Gellert Hotel and Baths Budapest

From the Citadel.

The Szechenyi Baths are big and outdoor spacious. There seemed to be lots of locals there-the peoples baths perhaps. The Gellert is a bit more reserved and austere. If there were locals, I did not hear them conversing. The baths are inside the hotel, and though you can go there without staying at the hotel, I thought most of the people in the baths were probably guests of the hotel, or at least tourists.

I have no photos of the baths themselves. There were universal "no photo" signs, but some people were snapping with small digital cameras. I suppose we could have taken our phone cameras, but who wants to juggle a phone while enjoying the baths. You can Google Gellert Baths Images for photos of the inside. I only put our photos on this blog.

I'll show you the best of the outside and the lobby, which was quite nice. For the baths, just think majolica-mostly blue. There is a large lap pool surrounded by columns and water came flowing out of the mouths of mythical animals, a smaller hot tub-it could probably accomodate 50 people comfortably. We were comfortable there with a group of Argentine teenagers and actually found them less rowdy than the ageing Japanese who joined us later.

In searching for the bathroom, I found the other pools-the really hot ones. Think majolica again. In order to cool off from these really steamy pools, there was a cold plunge very small pool of 6-8C water. I wasn't surprised to find that the woman in there had a Scandinavian accent. I enjoyed cooling my feet for a few seconds. My lungs really liked the hotter tubs, but Marcia found them too hot for her comfort and returned to the big pool.

Just follow the signs. Let's see, do I want to go to the baths or the dentist????

N.B. It isn't so much a Bad Swimming Pool, but German for Bath.

The lobby.

The Gellert goddesses.

The Dome.

From Pest.


The fountain in front of the hotel. Anybody can come get a drink or even fill your water bottle with cold spring water.

The church to the right of the Gellert Hotel is something we will have to visit on another trip. I believe it is the entrance to an underground labrynth of caves.