Hotel Golden House

We were left outside with our two children, aged 8 and 12, on a cold night. We had confirmed through Booking.com that we’d arrive just after midnight, and the hotel said someone would come to reception when we rang the gate bell. But after waiting until 2:30 a.m., no one answered the bell, our calls, or our Booking messages. The next day, the hotel said there had been a personal emergency, which we understand can happen. Since they knew we’d be late, though, they could have made another arrangement, such as leaving keys with someone or telling us beforehand. Instead, we had to search through several hotels close to 3 a.m. before finding somewhere to stay. It was exhausting and upsetting for the whole family. We did get a refund for the original booking, but the hotel wouldn’t cover anything further for the emergency booking or the extra costs. This was a very disappointing experience that better communication when we booked could easily have prevented.

There’s plenty of room, and the bathroom was very clean and well kept. Breakfast had a good range of choices, Swedish style, and the staff were nice and helpful. The hotel is well placed, around a 15-20 minute walk from the city center. The balcony setup didn’t feel very safe for children. Otherwise, we’d come back next time.

We had our dog with us, so the park across the street was a real plus. There are tasty, affordable restaurants nearby too, including L'Assassin just a couple of minutes on foot. The building is gorgeous inside and out, and there’s room to relax with a drink at the bar, which has a pool table, or outside on the terrace. Our room was large, clean, and quiet. Breakfast runs until 10am, checkout is at 12pm, and parking is 50m or less from the entrance. The staff were kind and helpful, and spoke perfect English. The only reason I’m giving four stars is the amount of driving needed into the city. At night it wasn’t too bad, but in the morning or daytime, leaving the city can feel intense if you’re not used to driving in Romania. I’m an American living in Germany and travel to Romania often. It was a peaceful rest, and I’d recommend it.

The rooms are spacious and the food is great, but what made this place special for me was the people. They made me feel at home, and I’ll definitely be back. I’d recommend it to anyone visiting Craiova.