"If you are reading this looking for a hotel in Budapest, and like me, have high standards, just book this hotel! Hotel Clark is a true gem in Budapest. We stayed for 2 nights, travelled as a group and had two studios overlooking the chain bridge & Danube and the other room had a balcony on the seventh floor also overlooking the Danube. All of our rooms were spacious, the studios especially, and really light and airy which was lovely. The rooms were spotless, and while one of the rooms had a small issue in the bathroom this was dealt with very promptly. We opted to include breakfast in the booking which was worth it. Not the biggest selection compared with larger hotel chains (Marriot, Hilton & all-inclusive resort style hotels) but more than enough with the quality being maintained. There was also a wide selection of juices, teas, coffee as well as smoothies and a multivitamin juice (highly recommend!) One thing we also noticed and appreciated were the added touches we received during the stay. Upon check in, we had two bottles of wine in the room, a selection of chocolates as well as little chocolates each night as part of the turndown service. In terms of location, this is where the hotel truly exceeded my expectations. The location is perfect. It’s on the quieter side of Budapest (Buda) and is a stones throw from transport, the Danube, Fisherman’s Bastion, Buda Castle and the iconic Chain Bridge. We walked a lot around the city and there are definitely pockets of areas that are more run-down and we found many hotels in these areas. Hotel Clark is far from this.
There are many positives of this hotel, but two things to mention that could be improved:
1 - the majority of staff were friendly but not all of them. This is definitely a consistency issue and it’s a shame in a five star hotel and when paying upwards of 350 euro a night. Some of the staff were so lovely, but others we found to be quite abrupt, unapproachable and unwelcoming.
2 - we dined at Leo Rooftop on our first night, to celebrate an individual in our group turning 60. We had booked in advance and did manage to be seated earlier than our reserved time which we appreciated but after that everything seemed to go downhill. Despite booking in advance we weren’t seated at a proper table but rather some sofa type thing. The service was slow, and overall there was an odd vibe. We had to ask if we could order food even though we’d booked for dinner, the portions were tiny and the prices were extortionate for the quality and quantity. If you are looking for a recommendation in Budapest that is still classy and perhaps for a treat, we ate at LR Italian Lounge & Restaurant on our second night and spent the same money as we did at Leo Rooftop but had a much better experience. It is approx 10-15 mins walk from hotel Clark. I understand Leo rooftop may not be directly relevant to this TripAdvisor page but it is associated with the hotel in guests eyes as well as geographically.
Overall, it was a pleasant stay. I would recommend the hotel to anyone but highly discourage a visit to the rooftop."
