Paris & Budapest

My mom, sister, and I will be travelling now in June from Paris to Budapest. We%26#39;ll be there for 5 days. I posted these questions in the Hungary forum, but if any of you can help me with these topics, it will be very appreciated.

- Are the Visa and/or American Express credit cards accepted in most stores and restaurants? Or do they only accept cash?

- What kind of souvenirs are the most typical? And their price?

- Which side is better to stay? Buda or Pest? We haven%26#39;t reserved hotel!

- Tips? What percent for services?

- We will fly with SkyEurope from Paris. Is this airline ok?

- What about language? Do they speak English, Spanish, or French?

Any other suggestions are welcome!

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VMG,

What a combination trip. Budapest is the Paris on the east side.

credit cards are widely accepted esp VISA. Use your AMEX card for exchanging money at the AMEX office w/o commission.

Souvenirs- porcelain and crystals.

Stayed at the Pest side by the Vaci pedestrian mall. Forgot the name of the hotel. Nice and safe around that area.

English is understood well.

Do thermal bath and massage at the Hotel Gellert or if you can afford it you can stay there(buda side). Do a dinner cruise in the Danube river. Very easy to get around with their transportation.

If I remember more I%26#39;ll send you more suggestions.

Have fun.

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Thanks very very much Biyahera!

If you remember more, don%26#39;t hesitate to write me...

=-)

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I%26#39;m glad to see this post and am looking forward to what posters have to say about Budapest. I will be traveling from Budapest to Paris in August. Staying at the Hilton West End I think. I%26#39;ll be stopping in Amsterdam first, then to Budapest, then Paris. Is it best to get money (is it Florins or ??sp) at the airport when I arrive in Budapest from an ATM?

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As in Paris, you will get the best rates from an ATM, but I recommend changing a $100 or so worth before your arrival, just to have cash on hand.

We had better luck with VISA in shops and restaurants.

When we were there we saw of hand painted glassware that was very pretty and affordable. Also so plenty of places to buy crafts, although I have a feeling that a lot of these %26quot;local%26quot; crafts came in from Africa. Great Art Deco antique shopping.

They speak Magyar, but you can usually get by with English and non-verbal symbols.

We stayed at the Gellert, which was GREAT... but I think that most tourists end up on the Pest side, which is probably better located for all the action.

For Art Deco fans, the Elephant House at the zoo is a Must See.

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Thanks phread!!!!!

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Don%26#39;t do what I did and forget to check what the forint is to the dollar. We didn%26#39;t have ready access to internet while traveling and I should have found a newspaper and checked. By the way, today it%26#39;s about 1.91 to 1 dollar. They told me at our hotel it was 3 to 1 so I was dividing wrong in my head when I was figuring how much I was spending. It was only a weekend so no huge damage but a bit of a shock when I looked at my bank balance online.

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Oh my God! That%26#39;s very important... Thanks AKmom!

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I meant he told me it was 300.HUF to 1dollar and it was really about 200. HUF to the dollar then. The exchange rate is 191. HUF to 1 dollar today. Sorry I didn%26#39;t put the period in the right place before.

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I stayed in the Pest side and was very pleased. The hotel was the Fiesta Hotel, and it is close to De��k t��r, the only place where the three subway lines meet. The hotel is modern and spacious, and the breakfast that is offered with your room rate is plentiful with many choices. The staff speak English and are very helpful. If you have not been to Budapest before you will love it. It is changing right before your eyes, so seeing it now is a good thing. Try not to miss the Great Synagogue, the largest in Europe, if for nothing else than for the architecture (Byzantine-Moorish style.) It is an impressive building. But first and foremost - DO NOT MISS - the Parliament building. It is one of the most impressive and beautiful buildings in all of Europe. Enjoy your trip. You will be visiting two great and special cities.

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You are in for such a treat! We loved Budapest so much and have been there twice - once with our kids and once without. For a hotel that is very reasonable and with a %26quot;US%26quot; style, try the Millennium Court by Marriott. It is long term - or short term apartments for a business traveler. Comes with breakfast, maid service, and is in a great location - just a block from the regular Marriott. It is like a Residence Inn by Marriott here in the states. They don%26#39;t have a full concierge though. Look on www.marriott.com to book. Some suggestions - go to the baths in the city park near the zoo called the Szenchenyi baths. The Gellert baths are another one to try. For souveniers and picnic food go the Central Market Hall near the Elizabeth Bridge. Very large selection of both. The souveniers are upstairs, food downstairs. The building itself is a beauty. We went to Statue Park. It%26#39;s a bus ride out of town from Deak Ter. You can buy your ticket at Deak Ter. It%26#39;s a field where they have %26quot;dumped%26quot; all the Soviet era statues and have made an outdoor museum. Very interesting for an hour or two. We ate a great meal at a restaurant near Deak Ter called the Marquis De Salade. It is central asian food. Very delicious and lots of vegetarian choices. Anyway - have a SUPER time. Budapest is one of our favorite places. Look on trip advisor about Budapest Hotels and you can read my review of the Millennium Court. I%26#39;m the one from Long Island who traveled there with 3 kids. It%26#39;s probably the first or second review. Good Luck!!! Oh and to answer one of your questions - yes most places take Visa/MC and Amex.