Navigare Apartments

We stayed here for 5 days in early June 2008, and wasn't completely happy, but I guess be got what we paid for. Although we didn't get from the airport to the apartments, it isn't that hard to get to the apartments by public transport- as we ended up going to the airport from the apartments and found it quite easy- a 5-7 minute walk to the metro, then a metro ride to the end of the line and then a bus to the airport, total time taken was about 40 minutes, not bad at all. The apartment we stayed in was the 'Vaci' Apartments, however it was not actually on Vaci Utca (street), whch is the main pedestrian street, but it was the street behind and parallel to Vaci Utca- Veres Palne utca. We got value for money in terms of the room we were provided with (65 Euros a night for the room for 4 people!)- it was an enormous room, high ceiling, with four single beds, 4 bedside tables and two small wardrobes with a total of four coat hangers. So there was plenty of space. There was a small kitchen/diner with small fridge, microwave, a small hotplate, glasses, plates, utensils, dishwashing liquid, pots and pans (no kettle), a bathroom which consisted of a toilet, hand basin and shower. There was a plastic shower mat that did not help with any water that may have come out from the shower. In terms of location, it is very good. Not far from the sights you need to see or trams, buses or metro which are quite easy to use. With the service we were provided with from the Navigare, it was all very dependent on the person who was working there on the day. We arrived quite late at night- about 1am as our plane arrived late and took the airport minibus to the Apartments. However we had had many email conversations with Agota, who was extremely helpful with directions and providing a person at reception at such a late hour. The man on reception the next days was somewhat helpful, showing on a map where we could go. We also asked for extra balnkets as it had gotten quite cold and there was no heating and only very thin blankets provided. You need to note, there may not always be someone at reception even though it is meant to have someone there from 9am-6pm. An incident which made our trip quite unhappy was our encounter with a lady at the reception after our memory card reader went missing. We informed the lady at reception and the first thing she said was "We don't steal". She continued on being extremely defensive, and I had to wait until she finished and just said that I wasn't blaming anyone, I just wanted to inform her that something from our room was missing and that was it. She became extremely upset and angry about this and said that no-one in her country uses this 'card reader' and then proceeded to ask what it was and then we asked where we could buy another one, and she told us which streets to go and buy it......? Before this, we had asked if she could help us by ringing the airport minibus to confirm when we needed to be picked up, and we gave her the number to do so, however she said that it was not her responsiblity to do it and we had to do it ourselves. We used the hotel phone and had difficulties as the person on the other side could not understand, and requested the lady at reception to talk. She was extremely annoyed about this and it showed in her telephone manner- midway, she told us that we should use the contractors the apartments uses as they are better and more simpler and didn't want to go ahead to help us with our booking. However, we stated we had already paid for it, and she very grudgingly helped us. In all, if we didn't have our card reader go missing and and dealings with the lady at the reception (didn't get her name as I ended up walking out as soon as the phone call was over) then our trip would have been ok. Location of Navigare, although it wasn't on Vaci Utca, was still great. Service was from really good to bad- depending on who was at reception. We recommend this place if you just want a good base/location and nothing else.

Very pleasant hotel in convenient location. Close to the metro, quiet place. 6 places in thge garage.