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The Romanian Athenaeum in its garden

Luxury guide · Bucharest

Luxury Bucharest: Our Favourites

The finest of Bucharest: Belle Époque grand hotels, the best tables in the city, cocktails in a bank vault, Therme’s thermal pools, watchmakers on Calea Victoriei and a box at the Athenaeum.

Luxury feature

Luxury in Bucharest: the return of Little Paris

By the ULTIMATE Bucharest Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

The grand hotels of Calea Victoriei have been restored to their Belle Époque glory, a new generation of chefs has put Bucharest on the food map, and the city’s love of glamour is back.

The Romanian Athenaeum in its garden
The Romanian Athenaeum in its garden
The former Marmorosch Blank bank, now a hotel, on Strada Doamnei
The former Marmorosch Blank bank, now a hotel, on Strada Doamnei
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Grand hotels

The Corinthia Grand Hotel du Boulevard, opened in the 1870s on Calea Victoriei, reopened after a long restoration; the InterContinental Athénée Palace has welcomed society since 1914; and The Marmorosch occupies a magnificent former bank in the Old Town.

Dining

Bucharest’s best chefs cook with Romanian ingredients in creative tasting menus at restaurants such as NOUA and The Artist.

Wellness

Therme București, just north of the city, is one of Europe’s largest thermal wellness centres, with pools, saunas and palm-filled halls.

Our advice: book a concert at the Athenaeum, dinner at one of the city’s best tables, and a cocktail in The Vault, the old bank strongroom of The Marmorosch.

Grand hotels

  1. A 19th-century grand hotel

    Corinthia Grand Hotel du Boulevard

    Calea Victoriei·Luxury hotel·€€€€

    A landmark 19th-century grand hotel on the corner of Calea Victoriei, restored and reopened as the Corinthia.

    Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta 21Explore View on map

  2. Facing the Athenaeum

    InterContinental Athénée Palace Bucharest

    City Centre·Luxury hotel·€€€€

    The legendary Athénée Palace, opened in 1914 beside the Romanian Athenaeum and Revolution Square.

    Strada Episcopiei 1-3Explore View on map

  3. A bank palace reborn

    The Marmorosch Bucharest, Autograph Collection

    Old Town·Design hotel·€€€

    A hotel in the grand former Marmorosch Blank bank, built in the early 20th century, on the edge of the Old Town.

    Strada Doamnei 2-6Explore View on map

  4. Beside the Parliament

    JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel

    Parliament·Luxury hotel·€€€€

    A large luxury hotel beside the Palace of the Parliament, with several restaurants and a spa.

    Calea 13 Septembrie 90Explore View on map

  5. An intimate retreat

    Hotel Epoque

    Dorobanți·Boutique luxury hotel·€€€€

    An intimate boutique hotel on a quiet lane near Dorobanți, with individually designed rooms, a spa and a fine restaurant.

    Intrarea Aurora 17CExplore View on map

Fine dining

  1. Chef Alex Petricean

    NOUA

    Popa Nan·Neo-Romanian tasting menus·€€€€

    Chef Alex Petricean’s neo-Romanian dining room, where forgotten recipes, wild ingredients and small producers become precise, inventive tasting menus.

    Strada Popa Nan 7Explore View on map

  2. A villa on Calea Victoriei

    The Artist

    Calea Victoriei·Creative tasting menus·€€€€

    Creative tasting menus in a 19th-century villa on Calea Victoriei, where Dutch chef Paul Oppenkamp plays with modern techniques and Romanian flavours.

    Calea Victoriei 147Explore View on map

  3. An evening to remember

    Kaiamo

    Dorobanți·Tasting menus·€€€€

    An intimate, dinner-only restaurant with seasonal tasting menus, among the most ambitious tables in the city.

    Strada Ermil Pangratti 30AExplore View on map

  4. Fine dining

    Kané

    Grădina Icoanei·Tasting menus·€€€€

    A modern fine-dining restaurant with tasting menus built on careful sourcing and precise cooking, open in the evenings from Tuesday to Saturday.

    Strada Tunari 60Explore View on map

  5. Chef Joseph Hadad

    Caju by Joseph Hadad

    Cișmigiu·Mediterranean·€€€

    A stylish restaurant by the chef Joseph Hadad, with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours.

    Strada Nicolae Golescu 16Explore View on map

Cocktails & wine

  1. In the old bank vault

    The Vault

    Old Town·Cocktail bar·€€€

    A cocktail bar in the vault of the old Marmorosch Blank bank.

    Strada Doamnei 2-6Explore View on map

  2. In a banking palace

    The Blank Lounge & Bar

    Old Town·Hotel bar·€€€

    The bar of The Marmorosch hotel, in a restored banking palace.

    Strada Doamnei 2-6Explore View on map

  3. A rooftop in the Old Town

    Nomad Skybar

    Old Town·Rooftop bar·€€

    A rooftop bar and restaurant above the Old Town.

    Strada Smârdan 30Explore View on map

  4. Romanian wines

    Abel’s Wine Bar

    University·Wine bar·€€

    A cosy wine bar with a long list of Romanian wines.

    Strada Nicolae Tonitza 10Explore View on map

Wellness

  1. A wellness world

    Therme București

    Balotești·Thermal spa & water park·Ticket

    One of the largest wellness and thermal spa centres in Europe, under glass domes and palms just north of the city.

    Explore View on map

  2. An indoor pool by the Athenaeum

    Athénée Palace Spa

    City Centre·Hotel spa·€€€

    The spa of the InterContinental Athénée Palace, with an indoor pool, jacuzzis, a sauna and steam bath, beside the Romanian Athenaeum.

    Strada Episcopiei 1-3Explore View on map

  3. An intimate spa

    Spa at Hotel Epoque

    Dorobanți·Hotel spa·€€€

    The intimate spa of Hotel Epoque, with an indoor pool, Finnish and wet saunas, a hot tub and massages.

    Intrarea Aurora 17CExplore View on map

Shopping

  1. Luxury on the avenue

    Calea Victoriei boutiques

    Calea Victoriei·Shopping street

    Designer boutiques and watchmakers along Calea Victoriei, near the Athenaeum.

    Explore View on map

  2. Fine watches

    Rattrapante

    Calea Victoriei·Watches

    A boutique of fine Swiss watches on Calea Victoriei.

    Calea Victoriei 83-85Explore View on map

  3. Niche perfume

    Madison Perfumery

    Dorobanți·Niche perfumery

    A niche perfumery in the north of the city.

    Strada George Călinescu 55Explore View on map

An evening of music

  1. The symbol of Bucharest

    Romanian Athenaeum

    City Centre·Concert hall·Ticket

    The domed concert hall of 1888, home of the George Enescu Philharmonic and the heart of Romania’s musical life.

    Strada Benjamin Franklin 1-3Explore View on map

  2. Opera and ballet

    Romanian National Opera

    Cotroceni·Opera house·Ticket

    Bucharest’s opera house, with a full season of opera and ballet, near the Dâmbovița in the west of the centre.

    Bulevardul Mihail Kogălniceanu 70-72Explore View on map

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