to be said for walking into a village and looking for a room, but without a command of basic Hungarian it is not always easy to find one. With the exception of the shores of Lake Balaton, where a zimmer frei (vacancies) notice screams at you from every gate, Hungarian villagers are slow to advertise their spare rooms. If you feel confident enough speaking some Hungarian the village pub is a good place to ask, where the locals will try to help.
As a precaution start at one of Budapest’s branches of Tourinform (see Appendix 4) whose Englishspeaking staff will provide accommodation brochures and advice on where to stay. The branch at Király utca specialises in rural accommodation. Regional offices maintain their own databases of local accommodation and might be able to provide a brochure or offprint. The types of accommodation available in the hills are described below, starting with the cheapest.
Wild Camping
Although this is a good way of getting deep into the hills and probably the only way of seeing the more secretive of Hungary’s mammals and birds, wild camping is not permitted in many walking areas. Nature Guards regularly patrol national park land and they have the power to fine and evict offenders. Outside national parks it is also illegal for foreigners to camp in forested areas without permission, and for safety reasons it is inadvisable to wild camp during the hunting season (October–January).
Forest cottages, Óbányai-v0lgy, Mecsek, Walk 25
Official Campsites and Chalets
There are two symbols on Hungarian walking maps denoting a campsite but their exact meaning is not always clear. As a rough guide the wigwam symbol (sátorozóhely) on Hungarian walking maps is a designated site that has few or no facilities and, depending on the circumstances, means that you can pitch a tent and perhaps light a fire free of charge. Unfortunately there are few such sites and the ones that are free have become overgrown. The other symbol, a triangle in a semicircle (kemping), is a pay-site with full facilities and often has little wooden chalets for hire. Tourinform publish a free brochure listing pay-sites, although it is not comprehensive as many householders offer camping spaces in their back garden. The phrase to ask whether there is a place to put your tent is Van sátorhely? The most campsite intensive (and expensive) region is along the shores of Lake Balaton. Pay-sites usually have good facilities including showers, kitchens and laundry points, but for a little extra you could find a decent room. The campsite season in Hungary is short and geared to school holidays.
Kulcsosházak
Literally ‘key houses’, these selfcatering cottages scattered around Hungary’s hills are situated in peaceful surroundings. Depending on your attitude to comfort it is a cheap way for a group of people to live close to the walking routes. The houses are often run by walking clubs or trade unions, but many are available to non-members and are popular with families and students. Facilities are often primitive; there is no running water or indoor toilet, although there are cooking hobs running on gas cylinders. When unoccupied the cottage is locked and the address and telephone number of the keyholder is on a noticeboard near the door, which is not very useful as by this time you are already a long way from the town where the warden lives. Unfortunately most of the keyholders do not speak English; booking has to be done weeks in advance in writing, and the houses are usually booked up months ahead for the summer and Christmas holidays. It is, however, an option worth considering if you know any Hungarians who can do the booking for you.
Walkers’ Hostels
Budget accommodation for walkers is limited in Hungary but it is still possible to stay in a turistaház or turistaszálló. They are marked on walking maps as a black rectangle with a little flag, and the word turistaház is usually translated as youth hostel. These establishments, many of which are former hunting lodges, are not members of the International Youth Hostel Association but are run by walking clubs, trade unions or state-controlled industries. Check at the local tourist office if you are expecting to stay at one of these establishments as some hostels marked on Hungarian walking maps are now out of use or are limited to pre-booked group hire. On the other hand, not all hostels are marked on the maps. The best ones are up in the hills away from the main roads, but most can be approached by car.
Hostel facilities are basic but clean and have hot showers, toilets and a canteen, although some establishments are beginning to look run down. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available at extra cost, after which the price can compare with a private room in a village. Guests can eat their own food in the canteen or have communal cooking facilities. There is no curfew and drinking in the bar will go on into the night until someone complains or the warden (who also runs the bar) wants to get to bed. If you want to make a very early start the next day let the warden know as he probably locks the doors at night. Wardens do not speak English but many hostels have a friendly atmosphere, although do not expect to be surrounded by serious walkers and climbers nowadays.
Üdülő
An üdülő is another type of hostel. At best it is an old lodge set in pleasant surroundings, but many are rather utilitarian structures thrown up quickly during the 1950s. The üdülő dates back to the Communist period, when each state company ran its own recreation centres for the exclusive use of its workers. A few of these establishments are now open to outsiders. Accommodation is dormitory style, although there are more expensive family rooms. While these establishments are showing signs of decline, the bedding provided is clean.
Meals are of variable standard and add considerably to the cost. For some reason an üdülő is often more expensive than a turistaház. In summer large parties of children take over this type of hostel. If that is the case it is wise to avoid them, because even if you manage to get into a private room the largely unsupervised children will keep you up all night. It is all a matter of luck and season. A room in the village will probably be cheaper and more pleasant.
Establishments calling themselves a turistaház, turistaszálló or üdülő as well as hostels run by the state railway company and a few affiliated campsites are listed in the rarely updated Természetbarát Szálláshelyek published by Hungary’s main walking club, the MTSZ, or the Union of the Hungarian Friends of Nature. The book is available from the Cartographia map shop (see Appendix 4). For other budget accommodation the free Tourinform booklet Ifjúsági Szálláskatalógus is rather limited, as it only lists hostels affiliated to the International Youth Hostel Association, few of which are near walking routes.
Private Rooms and Apartments
When passing through a village, look for the following signs: szoba kiadó, zimmer frei and apartmen frei. Many private households offer a clean room or apartment with clean bedding for a reasonable price, although meals are not usually available.
Alternatively rent a room or apartment in a family house registered with the Falusi és Agroturizmus Országos Szövetsége (Hungarian Federation of Rural Tourism). Look for their logo (intertwined red and green hearts) on garden gates. Their free catalogue in Hungarian, English and German is available at their Budapest headquarters in Király utca (see Appendix 4). Booking accommodation is not strictly part of their service but they will, if pressed, telephone a householder for tourists who cannot speak Hungarian. Many of the properties in the scheme are also listed on the Centre of Rural Tourism website (see Appendix 4) which has an English-language option. Their packages also include hands-on farming experience, green tourism and activities geared to children. Depending on the setup you will either share bathroom facilities with the family or hire a separate apartment with en suite bathroom and kitchen. Price per night is reasonable, but expect it to rise during public holidays, especially Christmas and Easter. Meals are often available for an additional charge. You are not obliged to eat your host’s food but do let them know in advance if you require feeding. If you cannot speak Hungarian there will be some silences at dinner, although it is rarely awkward
