Pensiunea Vidalis

The people were mostly lovely, especially the reception staff, though the woman at the Cafe came across a bit passive-aggressive. The central location was handy but also brought noise. I liked the mini fridge, good pillows, and hot water. The room itself was a letdown. The towels were dirty, and luckily I always bring my own. The joined beds weren't comfortable, so I pulled them apart as I usually do. I booked a bathtub room but got a tiny shower cabin instead. There was no hair dryer, despite the online listing, and I had to ask for one. The double windows were very old, and you could hear everyone in the rooms next door and upstairs. My street-facing room was hard to sleep in as a light sleeper. I asked to switch, but gave up because the approvals seemed to be taking so much effort. The toilet paper roll had already been used, so I had to request another. Breakfast wasn't included, despite the room listing saying “Breakfast”; it costs 30 lei for a very small coffee and a few items. Vegetarians have few choices, aside from fried eggs or omelets, so buying food at Profi/Mega/Carrefour and keeping it in the fridge may work better. There's no microwave or kettle in the room for making coffee. Parking is extremely cramped, especially with a long car. Staff do help you park, but it's crowded and you need some luck to get a space.

I came to the area for skydiving and got to Cluj on Friday. I hadn't realized a festival was happening that weekend, so nearly all the hotels and hostels were booked and prices were five times higher than usual. I paid 500LEi for one night, then left the city the next day.

The staff were friendly and welcoming, but the bed was the main issue. It was uncomfortable to sleep on, and the cover was too short for two people. I've had better beds in hostels that cost much less, so paying this much for so little comfort was frustrating. The rest of the room was okay, though the shower also had a drainage problem: water came in faster than it could drain, so it filled up.

Hot water takes two or three minutes to come through, so turn it on before you get into the shower and it's easy to manage. Otherwise, it was a lovely, calming stay in a cozy, elegant place, with sociable and friendly staff. Amazing experience.