Hotel Rum

Rooms

The most striking aspect of Hotel Rum is its heavy-tone decor. Various shades of black and grey are used throughout, though this is alleviated by the occasional burst of brighter colour. Otherwise, there’s nothing overtly flashy here: just good-sized beds with high-quality cotton linen (and the obligatory half a dozen cushions), tree-trunk bedside stools, small armchairs and designer lighting. In a nice touch, all furnishings were manufactured specifically for the hotel, in Hungary.

Bathrooms - typically separated from the bedroom by a sliding frosted-glass partition - are well designed, with black and white metro tiles, rainfall showers and big mirrors.

There are 5 cleverly titled categories of room, differentiated by size: Single Rums, Light Rums (Small), Spiced Rums (Medium), Gold Rums (Large) and Black Rums (Large Plus Triple). Facility-wise, there’s little to distinguish between them (other than Larges having Nespresso machines), so your decision will come down to how much space you want. We slept in a Medium on our last visit and found it a perfect size for short stay. Rooms on the lower floors have higher ceilings, making them feel more spacious, but we really liked those on upper floors with sloping ceilings - they felt inviting and cosy.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Central heating
• Coffee / tea making
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Safe box
• Toiletries
• TV
• WiFi

Eating

Hotel Rum has an unforgettable Michelin-starred dining experience downstairs and a cosmopolitan brunch spot on the roof. Though different in style and substance, both SALT and SOLID share the same ethos of celebrating Hungarian cuisine.

Up on the top floor, SOLID is a rooftop breakfast and brunch restaurant with fantastic views of the Budapest skyline, plus an open roof in fine weather and a fireplace on cooler days. It serves an upscale a la carte breakfast or, if you prefer, an indulgent brunch with bubbles (served until 2pm on weekends). Whipped up by the SALT chefs, we were blown away by the quality of each dish. Our eggs benedict with smoked trout was impeccable (the best bearnaise sauce I've tasted), and the sourdough with green tea and apricot jam was a smash. In fact, everything that left the kitchen caught our eye - we wish we had stayed longer to try the full menu!

On the ground floor, SALT serves gourmet dinners with a difference - and a central chef's table - on Wednesday through Saturday evenings. Chef Szilárd Tóth’s menu showcases Hungarian herbs and wild plants, many of which are foraged by himself, freshly pickled and fermented. Poultry comes from Szilard’s own family in Szatmár. This commitment to locality has earned them, in addition to one Michelin Star, a Michelin Green Star for sustainability. Be prepared for a tasting menu of at least 10 dishes, with wine (or homemade juice) pairings to match. Understandably, it gets busy, so book well in advance if you want to guarantee a table.

If you would prefer to eat out, there are heaps of other restaurants a short walk away; ask reception for their tips.

Features include:

• Bar
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service

Activities

• Budapest is bisected by the Danube; one side is Buda, the other Pest. Stroll both to admire stunning architecture and take a night cruise along the the river: both embankments are heritage sights
  
• Head for the Buda hills on the delightful cogwheel and children’s railways, the latter built by Communist youth brigades in the 1940s
  
• There are over 1,000 thermal hot springs in Hungary, 118 of them in Budapest. We like the hidden Veli Bej baths, an old Turkish complex, with a central octagonal pool and an ice shower
  
• The late-19th-century Great Market Hall is a terrific place to buy souvenirs (Tokaj and paprika feature heavily) and try local produce
  
• Budapest Zoo is one of the world’s oldest, and has stunning Art Nouveau pavilions
  
• Explore the Jewish quarter, with its magnificent Dohany utcai Synagogue and the uber-cool ruin bars

  Activities on site or nearby include:

  • Boat trips
  • Historical sites
  • Museums / galleries
  • Nightlife
  • Shopping / markets
  • Well being

Kids

Not especially geared up for families, but they are welcome nonetheless.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

Large Plus Rooms have a pull-out sofabed in a little annexe room, which can sleep 2 children aged 2-12, or 1 child/adult aged 13+.

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Hotel Rum is ideally located on a very quiet street in the central 5th district, on the Pest side of the Danube.

By Air:
Fly into Ferenc Liszt airport (aka Ferihegy), which is 20km away. Click on the links below for a list of airlines.

From the Airport:
It's a 20-minute drive to the hotel; best to jump in a taxi as you won't need a car in Budapest, though see our car rental recommendations if you do want one.

You can also get a bus from the airport into the city or to the nearest metro station. The hotel is a 2-minute walk from the Kálvin tér metro stop.