Warning :The new name of the infamous Galaxia Bar is the Belvarosi etterem (restaurant)
Located up from the La Pizza (Szervita ter).
Near to Cigar Tower and on the same stretch of road as United Colours of Benetton
Address is : 1052 Budapest Vienna Street. OTP bank opposite side of road corner.
When you are happily walking around this wonderful city as I found mainly around the Vaci utca area, girls would approach (normally in two's one blond and one black hair) you and speak in Hungarian (I guess they are asking do you speak English) your obviously response would normally be sorry ... I do not understand , then they would say do you speak English then they would ask if you know where .... is , you may not or they would ask if you have a map (just to keep you talking and find more information out about you) then they would say we are going for a drink would you like to join us. They seem helpful and friendly and you feel that there should be no problem going for a quick drink with them.
Another way is they ask you where such a place is , and get you talking , where you are from do you like Hungary etc.
Do not go with them for a drink as they will take you to one of the expensive bars as shown in the pictures and videos within this blog.
You will find one of the girls will be a lot more vocal than the other one , the other one will be more friendly and ask you more about yourself.
Basically the girls work for the Bar and will order many drinks and continue to have a laugh with you and find out more about you. They in my situation order food which when you look at the menu the prices seem reasonable so you think the prices for the drinks should also be. But they are well over priced and when you get the final bid, so called waitress(scam member) they ask how you pay the bill, when it comes the girls pass the bill to you and you are expected to pay it rather then splitting the bill, the so called waitress suggests if you do not have enough money then you can be escorted to the nearby cash machine to withdraw the necessary payment, you will find out that the girls will have hardly have any money on them to help to pay for the bill. If you suggest the POLICE they say you will get a charge for calling them out and could double your bill. THIS is a lie as I asked them no charge for calling the Police out.
If you have bank withdrawal limit on your card they ask if you could get your passport and go to a local exchange kiosk (they will sometimes give you a terrible rate of exchange so check) that's if you are going to continue with the payment. BUT don't as I mention the prices are terrible within the bar , I suggest Call the Police out.
Bill shock -
In my case I got off lightly the bill was for 205250 HUF. (ROUGHLY ABOUT £600) I did NOT pay this.
I had heard from the girl on reception from my Hotel that another guess in my hotel had previously been scammed/ripped off for £1000 , and had got very drunk as they order/ supply the strong drinks and drink them quick. I did speak with him he was from the Czech Republic and this totally spoiled the rest of his holidays.
They only have a price list shown on the window not in the actual building if you knew the price you would NOT pay it.
I would of thought that the girls , get free drinks (as you would be paying for them) and may get a cut of the profits when you have attempted to pay the bill or at least paid some of it.
They will take you to a near ATM machine shown here.
Having read the Internet now , this scam/rip off as been going on for years. see here google results.
I wouldn't of known about this if the girl on reception from my hotel showed me this blog that had been written about this issue.Namely :http://belvaros.blogspot.com/2010/07/galaxia-bar-atvedlese-hienabol.html
I have also got hold of a email address for the local police based near to the Palace.
email : 05rk@budapest.police.hu
This is destroying the tourism of Budapest/ Hungary if this type of scam is to continue. These bars need to be closed down and large fines given to the Bar owners.
Click picture to Enlarge.
we went to budapest for the formula 1 race. The night before we were walking in the Vaci street when an old lady and a young cute girl approach us asking for a cigarette. We offer them one and they were asking what are doing tonight. Nothing special than visiting the town. Why dont we go in a bar proposed the old lady (about 50 years old).
ReplyDeleteI was warned several times about scammers, but how can we imagine such old lady and the young one can be scammers? They lied that they came in Buda for a congress of Make up...
They take us the Ice Cube Bar (not the real one...),15 meter from Burger King and we start to have a drink. Feeling that it was a trap i asked for the bill for the 1st round. The waitress just said, dont worry you pay only you finished....The minutes spent and the ladies ordered more and more...Finally we fade up and ask for the bill...which was 225 000 HUF. We havent that cash..and hopefully...there were a cash machine inside this bar, what a coincidence...We were upset and ask the ladies to go out, but being drunk (us and ladies as well) ladies order a last coffee that we cannot refuse...the bill for coffee comes...225000 HUF..unbelievable i refuse to pay, how come coffee can be so expensive...they justify that coffee came with cognac inside, and a small cup of cognac cost 60000 HUF....it was our nightmare night!!! We lost, me and my friend 850 euro each!!!
You are warned guys, every thing is organised with every single detail studied to get you in the trap, even the cash machine inside the bar!!! Avoid Vaci streets bar, and any girls that come to you....a real hungarian girl, you have to make the first step, the rest is scammers
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ReplyDeleteThey DEFINITELY received a cut of the bill, not maybe :(
ReplyDeleteI experienced some thing similar ... except it was an ugly girl (one of them) such a scam Ugly Girl as Bait Confounds Travel-Pro- How to Avoid Scams in Budapest
here is the story and tips on how to avoid! Hope it helps!
Great article, thanks for the tips! With the lively capital of Budapest covered in vibrant bars, traditional bathhouses, and ornate architecture, and the natural splendour of the Danube River and Lake Balaton, Hungary is a joy to visit. However, there are tourist targeted scams to be aware of here http://travelscams.org/europe/common-tourist-scams-hungary/
ReplyDeleteDo be wary of drink spiking, extortionate bar bills, tourist menu scams, pickpocketing, fake merchandise, three shell game scam, snatch theft, rogue taxis, rosemary scam and many more!