hotels, Copenhagen Amalienborg and Nyhavn hotels pages.

Copenhagen Nyhavn and its colorful buildings

Where to stay in Berlin?

Germany's capital city Berlin is not only one of the most beautiful cities in Germany but is also one of the most beautiful cities in Europe to visit. It is a wonderful city to visit with its culture, historical heritage, highly tolerant world city atmosphere, colorful night life, cafes and bars, street artists, museums and palaces.

The historic center of Berlin city is called Mitte. Most of the places to visit in Berlin are in Mitte area. The center of Mitte is the main boulevard of Berlin named Unter den Linden. This long boulevard runs from the Museum Island (Museumsinsel) to the Brandenburg Gate passing through Berlin's main shopping street Friedrichstraße and it also represents Berlin's historic spirit.

If you take Mitte as the center, you can divide Berlin into following areas : Central West (City West), Central East (East Central), East, North and South Berlin.

So where to stay in Berlin? If you are looking for a place to stay in Berlin, you will probably find it in City West or Mitte. If you are looking for a bohemian and artistic environment to stay in Berlin, you will probably be headed to the East Central Berlin where Turkish immigrants live.

Berlin Map

Mitte (Mitte)

Historic center of Berlin, Mitte, has almost all the sightseeing in Berlin and if you stay in Mitte, you can see almost all Berlin offers on foot. Mitte has mostly backpacker and luxury business style accommodation and it is difficult to find a nice mid level Berlin hotel here. Especially during the trade fairs, accommodation prices increases but not as crazy as Frankfurt.

For a complete list of Berlin hotels in this central and historical area, you can visit Berlin Mitte hotels page.

City West (Charlottenburg, Wilmersdorf, Schöneberg, Tiergarten, Moabit)

City West area was the center of West Berlin before the Berlin wall collapsed. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, it has developed as a shopping center in Berlin. One of Berlin's most famous boulevards is the Ku'Damm (abbreviation for Kurfürstendamm) is here. The main shopping street Tauentzienstraße, famous for Berlin's luxury shopping opportunities, is also in this region. City West also has many of Berlin's finest hotels and restaurants.

City West is the best place to stay in Berlin. You can find budget, mid-range and luxury category Berlin hotel here. Grand Hyatt Berlin, The Ritz-Carlton Berlin, Berlin Marriott, Mövenpick Berlin and Swissotel. If you want a Berlin hotel recommendation, Swissotel Berlin in Ku'Damm, which is especially close to everything located in the best location of the City West district is a good option.

Berlin Kurfürstendamm (Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in the center)

East Central
Trendy, bohemian and artistic Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg, the East Central's Kreuzberg region, which is one third of the population, is made up of Turkish immigrants. The area is full of mid-range hotels with cheap hotels, motels and hostels.