INTERCONTINENTAL
BUCHAREST
The Intercontinental Bucharest is one of those hotels
that just hits you with the WOW! factor immediately you enter the
lobby. A luxurious twenty storey five star hotel situated in the
heart of Romania's capital city. There is nothing to dislike about
this hotel, and everything to love.
This was not my first visit to the Intercontinental
Bucharest, I had enjoyed a wonderful three night stay here in
November 2016. So taken was I with the sheer splendour of the hotel,
and the fantastic service offered by its staff, I just had to make a
return visit.
Built in 1971, the Intercontinental was the first five
star hotel in Bucharest, and remains one of the finest, as well as
tallest hotels in the city. The hotel boasts a total of 257 rooms,
ranging in style and price to suit all budgets. There are two
restaurants within the hotel, as well as a casino on the ground
floor, and a wonderful health club on the twenty second floor
offering fantastic panoramic
views over the city. There is also a business centre
featuring two computers for guests to use, a gift shop, and Avis car
rental centre.
With ample car parking available including valet
parking, accessibility is no problem. Once safely parked, there is
little reason for using your car within the city as the hotel is so
well positioned for visiting the old town, the Palace of the
Parliament, Herastrau Park, and all the wonderful museums and
historic places that Bucharest, once known as 'Little Paris' due to
its magnificent Boulevards, has to offer.
On this trip, again a three night weekend stay, I
arrived mid afternoon, following a Ryanair flight from Stansted
airport. Flight time from the UK is approximately three to four hours
and Romania is two hours ahead of Greenwich Meantime. As I walked
through the revolving doors and entered the ornate lobby, I felt like
I was coming home. Very few hotels have ever given me that feeling,
most have simply been a place to lay my head, but the
Intercontinental Bucharest is one that I feel a particular connection
to. Check-in went very smoothly, professionally carried out by the
reception staff, and I was soon making my way to my deluxe room on
the eight floor.
All rooms feature a balcony with views of the city. I
spent some very enjoyable moments on my last visit just gazing out
onto the busy city streets below, and
taking advantage of the fantastic photo opportunities. All
guest rooms have a private bathroom, featuring a bath with shower
over and complimentary toiletries. My deluxe room also featured
complimentary slippers and bathrobe, complimentary fruit and water,
and a most welcome coffee machine.
The room was comfortably furnished with a large, very
comfortable bed, coffee table with two easy chairs, dressing table,
wardrobe, and bedside cabinets. There was also an iron and ironing
board which came in very useful.
Breakfast is served in the Corso restaurant, which
is situated on the ground floor, from 06:30am to 09:30am
Monday to Friday, and 07:00am to 10am at
weekends. This is also the restaurant where a very sumptuous
brunch is served on Sundays. Dinner is served from 6pm to 9:30pm
Monday to Saturday, and 6pm to 9pm on Sundays. Breakfast was a
delicious, ample selection of
hot and cold dishes, including cereals, fruit,
yogurts, meats, fish, cheeses etc. There was also
a section where a tempting
selection of egg dishes, including a wide variety of
omelettes, could be ordered, and another manned section where all
manner of coffees where on offer. Tastefully
decorated and with seating for 95 guests, Corso Brasserie is also the
perfect place to enjoy a superb lunch.
The second restaurant within the hotel is the Italian
styled Modigliani Restaurant. This very nice restaurant can be found
on the ground floor, adjacent
to the welcoming and very relaxed
bar area. Open for dinner only from 6pm to 11.30pm, this
restaurant serves a comprehensive selection of Italian dishes, at a
very reasonable price. It was very quiet on the evening my companion
and I dined here, however, the service we received and the quality of
the food, presented so enticingly on
our plates, was
second to none. The room was elegantly furnished with a large glass
chandelier dominating the centre of the ceiling, and some unique
portrait paintings featured
on one wall. A grand piano sat proudly at one end of the room just
waiting to be played, but unfortunately,
on this occasion it wasn't. However,
we did benefit from some most enjoyable, soothing background music
whilst we dined. I opted for an exceptionally tasty Seafood Chowder
to start, whilst my dining companion chose a Mushroom and Black
Truffle soup. It was the wonderfully tasty Mediterranean Salmon that
caught my eye for the main course, and my companion went for the
equally delicious Tuna dish. We
had just enough room to
savour the delights of the dessert tray, a Mint and Chocolate dessert
and a luscious Lemon Tart. Finishing the meal with the last drops of
our Romanian Chardonnay, my companion and I retired to the comfort of
our hotel room prior to yet another most comfortable nights sleep.
In order to work off some of the excesses of my stay at the Intercontinental Bucharest, I spent sometime in the well equipped Spa. Situated on the 22nd floor, the Spa affords fantastic views over the city, guests have access out to a terrace where they can gaze down onto the busy, bustling street life below. Along with a very good sized swimming pool, there is also a hot tub, steam room and two saunas. Opposite the gym area is a drinks bar where guests can receive complimentary cold drinks, there are also a number of loungers for guests to relax on. Male and Female changing rooms feature lockers to stow away your clothes and valuables, and there are showers available, towels are also provided.
With a number of very spacious conference and meeting
rooms, the Intercontinental Bucharest is ideal for business
meetings, weddings, or private functions. There is a club lounge
on the 21st floor where club members can relax and indulge
in complimentary food and drink, breakfast can also be taken here.
Spacious and comfortably
furnished, and with its own business centre, the Club Lounge also
offers some impressive views
of the city.
With some spectacular
panoramic city views captured on my camera, now safely stowed away in
my luggage, it was time
to leave for the airport. Check out was as efficient,
friendly and professional
as check in had been 3 days earlier, and as I passed through
the beautiful foyer with its cascading water feature and stunning,
beautifully scented fresh floral displays, I was sure that it
would not be long before I would once again return to this rather
special hotel, the Intercontinental is certainly a jewel in the crown of Bucharest!
The full hotel address is: 4 Bulevardul Nicolae Balcescu
010051 Bucharest
For further details please visit: www.ihg.com
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