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Romania's strong suit is not so much in its glittering high-rise hotels, but the more folksy, family-run and historic lodgings. Elegant Black Sea spas' thermal waters and mud baths are still sought out as cures for rheumatism, arthritis, or simply for their regenerative treatments. In Bucharest, you'll find gorgeous historic accommodations to rival any in Europe. But the "most zany" award definitely goes to the Hotel of Ice, high atop the Carpathian Mountains, constructed solely of ice bricks. Guests sleep in ice beds (with mattresses and fur blankets), dine on ice tables, and sip drinks from the ice bar.
This historic property on Piaţa Revoluţiei continues a tradition of hospitality dating to 1914. The upper lobby's marble columns and the ballroom's stained-glass ceiling recapture this earlier era. Guest rooms are bright and attractive, and the staff is young and enthusiastic. The terrace out back makes a great gathering and drinking spot in summer.
Howard Johnson has come a long way. This is arguably Bucharest’s slickest five-star hotel, complete with one of its trendiest sushi bars downstairs. Its amenities set is similar to the Athenee Palace Hilton’s, but this hotel feels sleeker and more in touch with the modern world. The rooms have a similarly minimalist and ultra-stylish feel, playing right into the hotel’s motto: “where the avant-garde checks in at home.”
