Hostel Rev, Lake Balaton
May 25th, 2007
After leaving Budapest we headed to Lake Balaton for a small break relaxing on the sand in a seculded bay. Not the case.
As Sarah and I are budget travellers we booked two nights accomodation at Rev Hostel on the south side of Lake Balaton. The train from Budapest took us to the international station at Sifolk where we changed trains for a short trip to Szántód. From the station we slowly walked the 1300m east to the hostel reviewing the contents of our bags with every step. That night we threw out all our old clothes and other crap to make our backs that little bit lighter and managable. Eventually we arrived at Hostel Rev.
The staff at Hostel Rev where great and helped us out with all our needs. The rooms where clean and shower pressure was excellent! We traveled just before peak season and many of the restaurants and markets where closed.
It is important to note that Hostel Rev is not really a hostel and is more of a hotel. There are no dorms (although prices for private doubles with en suites are great) and there is no public kitchen which means you must dine out (very limited options). There is a fridge you can store a small amount of goods or chill a bottle of wine in the reception if you need too. There is also no washing facilities.
The location is great if you want a couple of lazy days doing nothing. However there is no where to swim close by and there is no way of getting cash out of a bank machine unless you travel across the lake to the other side by ferry. There is a well stocked supermarket a short bike ride away (the hotel has bike hire at 2 florints per hour). You will need to hire a bike to see more of the area and I suggest you try and do a daily deal on bike hire and internet usage. If you are looking for a little more excitement try Siofok (very touristy).
Highlights of our stay at Rev Hostel included: