Where To Stay in Bucharest – A Guide to Hotels from the Old Town to the North

Last Updated on July 22, 2024

Bucharest is divided into six areas numbered from 1 to 6 (Sector 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6), each of them consisting from different neighborhoods (Cartiere).

Choosing where to stay in Bucharest is a matter of researching of the best areas and neighborhoods and picking the safest one that matches your specific needs and interests.

Most travelers who visit Bucharest for the first time tend to stay in the Old Town (belonging to Sector 3).

Many long-term visitors and expats prefer the north areas such as Piata Victoriei, Floreasca, Dorobanti, Herastrau, Pipera, Baneasa, and Aviatiei.

What Are the Best Areas to Stay in Bucharest?

First timers have a strong preference for the hotels in the Old Town. I can understand them, but I’d like to suggest other areas to stay in Bucharest even if this is your first time here and you want to be close to all attractions, museums and good restaurants.

Many of the best attractions are outside the Old Town.

You can stay in the north of Bucharest and still have access to entertainment, fine dining and cultural events.

Here are some of the best areas in Bucharest and a few hotels and apartments in each of these areas.

The Old Town (Centrul Vechi, Centrul Istoric) – Unirii – Universitate

The Old Town is in Sector 3. You can reach it by Metro, either from Unirii or Universitate stations.

Romanians call the Old Town Centrul Vechi (The Old Center). The official name you’ll find on all street signs, though, is Centrul Istoric (The Historical Center).

You can find accommodation right inside this area, in all price categories.

Special mention: I live in Bucharest, so I don’t need accommodation in this city. My considerations and recommendations of places to stay in Bucharest are based on the opinions of my friends who have used these hotels, hostels or apartments.

I provide hotel review services on request (fees to be discussed). All resulting articles will be clearly labeled as such. Rest assured that, in the event of a sponsorship, the opinions will be all mine.

Hotel Recommendations in the Old Town of Bucharest

Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest

Conveniently located in the Old Town, just by the Central Bank of Romania, Hilton Garden Inn provides comfort, cleanliness and excellent customer services.

The hotel is within walking distance from Universitate, being therefore a good place to stay if you want to explore Bucharest.

There’s free wi-fi everywhere inside the hotel. The room rates include breakfast.

The downside of Hilton Garden Inn is the lack of private parking space. There is an underground parking nearby the hotel, Interparking, where the guests of Hilton Garden Inn can park their cars for about $10 US per day.

This is one of the newest hotels in Bucharest, so the interior décor and the bathrooms have a modern design. Apparently, the breakfast is very good. This is a 4-star hotel.

Rates (one room for two persons): $70 –  $110 (depending on the season)

Click here to see the rooms and the latest prices.

Moxy Bucharest Old Town

Moxy is one of the newest hotels in Bucharest. Even though the building is old, the hotel has opened in 2019, just before the events that sent us into our homes for the whole 2020.

Located on Doamnei Street, just a few meters away from the Old Town, Moxy isn’t a hotel with a view. There’s nothing spectacular about this street. The biggest advantage of choosing this hotel for your stay in Bucharest is that you’ll be within walking distance from the Old Town, Universitate and Unirii Square. Stavropoleos Church, Revolution Square, The Romanian Athenaeum, The Jewish Neighborhood and The Armenian Neighborhood are only a short walk away.

Rates (one room for two persons): $40 –  $90 (depending on the season and on the room type)

Click here to see the rooms and the latest prices.

Piața Revoluției – Piața Amzei – Piața Romană – Cișmigiu

This area has emerged as one of the fanciest in Bucharest. Many young people gather every evening on Calea Victoriei (next to Piața Amzei) to buy an ice cream at Velocita or at Gelateria la Romana, the newest gelato venues in the city.

Beautifully dressed and smiling, these people do the line for 30 minutes to one hour, just to get a colorful gelato scoop.

Hotel Recommendations in Piața Revoluției – Piața Amzei – Piața Romană – Cișmigiu

Radisson Blu Hotel Bucharest

This is the only hotel in Bucharest with an outdoor swimming pool. It is also home to World Class Health Academy, a modern gym that offers lots of classes of Pilates, yoga and other fancy sports I don’t even know the names of. If your daily workout routine and swimming sessions are important to you, this hotel will suit you like a glove.

This five-star hotel is very close to the historic area of Bucharest, two Metro stations (Universitate and Piața Romană), Piața Revoluției, The National Art Museum and Park Cișmigiu.

The Radisson Blu hotel has private parking, available only with prior reservation. It costs extra $35 US per day.

Rates (one room for two persons): $90 –  $750 per night (depending on the season and on the room type)

Click here to see the rooms and the latest prices.

Intercontinental (Athenee Palace)

Opened in 1914, Athenee Palace Bucharest is one of the first luxury hotels in Europe. The hotel has recently changed its name to Intercontinental.

Initially built in the Art Nouveau style, the hotel was damaged once during World War II and once during the 1989 Romanian Revolution.

Apparently, before WWII the hotel was the favorite meeting place of spies, political conspirators and all sorts of adventurers. During communist times, the hotel belonged to the communist government. The General Manager was an undercover Securitate colonel. Many guests and free-speaking Romanian intellectuals had been planted in this hotel (source: Wikipedia).

The Intercontinental hotel has four restaurants, a business center, and a fitness center and health club with indoor swimming pool, dry and wet saunas, a hot tub and massage services.

Rates (one room for two persons): $90 –  $1,000 per night (depending on the season and on the room type). If you don’t want to sleep in the Presidential Suite, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy this hotel for a very reasonable rate all year round.

Click here to see the rooms and the latest prices.

Grand Hotel Continental

Grand Hotel Continental is one of the most beautiful 5-star hotels in Bucharest. Centrally located on Calea Victoriei, very close to the Romanian Atheneum, this hotel is the perfect choice of those who want to explore Bucharest by foot.

Grand Hotel Continental counts 53 rooms and six apartments decorated in different styles. It has two restaurants and a summer terrace with a few tables right on Calea Victoriei, .

Rates (one room for two persons): $90 –  $250 per night (depending on the season and on the room type).

Click here to see the rooms and the latest prices.

Dacia Boulevard – Grădina Icoanei – Ioanid Park

Dacia is one of the most representative streets of Bucharest, with impressive buildings dating from before the communist period. Even though the traffic can get quite intense at rush hours, Dacia is perfect for long walks.

Grădina Icoanei and Ioanid Park are two tiny green gardens where people bring their children to play or come to sit on the wooden benches.

This area of Bucharest is filled with history and it can make a great base camp for your urban explorations.

Accommodation Options Close to Dacia Boulevard – Grădina Icoanei – Ioanid Park Area

The below recommendations are based on the property ratings and reviews on Booking.com. They are either small boutique hotels or apartments. If you prefer a big hotel, you can take a look at Hotel Lido by Phoenicia, which is located on General Magheru Boulevard, less than 1km away from Grădina Icoanei.

Recently renovated, Hotel Lido is in a historical building built in 1930 by a famous architect, Ernest Doneaud. The hotel is great, but Magheru Boulevard is too noisy for my taste. Also, at rush hours it tends to get very busy. If you don’t mind that, you’ll be happy with your stay, though.

Here’s a map of this area of Bucharest with all hotels and apartments. I encourage you to use the map to find the best place to stay in Bucharest. Even if you don’t book it on Booking.com, you’ll still gain a better understanding of the available accommodation options.

Booking.com


Grădina Icoanei and Ioanid Park are two small and very cute gardens where you can take some very nice photos and spend a few moments watching passers by and pigeons.

Floreasca – Dorobanți – Capitale

Floreasca and Dorobanti are two posh areas of Bucharest. In Floreasca, there are many small streets with beautiful houses, as well as some of the trendiest coffee shops, clubs and restaurants in Bucharest. The so-called capitale (Capitals) area consists from a bunch of streets bearing names of capital cities worldwide. You’ll find Paris, Rome, London, and many other such names. This is a very beautiful walking area, particularly during spring and fall, when trees are full of colors.

Herăstrău – Șoseaua Nordului – Pipera

Many expats in Bucharest choose this area to live. That’s for some good reasons; the American School is here, the headquarters of giant corporations are here, and also Herăstrău Park (recently renamed as Regele Mihai I) is here.

You’ll find some boutique hotels and apartments in this area by taking a look at the above map embedded from Booking.com.

Nevertheless, if you only come to Bucharest as tourist, you’d be better off with accommodation in the city center, with faster access to all areas and public transport options.