Great place out of the city center - that is good at bad at the same time. Nice atmosphere, no keys, staff is always helpful. Was staying for 3 nights, the impression is positive. If you are looking for a calm and friendly place out of the center - your perfect choice. Just 15 min by tram to center. Nice dog and cat. Small and cosy place.
Gorgeous hostel with amazing people. A little bit out of the city centre but it's totally worth it for the tranquility and awesome garden. There's a communal kitchen which is great for cooking and meeting other travellers. Something really special about this place - will definitely come back if we're able to visit Budapest again!
Shantee House (previously known as Backpackers Hostel) is a real gem located on a quiet side street, tucked away from the husstle & bustle of the vibrant city of Budapest. Did you know that this was the very 1st hostel opened in Budapest?!
Sipi, the owner of the hostel is truly an extensive World traveller. And Shantee House is the quintessence of all his globetrotting experience!
As you walk in for the first time, you are immediately blown away by the meaningful and colorful interior, and design through the whole building. Just walking through the hostel is a real discovery as every little corner has something to offer to your eyes and your soul.
Guess what! Sipi has dreamt it all, and with his loyal friends, he has built this wonderful sanctuary.
I was lucky enough to stay here for a few months as a long-term tenant. And Shantee's palpable tranquility always managed to sooth my tired senses, arriving back after a long day out in the crowd.
Shantee's Staff is also exceptional: approachable, kind, attentive, and walking the extra mile. They absolutely love what they're doing.
I'll never forget our moments when we all gathered together, and had meaningful discussions, movie nights with guitar music, international dinners, that always led right into the night. But we didn't mind, as we became friends for life! :)
I'll always remember it!
Facilities and "extras":
Shantee has a beautiful garden with a turtle in the pond, just like in a Japanese garden. Beautiful flowers are blooming all over the place right now!
The hostel has a nice reception area, spacious kitchen, a wonderful lounge, and the serene garden where travellers can socialize, read a book, mock with their gadgets.
There is a laundry service in the hostel for a small charge, operated by the Staff.
Free wifi all through the area, even in the garden!
From time to time, Sipi is organizing excursions to the hills nearby where "Zsömi" ( a beautiful Golden Retriever) is leading the pack. :)
Good news for you, cat-lovers! There is also a house cat, called "Shoo-shoo", and she loves to cuddle!
Location: 2 stops away from the big University Campus on the Buda side. Also, there are several buses, and trams are going straight into the heart of the City. It takes about 15-20 mins to get to the vibrant "Jewish Quarter"; Gozsdu Quarter; the great Basilica; all the walking streets among the River Danube; the Opera House; Academy of Music and so on...
I can assure you that members of the Staff will happy to help you choosing your destination of sightseeing.
Credits ;) :
Many thanks to Bori who always had her heartfelt laugh along our chats. She is also a very creative artistic person who leaves her inprint all over the hostel.
Thanks to Zsófi/Sophie for her vivid and caring personality. She is a sweetheart! Thanks to Master Csuti, who always takes the night-shift and guards our dreams with his presence. Hope, your dreadlocks grow back soon! :)
Thanks to TomTom, the Vegan Knight who always had a dish for his friends in the hostel.
Thanks to all the Temps from all over the World, you were loads of fun! :)
Shantee is a mini Universe, dreamt, built and operated in the name of open-mindedness and good intentions.
I can only recommend this wonderful place on Earth!
Shantee house was, for me, a rejuvenating sanctuary. I'd been traveling for months staying in hostels, and finally got to catch my breath here.
We used the kitchen to cook and bought our food just a few blocks away at the grocery store. The dorm on the top floor room was spacious with plenty of light and windows to get fresh air in. The porch and backyard were perfect lounging places, plus the lounge room in the common area (they have tons of movies for you to choose from, and built in sound system). There were yoga mats to borrow and slack-lines to practice on, and hammocks!
Far from the city center, but worth it if you're good with public transportation, or have a few friends to share a cab with at night.
I spent a night there after previously visiting it and (already) falling in love with it. First of all, this house is unlike any other places I've seen. It feels like home from the first minute. Be prepared for a super welcoming colorful embrace, when you enter the door!
They've put incredible care and love into every little detail. It's a must see.. I had my own bathroom and a cute little green room with a big Om picture above the bed, windows looking to the garden.
There's a lovely room downstairs with couches and a great choice of teas, to hang out or even play music, that I especially appreciated as I was able to play my flute there!!
I can't wait to come back and stay in Shantee in the future, and I hope one day it will become a ho/s/tel chain in various countries, so we could find similar lovely islands when not in Budapest, Hungary!
Seems like a wonderful hostel but during Spring, Summer and Autumn when the seasons are much nacer and you can enjoy the garden. I arrived just before Christmas when it was very cold. I ended up switching hostels because of distance and meeting up with friends in the center. Like I said, seems like a nice hostel but the distance really did it for me once I got there.
The best of the house is the garden, so try to go during a time when you can really enjoy it. It's a small relaxed hippy-ish hostel with very helpful staff located in the Buda side of Budapest, which is the more residential part, away from the madness of the center. So if you are looking for a zen stay, this is the place. Paying with cards is an issue so be ready to pay in cash.
Friendliest place we stayed while backpacking Europe. We made good friends in the common areas and received great recommendations from the staff including a restaurant where I had traditional goose, it was the highlight of my trip. I'd love to stay there again! The only downside of our private room is that the shower drained really slowly and was part of the bathroom floor so we always needed our sandals for a couple of hours after showering.
Amazing hostel. Staff is all so generous, kind, and caring. Great, beautiful facilities. Lovely gardens and spots to sit all over the place. Beautiful atmosphere. Communal vibe which rocks. If you have a general idea of public transportation, hopping on the 107 bus, the night bus, or the teams to the city center won't be a pain. Very easy to get access to city center. Lovely people :)
The place was absolutely beautiful, the staff was very friendly and they were not too strict about check out time. There was clear places where people could stay awake so others could sleep well, and all in all the place was extremely good and I will definitely go there again.
