Train Rides (2nd leg) - The Accomodation

Anne has been put in-charge to arrange our accommodation. She registered herself in "booking.com" and were assisted well by the website thus far. It started with our 1st leg of train travel. i.e. earthbound to Thailand. The hotel that she chose and our ratings are as follows:-

Istanbul, Yazar Hotel

We stayed in Yazar Hotel for 4 days and 3 nights. What we like most about the place is that the staff are all very helpful especially the reception lady who assisted us throughout our stay. Her name is Hilal Durak and she speak fluent English. She helped us getting a ticket for Sufi whirling dervishes at Hodjapasha Dance Theater as well as for our cruising Marmara Sea on our last day. Four of us were put in the same room with 2 single beds and 1 twin bed. We paid a good price @ at only Euro297, with breakfast and free wifi.

The hotel seated at the most strategic location, where Istanbul Old city is within walking distance. If you are strong and not being pampered with so much luxury back home, you can merely walk to Sultanahmet Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, Islamic Art Museum and Grand Bazaar. The nearest in our opinion is New mosque (Yeni cami) & Spice Bazaar. In addition, city metro lines are just around the corner. I would recommend this hotel to everyone due to it's location, good breakfast and facilities offered at this rather a new hotel existed in Istanbul town.   

Bucharest, Ibis Bucuresti Gara-de-Nord Hotel

Checked your booking carefully when you reached Ibis Hotel as we did not include breakfast in our booking and encountered slight embarrassment due to that. If you walk fast, you may reach the main train station, Gara de Nord in just 3 minutes. We took slightly longer with our luggage added with uncomfortable stares by the drug addicts and the homeless people. Apart from that, we do enjoyed our short stay in this hotel.

We paid only Euro78 for 2 rooms with twin bed, which come with free wifi. We cooked rice, using a mini rice cooker that Anne brought and made coffee for our breakfast and dinner. The front desk staff has assisted to get us a nice cab with a good driver, who speak sufficient English that ensure our safety during a short visit in Bucharest.

Budapest K9 Residence

When in Budapest, Anne has booked for 2 rooms apartment at only Euro60 and we rated this place as 1 of the best considering it's rate and location. The apartment came with small kitchen and dining area. Not only that, it gives free wifi too. The reception staffs are friendly who gave assistance to book a cab to the train station on our departure. We enjoyed cooking our own food as the kitchen came with a cooker gas, sets of utensils and cutlers suffice for us making a delicious soup and having a hot noodle in a big bowl. There's a groceries shop adjacent to the hotel which open 24 hours a day. You will have no worries to get cooking ingredients from there.

The hotel is located only 2 stations away from Keleti Railway Station (on red line metro) and accessible anywhere to the city. We bought Metro daily passes as soon as we arrived but getting around the city is most easy as the hotel is at strategic location. Important to note that it is so near to Vaci Utca, Budapest shopping street that you can merely walk for early or late shopping, like we did.

Vienna, Time Out City Hotel

This boutique hotel is quite charming but we got cramped into a room with 1 twin bed and 1 single bed. The room is charged at Euro105 with free wifi without breakfast. It is the most expensive hotel that we picked up. But the hotel decorations are extremely beautiful. They offered a great hospitality, even offering a place for prayer and arrange a taxi that takes us safely to catch the next train in time. Another good thing to say about the family run hotelier is, it seated just at the back of row of shopping street. There's Muslim food outlet that help us with our dinner on the night we arrived.

Salzburg, Star Inn Hotel

We were surprised to find a modern hotel in an old city of Salzburg with professional staffs. We booked 2 rooms for Euro198 but we were happy as it gave us comforts. By the time we reached Salzburg, we were a little bit exhausted and good bedding was all we need to have. We had our own breakfast prepared in the room and treated our self to a nice lunch at Taj Mahal restaurant, an Indian food. It has free wifi and clean bathroom.

Munich, Hotel Deutsches Theater

Though seated at the most strategic location for a traveler like we are, we did not really enjoyed our stay considering the building looks rather old. Everything are clean, neat and tidy but it a bit small and cramp to our liking. The other room is much better than ours. We paid only Euro118 for 2 rooms without breakfast but they have provided a free wifi facility.

Paris, Adagio Paris Vincennes

I must say, I personally likes the apartment hotel that we stayed for 4 days and 3 nights located in 42, Avenue de Paris, Vincennes. I think I must have like it a lot as I volunteered to cook when we were here. Coming home everyday, exhausted from daily visit, I shall willingly stop at the nearby groceries shop to prepare for our daily meals. We paid Euro546 for 2 bedroom apartment suited for us 4. The apartment comes with fully equipped kitchen, free wifi and accessible metro lines. You may read what I write about it in the first entry in Paris, Itinerary and tips.

Last not not least, I hope you guys may benefit from what I'm sharing in this entry. You may click at the hotels website that I have link for your easy reference.