(ROMANIA)
Those were almost three decades that we didn't visit back Romania. Stepping into the leading luxury boutique hotel in Bucharest, according to Tripadvisor, shows how much one of the dullest cities behind the “Wall” resuscitated into what it used to be before the long communist parenthesis: the “Paris of the Balkans”. Good taste, innovation, sophistication, and much class, qualify this refined hotel, recently established into a former caravanserai fallen into disrepair.  Carefully restored by Simona, the charming owner, it has a airy lobby settled in what used to be an open-air courtyard (it is now glass-covered, giving much light to the public areas). Surrounded by the original wooden atrium, it has a unique atmosphere. Modernity, with a touch of tradition, and supreme elegance, made us feel like staying in a mix of intimate guesthouse and art gallery. Should they be modern or antiques, the collection of items displayed everywhere our eyes can see, including paintings by Costin Craioveanu, makes The Mansion looking like everything but a hotel.  Should they be Mansion Deluxe, Superior Mansion Deluxe, or Premium Mansion Deluxe (the higher category), all 19 rooms/suites are totally different. Carefully decorated according to various themes, which can be contemporary, classic, exotic, or eccentric (the Transylvania, Gothic, and Nautic rooms are astonishing!), each room gives the guest the impression that he purchased much more than a hotel room: a dream, somehow. What a great place for a honeymoon, for instance! This is one of the most stunning lodgings in Romania!  We stayed in the spacious Premium Mansion Deluxe “Zen” room. With a hand-carved teak-wood bed, furniture and items referring to the Far East and its culture, and everything we expect to find in a luxury hotel. Large screen Smart TV, a lavish bathroom, and soundproofed windows with a street view. Which we liked a lot, as the hotel is strategically located in the Old City Center.  The Old City Center is a very carefully preserved part of Bucharest, with some buildings dating back from the Turkish era. It still has cobbled streets, absolutely unique attractions. Hanul Lui Manuc, for instance: the oldest coaching inn in the world!. Or Caru Cu Bere: a fantastic beer-hall dating back from the XIXth Century). It has many multi secular Orthodox churches, too.  The Old Historic City Center opens to Calea Victoriei and its pompous palaces inspired by the Parisian architecture, and is not far from the Bulevardul Unirii (an avenue larger than the Champs-Elysées), and the cyclopean Palace of Parliament: the second-largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon. It still has a bit of its village atmosphere; though more and more trendy pubs and cool restaurants make it more and more looking like the Soho or Montmartre of Bucharest. Its beating heart too.  The Mansion operates an Italian trattoria, Il Peccato, where we had a very pleasant breakfast at the terrace, contemplating cool people strolling along the walking street. That's a place which we warmly recommend to those looking for a special notion of comfort and service, with a very authentic Romanian signature. THE MANSION: Strada Franceză Nr. 11, Sector 3, 030102 Bucharest, Romania PHONE/FAX: +40 314 058 111 MOBILE: +40 771 666 111 E-MAIL: welcome@themansionhotel.ro    |
