Gellért Hotell & Spa
Before entering Gellért, we wanted to get some good shots of the Cave Chappel. This chappel is actually carved into the rock, and is pretty darn cool. Unfortunately it's open only to groups of 10-15 people, so we didn't get to see the actual chappel. Only the exterior and the entrence. But it gives you an idea on how it must be like. :o)
Gellért Spa.. this was a disappointment. :o(
It's supposed to be the best Spa in Budapest, and it's deffinately the most famous one.
It's grand and the arcitecture and interior are quite magnificent, BUT... first of all, it took like forever walking to the changing area. We went a bit up, then straight forward, around some corners and then down.
The locker rooms are extremely small. And being 2 adults in one booth was ok, but nothing more. I almost felt like I should have gotten out when Gudny changed, and vice versa. It was a bit hard not bumping into each other. Guess it was easier for the kids.
The pool area; yes, it's large and the arcitecture is quite spectacular. Sculptures and fountains and large, great colomns. I think the pool area is from the time when the turks where there. (Could be the reason why they call them turkish baths... lol) Anyway.. this swimmingpool were big and looked great, but the water was COLD! No way I was gonna swim in cold water and it wasn't why I was there. Bummer... we just sat there for a little while and didn't really know what to do and to make of it.
As this is a spa, they have different types of massages, so we wanted to see if we could get some footmassage. And the kids wanted that too. We figured out where the Thai footmassage area was, and went there. But to our disappointment, it was way too expencive for us. It was like 6500 HUF for 30 minutes and with 4 of us, we just couldn't afford it. So then we just shot some pics of this marvelous building and hall and was on our way.
We crossed the bridge over to Pest and stopped by the famous market. Yes, it's large and there are lots of salesstands there. BUT (again) so much of the same stuff. First floor are the grocery, meat and wine stands. Second floor are a lot of china, leather, Hungarian brodery stuff and just a lot of, sorry to say it, crap! We hardly found anything we liked there. So this was just yet another disappointment this day.
We decided to call it quits, and just went home.
Ok... it wasn't a complete waist of time. The hot water at Gellért was great! :o))
BUT.. I have to say we got a bit dissapointed. To get to the changing earas and the one pool we were actaully allowed to use, we walked for I think almost 5-10 minutes. It was up, down and straight forward before we got there. We were shown the 2 changing rooms we had paid for, and boy were they small. It was slightly difficult when we were 2 adults in one. But of course we made it. :o)
The swimming pool water was COLD! But the smaller pool at the one end had the hot water I was there for. It felt great. Although since this was it, we wondered why w had paid that much for so little? And while there, we all agreed that had we known it would be like this, we would rather have gone back to the Zschéhenyi Bath at the Pest side.
We didn't stay there for that long. Think we were there only 45 mins, before we said enough is enough. But we decided to see if we could get some foot massage, so after showering and getting dressed, we headed upstairs nd found the Thai Foot Massage. Turns out it was 6500 HUF for 30 minutes each. And being 2+2, we couldn't afford it.
All in all I feel that the building and interior of this Hotel and Spa is awesome... what you get for your money is NOT and quite disapointing.
