BellaVista Danubio

The staff were lovely and helpful, and the fish platter was a great choice. It was meant for five people and could easily have fed six. The B&B also has a beautiful view over the Danube, and its restaurant sits on a floating pontoon.

I only tried the restaurant on the pontoon, not the accommodation. It took 90 minutes to get fried fish with polenta, and neither dish was good: the fish had too many bones, the polenta was far too soft, and the garlic sauce had no garlic flavor at all. Even the sparkling water was completely flat. A terrible experience.

Lazar was the nicest person there and made sure our food arrived, even changing my dish. The rest of the meal was a mess. We waited 90 minutes for grilled fish and vegetables; the fish came burned, the vegetables weren’t grilled, and people who arrived later were served first. After an hour, the waitress had to ask what we’d ordered because she’d forgotten. She also forgot our drinks, which only came after I went to the bar 40 minutes later. The sparkling water was flat and seemed reused, while the lemonade was just orange juice and water. When we first sat down, we were told to move because the table belonged to the boss, though children under seven sat there later. We were also told many menu items weren’t available, including soup, fish roe, fried anchovies, and lamb. I asked about duck, but was told it took too long. I’d give zero if I could. The food, atmosphere, menu, waitress, and cooking staff all let us down. Worst experience ever.

The breakfast was typical for this kind of pension, though they did make an effort to vary it. The food at other times was okay but completely unsalted, so it tasted bland, and some cocktails were very watered down. Prices on the deck felt steep. Our room was spotless but small, with just a bed, table, and TV. The shower had amazing pressure, though the cabin leaked. There isn’t much room for sunbathing, and the small pool seems suited to children. A classic Romanian pension.