stimpy

I posted in the RA thread but I had a very nice week long stay here for about €99 per night recently. I (RA) got a large suite and was able to negotiate Club access too. This is probably the cheapest IC in any EU capital city and the town is a lot of fun in the summer. ^

LTN Phobia

Negotiate for club access? I have always been automatically offered a suite and the club access there.

stimpy

When booking the lowest level room? When was your last stay? Maybe policy has changed.

LTN Phobia

The last one wasn't that long ago, and I'm pretty sure it was the lowest level room.

Maybe it was because we were returning guests and also because the hotel was quiet.

I guess we'll test it out in a couple of months.

nicolas75

The same here

IAN-UK

I think it's a returning guest thing. I'm in BUH three or four times a year, since some time before the new club lounge opened.

For a glorious period during the renovation the main bar was the ersatz club lounge, RA's got their bar tabs zeroed out for food and drink. It made RA's very popular companions in the bar

After the opening of the smart new facility they were trying to recoup some of the investment cost by promoting it for outside activities - and were perhaps over-cautious, protecting its capacity, and limiting RA access.

stimpy

Weird. They told me I had free access because it was my first visit there. But not to expect it every time. Sort of the same thing I heard in Warsaw.

WilcoRoger

As RA I always got suite + club, even when booked cheapest room.

I really like their club, they even have free meeting room(s?) - they also allow at least one guest, I had quite a few breakfast or happy-hour meetings there. Also the staff really aims to please ^

IAN-UK

Well, the one thing you can depend on in this programme is its inconsistency Telling you not to expect this high standard of treatment on subsequent visits isn't the best way to win repeat business.

But, who knows? Perhaps they were playing a more subtle game - confident of the lounge knocking your socks off on the first visit, and generating subsequent bookings at club-level to secure access.


One thing you CAN expect - if you post on here that you didn't get lounge access at a certain hotel, there'll be a slew of folk telling you how they always get access, often carried twixt room and lounge by sedan chair ...

zpoppy

I've had an email stating special price of 35 euro

travelkid

Thats what they quoted me as well.

scubaccr

IC Bucharest

status level ?
Royal Ambassador

Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay?
Yes, very satisfied on first visit to Bucharest.

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
o Booked corpoare rate, base 'Superior' room
Corporate Rate includes a)Internet b)Breakfast c)Upgrade if rooms available
BONUS for Feb2013, March2013 also included free Lounge access.
o As RA given one of the 60 Junior Suites. (I think only one full suite this hotel )
J/Suite bigger than some '1 bed Suites' I have been given in past at other IC's
Had to remind reception that my rate included Lounge, as Lounge no longer given free to RA's at IC Bucharest

How are the rooms?
o Junior Suite bigger than some '1 bed Suites' I have been given in past at other IC's
o Two separate rooms with double width split door between rooms. Corridor access to/fromboth rooms.
(I think designed so the hotel can lock dividing doors, add a bed instead of sofa to have 2x bedrooms to sell )
o Bedroom = King bed, 2x arm chairs, small table, Wardrobes and safe, minibar, 22inch tube TV in bedroom
Bedroom Bathroom = Sink, Toilet, Bidet and Jacuzzi bath.
o Living Room = Double Sofa, 1x Armchair, workdesk/chair, coffee table, 2nd minibar, (+ coffee facilities)
Living room bathroom = Sink, Toilet, Shower cubicle
o Large double balcony outside, no exiting scenary views though.

How is the exec. lounge?
o 21st Floor, Large room, casual sitting area, dning table area, library area
o good breakfast, chef to cook eggs to order
o evening snack meals good, if take multiple portions you could if pushed manage without restaurant meal
o good evening drinks choice, I think 1800-2230 when Lounge closes

NOTE:- Reception mentioned that with Lounge access, you can take breakfast in restaurant.
More breakfast choices in Corsa restraurant, than Lounge.

Did you receive a welcome gift?
Fruit basket 4 pieces, bread/snacks, 75cl bottle romanian wine, 1x Water, 2" handpainted jug

How was the minibar?
(Junior Suite = 2x Minibars eactly the same)
2x Beers, 1/4 btl white wine
3x Colas. 1x Sprite, 1x Fanta
7x Waters, 2xOrange Juice, 2x Iced Tea, 2 Red Bull
2x Absolut Vodka, 2x Chivas Regal 12yr, 2x 50% proof Romanian Plum Brandy
2x Choc bars
++ in assocated minibar cupboard unit
1/4 bottle red wine, small pringles, salted nuts

What was good and what was bad?
-Good
o All RA benefits on paid stay
(no free lounge for RA's anymore, but my corporate rate included Lounge, else Lounge only minimal 50% discounted 20euros)
o Attentive abd good staff everywhere, Reception/Bar/Restaurant/Lounge
o 35euro Mercedes to/from OTP airport and IC. (I think Taxi if not ripped off is about 10euro)
o Location for weekend nightlife, bars, clubs, as old town 100m away diagonally under the roundabout.
o Lounge, lounge Food and Drink, Restaurant Breakfast
o Early checkin,late checkout
o Gym on 22nd floor (also small pool, I not used )
o Meal prices are Eastern rather than Western European prices. Nice change from eg London, Paris meal costs.
-Bad = Nitpicking
o No UK TV stations for me
o small Tube TV's

Value for $ or Priority Club Points?
Yes at corporate rate, even good at adv rates, hotel would be waste of 25K points as cash rate cheap (nb 30K points before Jan 2013)
AND Lounge cost previously mis-reported. 50% discount for RA's only 20Euro (not 39 euro) per room per night

Would you return?.
Yes rebooked already.

travelisfree

Must be old policy, am in Bucharest now and was told that they do not upgrade anyone (including RA's) to Club without pay. Offered it to me for 40 Euros. I politely declined. I gather food is cheap hear anyways.

scubaccr

Yes 40euro for 2013, (but just 20euro to RA's). Kind of worth it, as as well as lounge breakfast, allows restaurant breakfast too, especially if two in the room. One of the better european lounges, very good drinks every evening, and some nice hot food too.

I was lucky my March stay, company rate included Lounge as a bonus for 2 calendar months. Alas free lounge company rate was not repeated, I checked a few times, so have to pay for lounge for now, including this August's visit.

travelisfree

This is odd. I'm an RA and he knew that (is the Ambassador check-in desk-guy). He told me 40 Euro. Then he sales pitched me on how good of a deal it would be as breakfast is 25 per person! So I'd be saving 10 Euro and getting drinks. Didn't have the heart to tell him that I'm not spending 50 Euro on breakfast... I declined though.
Should I ask if there is a club lounge rate for RAs of 20 Euro?