Every year, Alex, Jess, and I take two trips together. One is in December, when we plan for the upcoming year. The other is in April, when we just go somewhere fun and celebrate the joy that points and miles have brought into our lives. This year we chose Budapest and Istanbul!

 

Flights to Budapest

Alex and I headed to Atlanta, where we boarded our Turkish Airlines flight to Budapest with a connection in Istanbul. Unfortunately, it was delayed by almost two hours, so we spent some time trying out Priority Pass benefits, like massage chairs in the XpresSpa, and an hour working in a room at Minute Suites.

We then spent a few hours in the beautiful American Express® Centurion® Lounge, where we met a Squad member, Jill. Meeting a Squad member is always fun! This lounge is gorgeous, and the food was excellent.

Our business-class flights on Turkish Airlines were only 80K United Miles, booked with United, from Atlanta to Budapest with a connection in Istanbul. I literally slept the entire flight, but Alex said the food was excellent. The plane is the new 787 and was outstanding, as was the service.

 

 

 

Jess’s Flight

Jess flew directly from Houston to London on British Airways and connected to Budapest. Her ticket cost 110K British Airways Avios. She landed about six hours before us, so she enjoyed some alone time in Budapest before we arrived.

Our Hotel

We stayed at the Párisi Udvar, part of Hyatt’s Unbound Collection. From the moment I saw the front doors and walked in, it was love at first sight. Simply put, it was elegant, gorgeous, and everything I would expect from luxury in Budapest. I immediately said that I wished we were staying five nights instead of three.

We spent a mere 40K Hyatt points per night on a spectacular two-bedroom suite. It felt like a high-rise luxury apartment on 5th Avenue in NYC, and I was obsessed. So much so that I have it on my list to return to! The cost would be almost $2,800 per night to stay here. That makes this a 7-cents-per-point redemption. Wow!

 

 

 

Activities

Day One

We kept things simple to combat jet lag. First up was the Szechenyi Thermal Baths. This is a popular spot for locals and tourists, and we spent a few hours there, leaving us relaxed for the rest of the day.

The Széchenyi Baths are one of the most famous thermal spas in Europe, located in Budapest’s City Park (Városliget). It’s a huge historic complex with outdoor hot pools, indoor thermal baths, saunas, and spa treatments. There are indoor and outdoor thermal baths, as well as a lazy-river-like area (without tubes). The lazy river was the best (and most fun) part—not necessarily walking through it, but listening to the joyful glees of laughter of all these adults doing it, which was really sweet and funny!

 

 

 

We got there using the Budapest Metro, which is clean and has the cutest yellow train cars. They were never overcrowded, we just tapped our credit card, and it was very cheap to use—perfect. After the first day, I learned that senior citizens are also free on it.

 

 

We finished the day at the New York Café, which is in the most phenomenal historic building. While the food was just okay, the building should not be missed, nor the four-piece orchestra!

 

We also discovered a Budapest treat: chimney cake. Our favorite was a sugar one, with Nutella on the inside, and filled with gelato. We had one every day.

 

Day Two

After a delicious breakfast at our hotel, we headed out on our Airbnb experience with George, during which he says he covered 90% of the city in four hours. He was a fabulous guide—witty, kind, and knowledgeable. I highly recommend his service in Hungary. We paid $200 for a private tour of the city and enjoyed it so much.

 

 

 

We ate lunch in the Buda Castle area of the city at Ramazuri Bistronomy—highly recommend it. We all had the salmon, and it was delicious.

We then rested at our hotel for a few hours before going on the Floating Lotus Sunset Cruise. It cost us about $40 each for a one-hour float down the Danube River, including drinks. It was the best way to see the city lit up—simply beautiful!

 

 

 

We then ate a late dinner at Tom George Osteria. Both the pasta and the pizza were excellent. It was a lively place that was quite full, so I recommend making reservations.

 

Flights Home

After we spent some time in Istanbul, I had a direct flight home on Turkish Airlines to Denver for 65K Turkish Airlines miles. Alex and Jess flew to EWR for the same price but had to spend the night at a Marriott near the airport (using points, of course). I must say that it was a dream to fly directly home!

 

 

Bottom Line

Budapest is often called one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Split by the Danube River into Buda and Pest, it blends history, beautiful architecture, and great food. Plus we stayed at one of the most beautiful hotels ever (if not THE most beautiful hotel ever) for absolutely nothing. I would gladly return! Budapest, I left part of my heart with you. 

 

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