Are flights included in the packages?
No, we don't book flights. The reason is that if you book them direct
with the airline then you'll save yourself money (tour operators
do the same and they allegedly charge you +20% for a few minutes
work!). For a guide to the cheapest flights to Budapest, have a
look in the flight
info section
What happens if our group flies in and
out of Budapest at various times?
Our suppliers only organise one airport transfer in each direction
per group. If some members of your group are arriving/departing
at different times, we recommend that you use either the airport
taxi service (that stands directly outside the arrival hall) or
ask us to arrange a taxi for you. The cost of a taxi (up to 4 people)
should be no more than 8000 Ft from the airport to the centre of
Budapest.
Do I need transport from the airport?
There are two terminals at Budapest’s Ferihegy airport (Terminal
2A and 2B), which is 16 km south-east of the capital. MALEV flight
depart from/arrive at terminal 2A, while flights operated by other
airlines do so from/at terminal 2B. Make sure you know which terminal
you are traveling to/from. If you must take a taxi, the fares posted
at the airport are 5000-8000 Ft to Pest/Buda/Buda Hills. The Airport
Minibus Service picks up passengers wherever they’re staying
- hotel, hostel or private home and takes you there from/to the
airport. Free pickup provided. The flat fare is 2100 Ft anywhere
in Budapest. Tickets into the city are available in the airport
arrival halls.
What credit cards do you accept?
We accept all major credit cards, as well as UK/Irish debit cards such as Switch or Delta. From the start of January 2006, we offer online payments through Barclays bank giving you the added security of one of the world's biggest online payment services.
How do I know it's safe to pay online?
We use Barclays to process payments, which is one of the world's largest payment services. Payment information is encrypted on our website and processed by their secure server for maximum security. As an added guarantee, you're also likely to be insured by your card provider against any losses.
How soon after making a reservation
do I have to pay my deposit?
After you make your reservation online, you'll receive a confirmation
of your hotel/activites, and an option deadline on the reservation
(usually it's for around 15-21 days from the date of your reservation).
If you are happy with your offer, you can go ahead and pay your
deposit during this time to confirm your booking. If you don't have
your deposit ready in time, then you can ask for an extension to
your option and we will try to arrange it (though we can't guarantee
that this will possible in peak seasons).
How much deposit do I have to
pay?
To confirm your reservation, you have to pay 25% of the
total price of your holiday as a deposit. You can pay the balance,
or any part of the balance, anytime before arrival, or when you
are met by your group's Rep.
What happens if we cancel after
paying our deposit?
The deposit you pay is transferred to your suppliers and if you
cancel they will keep it as their cancellation fee. If you cancel
within 3 days of arrival, the full cost of your holiday is payable
as a cancellation fee. For more details, please refer to our terms
and conditions.
How long does it take to clear
my payment?
If you want to pay by credit card, then please login to your booking
form and you’ll find the instructions and link to pay there. Your payment will clear instantaneously and we will normally update your account and issue your holiday voucher within 48 hours. Payment by bank transfer to our accounts at Barclays Bank in the U.K. is easier for larger sums. Bank transfers clear in 1 to 3 working days, depending on the transfer method chosen.
What happens if I need to amend
our reservation?
Anytime before you come, you can amend your group numbers, dates
etc. (and 99% of the time we will get any extra people in the same
hotel as you). There is no admin. charge for amendments.
Do I have any financial protection?
Monies paid to us are held in a separate account until after your
booked event, in to be in accordance with the UK Package Holidays
and Tour Regulations 1992, which provides you with financial security
in the unlikely event of our insolvency. And all our holidays include
free 'Travel Protection Insurance' up to GBP 11,000 per person (or
currency equivalent) in the event that we or any of our suppliers
are unable to fulfil our obligations.
Can I pay for my holiday over
the phone?
Yes, you can call the account manager you've been allocated and they can process your credit card details for you.
Can I just book activities with
you instead of a whole package?
Yes, you can still book activities with us even if you booked all
other arrangements through another travel agent. In this case though,
the prices of the activities are higher.
Are the activities held at fixed
times?
No, they can be at anytime that suits you. When you book the activities,
the reservation form will ask you to let us know when you'd like
to do each activity - and we'll fix it up as close as we can!
Can you send me a brochure?
No, we don't send out brochures anymore because of the high cost.
The money we've saved has been put into having this website made
instead!
Is holiday insurance included?
We offer insurance cover, but you are still recommended to take additional travel insurance.
This is the cover you get from us:
1. All our holidays include free 'Travel Protection Insurance' up to GBP 11,000 per person (or currency equivalent) in the event that we or any of our suppliers are unable to fulfil our obligations.
2. We ensure that all our suppliers have accident insurance, as required by local laws, to cover costs incurred in case of negligence.
3. We assist all EU citizens in receiving free basic health care in Hungary. If you have private health insurance rather than state health insurance, then you must check their terms to see if you are covered. From 1 January 2006 you will need to bring a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) instead of an E111 form to receive this cover. Apply online at www.dh.gov.uk/travellers and you should receive the form in 7 days.
What is not covered:
1. Compensation above the cost of health care [eg. loss of earnings for time off work or repatriation costs] is low by Western European standards and we recommend that you contact a reputable insurance agent in your country to discuss the risk and costs involved with insurance against these costs.
