Have you heard about all those super-rich couples going on weekend breaks to Bucharest recently? It’s unlikely, which is part of the challenge – yet also an opportunity – facing the just-opened Corinthia Bucharest.
Though locals will tell you life has improved immeasurably since the fall of Communism in 1989, Romania remains one of the EU’s less economically developed countries. In some respects, its tourism industry is also in its infancy; there has been little government investment in marketing the country’s visitor offering and last year Romania received just three million tourists (compared to 39.2 million for Great Britain).
Although, this might nudge up a little soon, after the city became the host of this year’s Travel Network Group Conference in June. And against this backdrop, the Corinthia has two sizeable responsibilities: to meet its objective of being the capital’s leading luxury hotel, and – just as crucially – to convince currently oblivious HNW travellers that they should consider visiting the city.
As far as the first point goes, they’re on track already. On the intersection of the chichi Calea Victoriei and Elisabeta Boulevard, the Corinthia occupies an 1873 Belle Epoque landmark that was Bucharest’s original upmarket hotel. Back in the day it was an 80-room property, though a sweeping renovation has brought this down to just 30 keys.
Strangely, Corinthia’s marketing material states this is an all-suite hotel. In fact, you’ll also find standard rooms within the inventory but, whatever the category they’ve selected, guests can be sure they will be residing within some of the most elegant accommodations in the country.
Etched onto shimmering gold foil in the bedrooms, hand-painted birds nest in bursts of cherry blossom; vivid murals and mountains of flowers decorate the lobby; and on the top floor, a discreet spa and slick gym provide competent wellness facilities. The overall vibe feels fresh but still very fancy.
Fine fare
The hotel’s other calling card is its F&B offering.
Also the setting for breakfast, Boulevard 73 is the fine-dining restaurant. It’s spectacular, and would fit right in at a Parisian Palace hotel or at the likes of the Ritz London. Mammoth crystal chandeliers hang from gilded ceilings and white-tuxed waiters flit between tables.
Fusing Romanian and Portuguese culinary techniques and ingredients, the menu is decadent – think seaweed-infused bread and butter topped with bulbs of caviar and a starter of kefir-infused leeks and fish.
Then there’s the Heritage Bar – a solid spot for cocktails – and Sass’ Restaurant & Lounge, an offshoot of Monaco’s party-minded music and dining venue. With bedrooms upstairs to be mindful of, this Bucharest incarnation is more sedate, with a focus instead on mellow live music performances seven nights a week.
I was entertained by the two young singers who powered through classics like At Last and Careless Whisper and my dinner here was the tastiest I had during my full week in the city.
It might seem an unimaginative dish, but my black cod and miso main was beyond delicious; the pistachio and praline creme brulee was total indulgence. It was just a shame that the overly dramatic lighting – deep, dark reds – stripped each dish of colour and meant I couldn’t really see what I was eating.
The other issue that could compromise elements of a stay at the Corinthia Bucharest is that the hotel at times felt empty, even at 30 keys, and atmosphere was consequently lacking.
Summer, apparently, is low season in Bucharest, providing another incentive to visit, when you consider the unbearable crowds concurrently sweating their way through the sights of Barcelona and Venice. Impressive though the hotel clearly is, Corinthia’s second task – the one of getting wealthy people to visit Romania in the first place – feels like it might take longer to achieve.
Speaking to TTG Luxury, Corinthia Hotels’ chief executive officer, Simon Casson is realistic that “entering a market that’s still developing its luxury narrative comes with challenges”, but they’re ones that also deliver meaningful opportunities.
“At Corinthia, we’re often drawn to destinations that others may underestimate and are excited to navigate the path less trodden. Our decision to open in Bucharest isn’t accidental – it’s a bold, deliberate move rooted in our belief that true hospitality has the power to shape a city as much as it serves it,” he adds.
Surprise city
The current lack of big-spending tourists is more a reflection of Bucharest’s mismanaged branding rather than any glaring shortcoming of the city.
In fact, I was unprepared for just how charming the capital could be. Architecturally, it’s fascinating – a hodgepodge of majestic old-European palaces, Art Nouveau villas, derelict Addams Family-style mansions, formidable Soviet monoliths all mixed in amidst some modern monstrosities.
Just ambling around aimlessly is so rewarding. I felt completely safe at all times and, beyond omnipresent graffiti, the city is calm and clean.
A must-do, the Palace of the Parliament is the city’s dominant landmark in every respect. The world’s third largest building, and so aggressively packed with Romanian marble that it’s slowly sinking, it’s a complicated relic of the dictator Ceausescu’s tyrannical legacy.
Beside the hotel, the pedestrianised Old Town is a pretty jumble of (largely casual and mid-market) bars, restaurants and boutiques. Interspersed throughout the city, leafy parks are packed in summer with couples boating on lakes and families stopping for ice cream.
Though I had high hopes for my stay at the Corinthia, I hadn’t anticipated just how much I’d actually like its home city.
The phrase ‘hidden gem’ is one of the most clichéd in travel writing, but it does feel like the world at large has unfairly overlooked Bucharest. That might present a commercial challenge for the Corinthia’s management team right now, but for travellers who want to be quite a few steps ahead of the crowds – now feels like an ideal time to be suggesting a Romanian holiday.
How to book it
Rooms at Corinthia Bucharest cost from £695.
