i had my stag do in Budapest 2 weeks ago. We stayed in the City Inn hotel. When we got in the taxi at the airport, the taxi driver told us that the City inn is in one of the most dangerous parts of Budapest and that he wouldn't walk around that area on his own!
The hotel itself was unfriendly and fairly average ( what we'd expected) although the bar did open all night long!
We got loads of different taxis during our stay and spoke to a few locals, all of who said that the City Inn was in a very dangerous part of town. some taxi drivers even refused to take us there as they said that they didnt feel safe DRIVING their taxis there! We were lucky and didn't experience any trouble but I'd advise you swerve this hotel unless you are a fan of russian roulette...

We stayed at the City Inn from July 21 - 27, 2006. We stayed during one of the worst heat-waves ever and, needless to say, didn't get to experience Budapest as much as we would have liked. However, there were some saving graces.

First off, the hotel.

The City Inn is a very new (less than 5 years) old hotel located about a 5 minute walk from the subway station in a soon-to-be completely renovated and rebuilt area. In fact, over 16 blocks of buildings have been torn down and there will be built businesses, apartments, homes, schools, parks, etc. The City Inn is located less than 1 minute from the center of what will be the new construction.

The C.I. is a nice, 3-star hotel. The rooms are very clean and a decent size for European standards. They are modern and many have balconies. There is a mini-bar - although we didn't use it. The beds are comfortable with a VERY large pillow and a feather blanket - but no sheets - which would have been nice during the hot weather.

The air conditioning worked but not as well as we would have liked. Europeans just don't get air conditioning. The bathroom was clean albeit a bit small. There was plenty of storage (good for us since we were going to be there for a week) and a built-inn electronic safe. It was a quiet hotel and, although we were in the back coutryard section, I don't believe there would have been much more noise in the front.

The breakfasts were adequate and typically 3-star breakfasts. However, a PLUS was that there was hot food everyday including eggs and sausages (which neither of us touched) along with the cold meats, cheeses, cereals and breads. The juices were watered down and the coffee was definitely instant - but plentiful.
The breakfast room was large and you could sit outside on the patio. We did every day although you had to watch where you sat as the air conditioning units spit out lots of heat.

All the staff were very friendly, fluent in English and very helpful. They also served as waiters for the bar which we used every once in a while. The bar was a bit overpriced, though. You could get it cheaper elsewhere. However, it was open 24/7.

Overall, we would recommend the hotel for budget-concious consumers.

NOW - one of the best perks was the West Balkan kitty-corner from the hotel. It is a brand new bar (its sister is just down the street) and very hip, trendy and fun. We went every night as it was opened late. The drinks weren't that expensive and it was simply nice.

Good location near Pest center. Air conditioning rooms but with wet floor. Some dirty on the top of wardrobe and in the bathroom near ventilation. Costly parking place not in the hotel (10 EUR/night)