2. Compensation if you can’t make it because of illness and have to cancel your holiday. If you want to get cover for this, then first look to your credit card terms because they often cover this, or if not then search on the internet and you’ll find lots of cheap options to cover this.
Are your holidays covered by ATOL
or ABTA?
Some companies display an ATOL membership symbol but primarily only
sell holidays without flights. We believe that this is deliberately
misleading customers. ATOL protection only covers you if you buy
flights as part of your package - and since we don't sell flights
an ATOL membership would not give you any protection. However, we
do follow the practice and guidelines for ABTA members, in particular
by offering free 'Travel Protection Insurance' up to GBP 11,000
per person (or currency equivalent) in the event that we or any
of our suppliers are unable to fulfil our obligations. Finally,
all our suppliers are vetted to ensure that they have their own
insurance, legal certificates and local approvals as appropriate.
Will you tell us which hotel we'll
be staying in before we pay our deposit?
Yes. We have a large pool of party-friendly hotels (that all have
been vetted by us) and when you make an online reservation, we send
your details out to all of them. After we have collected some offers,
we reserve rooms for your group at the best available hotel.. You'll
then receive a confirmation with all the details of your hotel (including
photos, rooming and location but not the name) and you'll get an
option deadline (approx. 15 days or more from the date of your reservation)
to pay your deposit and confirm your booking, or if you don't want
to go ahead then you can cancel your reservation with no-obligation.
Once you pay your deposit, we'll also give you the name, address
and telephone number of the hotel.
What is the normal rooming with
package holidays?
Some travel companies cut corners by putting three or four of you in a room - but where possible we will put you in twin rooms. In certain situations,
you may be put in triples if there is a better hotel available with
these type of rooms free. It's also possible to request single rooms,
if for example you have smelly feet, but there a supplemental charge of 35% added to the price for this. You'll be told your rooming before you have to pay anything.
Will I have to pay a bond to
the hotel on arrival?
It's normal practice for the hotels to require bonds against damages
when they receive large groups, and there unfortunately have been
incidents where unscrupulous hotel managers have used various excuses
to keep these bonds as an extra 'tax'. However, all our 3-5 star hotels have
contracts with us where we pay them a bond and so you won't be asked
to make any extra payment. For 1-star hostels, you will usually have to leave a key deposit of around the equivalent of EUR 5.
What's the best way to get local
currency?
We recommend you bring a small amount of Hungarian money for your
first night and then use ATM machines for what you need (95% of foreign cards work in Hungarian ATM machines). Taking money from cash tills as you need
it also helps avoid the chances of being left with a lot of unspent
money at the end of the weekend. There are lots of them in the
city centre and they take Visa, Mastercard, Cirrus and Plus cards. ATMs in Budapest also give a better rate than changing money at home. We can take you to an exchange place for better rate, but it's not open evenings. Read
more about money and get the latest exchange rates here. Please
avoid travellers cheques. They are almost impossible to change at
the weekend!
How much should I budget for a
holiday?
Asking previous customers they are spending anywhere between GBP
200-750 for their weekend. It realy does depend on how much you
like FULL CONTACT Lap dancing!
A lot of the essentials in life are very cheap in Budapest: generally
about 40% less than Western Europe and 25% less than the USA. For
example, if you convert prices to UK pounds:
1. Average pint costs GBP 1.50. Strip bars GBP 4.75, small old hungarian
bars, 80p.
2. A steak dinner in an average place will cost you GBP 7 approx.
3. If you use the taxis we advice they average GBP 4 a journey.
If you dont they can cost GBP 15 and up!
There are lots of cash tills in the centre that take international
bank cards so it's no problem to use these if you blow your wad
on lapdancers.
What is the dress code in clubs?
There’s no real dress codes in Budapest clubs and bars so
anything is acceptable. However, we recommend that lads from Britain
don’t wear football shirts or tour shirts because bouncers
assume football fans are trouble. For the same reason, it’s
also best to split into smaller groups of 4 or 5 and go in separately.
It's better to wear shirts than T-shirts and jeans, but some places
have a problem with trainers.
Do you cater for groups from Ireland
or other countries?
No problem, we've had groups from Norway, Germany, Belgium, Australia,
USA and lots of other countries. You can pay in either Euros or
US Dollars as well as UK pounds.
Where can I find out about Passport
and Visa requirements?
You should always check with your airline about Visa requirements.
Most tourists don't need a VISA to visit Hungary, and after 1 May
2004 it will be part of the European Union and subject to the same
rules as other EU countries. However, there are rules about the
validity of your passport, especially the length of time that it
is still valid. We recommend you ask your airline for more details.
Some other tips for a night out?
Are the Budapest women choosy about who they talk too? (ie.
Will you get a sniff at talking to girls?)
They can be. They do NOT like loud lad behaviour. It can be easier
in some bars than others.
What is good lager to drink?
Dreher is the best local stuff. Available most bars.
Are kebab vans open after night clubs close?
Kebab vans? You are coming to Budapest not Blackpool!!! There are
places to get food late.
Plenty of lap dancing venues?
No, not all are safe. There are two guaranteed safe ones!! One is
included in your bar guide.
What's the cost of a lap dance? (touchy touchy - or strictly
looky looky?)
Pretty much all dances are touching. GBP 30 a time.
What? Can a lap dance be more than just looky looky?
Yes. Always.
|
