Europa Hotel 3*

The Europa is worn out and poorly maintained, and it’s not in a good location. Breakfast was okay, though other hotels in Moldova do it better. The staff were friendly and professional, but couldn’t make up for the hotel’s problems. I spent two nights here in late October 2024, and even without the issues in my room, I wouldn’t have rated it higher. On my first night the room was freezing, even with the split-unit heater on full blast. I woke during the night and had to put on warm clothes. Several people in my group said their rooms had the same problem. I told the staff, but apparently it was too late for them to do anything. I suspected the heater filter was dirty, so I stood on a chair, took the filters out and cleaned them in the shower. After that, the heat worked fine. I didn’t charge the hotel for my maintenance work. See pictures. The construction and layout feel like two or three buildings crashed together and were fastened up haphazardly. On the A side, there’s a step up from the floor to enter the elevator, and I can’t think of a reason for that. It’s a glass elevator, but for two floors all you see while going up is a wall. Then there’s only a partial view of the street in front of the hotel. The design mysteries keep coming. Maybe, given the name Europa, it’s a metaphor for the EU trying to make a harmonious whole from disparate parts. There are plenty of good hotels in Chisinau. At the time I’m writing this, the Europa isn’t one of them.