Budapest with a 3-month old

[LeahE]

We're planning to go to Budapest for a week in late Apri/early May. Anyone have any advice on baby-friendliness, places to stay, etc.?

I spent a week in Budapest with a 1-yr old which was great, but I was staying with a friend who was working there. Lots of interesting museums and galleries but not terribly child friendly. I used to take the day's milk and food with me already made up (but if you are still fully breastfeeding that would be a lot easier) and also it was Feb so no issue of milk going off. I mostly got around by walking with the pushchair, which I was used to doing, but you could also get around by taxi. We got some disapproval when ds made noises in museums, but no worse than UK really. My friend insisted on a night out with me and we used a babysitting agency which was listed in her guidebook, the babysitters faxed CVs and references over to my friend's office for me to review, I did a telephone interview, and made it clear that there would also be an interview on her arrival and I may decide not to go out. In fact, the babysitter was very competent and we had a good night out. A lovely thing to do with a little one is visit Szecheny Baths but obviously you have to be careful not to stay in the water for long and that the baby does not become too hot/too cold during the visit. There is a very good Zoo and Circus, and also children's science centre, but unless you like it yourself there's no point taking a 3-mth old!

Thanks very much for your advice -- this is just an update for the purposes of the archives if anyone's ever searching...

We booked into the Art'Otel on the Buda side (not to be confused with the Art Hotel on the Pest side) which had very friendly staff. They provided a travelcot but it was one of those big ones so not terribly practical for a 3-month old unless you had extremely long arms or could levitate him, so I was glad we'd brought our own.

I'd strongly suggest a carrier or sling for a baby this age if you're planning to do much sightseeing as there are a LOT of steps on the Buda side and a stroller could become a bit of a handful.

Szecheny baths were great -- we didn't take DS into the water but he had a great time people watching with one of us while the other one was swimming.

Many taxis are scary -- one journey felt like the Knight Bus trip from the third Harry Potter movie. We took our car seat with us.

DS actually did very well walking around -- he'd drop off in the carrier. And I finally mastered the art of breastfeeding discretly on the move so from his point of view he was happy with everything on a plate.

I wouldn't have wanted to go much later in the year as it was already starting to get a bit hot.

Hungarian old ladies feel free to come up to you in the street ans criticise the way your child is dressed (fortunately I'd been warned about that in advance).