Luxury Hotels: The Bucharest from 200 years ago made a grand comeback by regaining one of its most beautiful buildings on Calea Victoriei: the Continental Hotel. After about four years of restoration and modernization, the hotel has just had its official opening end-February 2010, offering luxury, five-star accommodations, in the heart of the city. The historical building - the former Broft Hotel - has required works amounting to approximately 8 million euro in order to regain its second life!

The atmosphere of the 19th century was taken from history, the technology of the 21st century was added, and services were customized, creating a unique and memorable experience for each guest. The Grand Hotel Continental is located on Calea Victoriei, a place that is filled with history, the gathering place of the 1800 aristocracy. The building, erected in 1886 according to the blue prints of architects Enil Ritten Forster and I.I. Rasnovanu, in the German Renaissance style, was initially called the "Otel" and it was built over the former Broft Hotel, belonging to businessman Menahem Elias. Half a century later, it was called Grand Hotel Continental. Famous guests have crossed its threshold throughout time, building the solid reputation it still enjoys today. One of them was active also in the close history of Romania, Mihai I - the former king of Romania at the end of World War II.

The building is now restored, still maintaining its classic structure. In Grand Hotel Continental I rediscover the characteristics of the classic model of luxury in the hotel field. The Continental Hotels Company aims to continue the tradition and maintain the reputation of this building. After the modernization, the hotel now offers 53 rooms, 6 luxury apartments, furnished and decorated in different styles - Renaissance, Baroque, Impero, Louis XV, with furniture and accessories selected from former aristocratic residences and antiques fairs in Italy and from the Dorotheum Auction House in Vienna.

A Jacuzzi spa, massage and sauna rooms, beauty and wellness treatments, fitness and aerobic centre will soon be opened, while the six event rooms, named after famous Romanian painters: Grigorescu, Tonitza, Aman, Petrascu, Luchian, Pallady, have capacity for up to 120 people.

The Concerto "fine dining" luxury restaurant from the ground floor of the hotel has a menu based on the "nouvelle cuisine" concept and a complex wine list, as well as the Victoria Club English bar, and on the inferior level, the Balkan Bistro restaurant, offer a menu with selected dishes from traditional kitchens of countries that are part of the Balkan region: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Turkey and Serbia.

On the day of the grand opening, the president of the company, Radu Enache, has stated that he is counting on a 60% occupancy rate until the end of 2010, and on a 2.6 million euro turnover. Radu Enache has also confirmed that the investment projects of the Continental chain, started in 2008 and ceased in April 2009, respectively the construction of two hotels in Timisoara (West Romania) and another two on the Marasesti Boulevard in Bucharest, will be suspended, due to the economic crisis.
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Radu Enache (right), the President of Continental Hotels and Sorin Oprescu, the General Mayor of Bucharest
Continental Hotel, 100 years ago.

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Gabriel Arsene

Gabriel Arsene is the coordinating editor for an editorial group based in Bucharest, Romania, which publishes lifestyle and tourism magazines, www.bucharestlife.com. As a member of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), World Federation of Journalists and Travel Writers (FIJET) and Board Member of FIJET Romania, Gabriel is usually traveling all over the world, with a presence primarily...(Read More)