Hotel COTA O MIE

The setting is gorgeous, and it’s clear they’ve put a lot of money into the property. The mountain views from the pool area are magnificent, with loungers outside, clean towels, two saunas, showers and a corner jacuzzi. There’s a decent sized indoor pool for a quick workout, plus a gym with enough equipment for a holiday session. You can also book the “ciubar” for an hour, but do it ahead of time since it takes four hours to heat. There’s barbecue space outside and two restaurants, one in the main hotel and another in the nearby vila Hanul cu Ursi. The meals were a letdown. Breakfast alternated, I think, between a buffet one day and three set choices the next, but either way there wasn’t much variety. There were a few cheeses, hams and salami, and fried eggs that were very oily and looked almost plastic. The bread seemed stale, and the buffet left a poor impression. The set menu was much the same. At the restaurant in Hanul cu Ursi, the food was tasteless and reminded me of communist-era canteens from 35 years ago. The salad oil on the table was stale and poor quality. The website listed billiards and ping pong as amenities, but both cost extra by the hour. Even after paying 30 lei, the ping pong table was old, partly broken, and had a twisted net. The billiard table also wasn’t included. We stayed two nights in vila Hanul cu Ursi, about 25 meters downhill from the main hotel. There’s no reception or guard there. One night a guy shouted and argued with someone for half the night, and nobody stepped in. The hotel receptionist may have been asleep. When I raised it the next day, they said nobody had reported anything and that they’d check the cameras. We couldn’t find cleaning staff either. There was only half a roll of toilet paper and no spare, so we had to go looking for someone to bring another. It felt like nobody was looking after the villa. I also couldn’t find a single rubbish bin or recycling point, even though there were bottles on the grounds. I’m glad we only stayed two nights. I can’t recommend it, which is a shame given how beautiful the location is.

There’s a monastery nearby, and Sinaia is about 10 km away. The grounds are quiet, at the edge of the forest, with terraces and shaded seats where you can read. There’s also a river and small pond, though I think the water only runs after rain; it wasn’t flowing during our visit. The property has several buildings, and we stayed in the central one. Our room was clean apart from stains on the armchair, but it was cramped. The bed was very wide and high, taking up nearly the whole room, so I had to climb over it to reach the window. The window only opened one way, and the bathroom window was so high I couldn’t open it to air the room. There was no balcony, and I don’t think any of the rooms have one. The wardrobe had a curtain instead of a door, and the bathroom door, which had two pieces, was hard to move. The TV was small. Breakfast cost 50 RON.

We spent three nights at Hotel Cota 1000, and during that time we were the hotel’s only four guests. The place has been renovated and looks great, though it still needs some work. It was very clean throughout, and the staff were kind and helpful. Our room was clean and the bed comfortable. I didn’t like the pillow, but they brought another when I asked. The bathroom door in our room was broken and wouldn’t close. The restaurant has a beautiful mountain view and looks impressive. Food was okay, though not great on weekdays. There’s a special weekend menu, but none of those dishes were available while we were there. Prices were moderate to high. Breakfast was included in our booking and generally good, except on the last morning when we ordered something and didn’t get every item. We enjoyed the pool, although the water was a little cold, and the jacuzzi and dry sauna were nice. The wet sauna smelled so bad we couldn’t go in. The spa area was cold enough that we stayed wrapped up in our bathrobes on the loungers. There are two well-equipped gyms. We also had a good time playing pool, though it cost extra; at least it wasn’t expensive. The stay was enjoyable, and I could see coming back. I hope they keep improving the service and spa.

The pool water was clean, but the jacuzzi was really dirty. The pool cues need new tips, and the robes were old with holes in the armpits. Staff were great, though the facilities didn’t live up to their advertising. The rooms are modernized in the sense that they have new mattresses, but the paint and wood on the walls gave me the impression that not much else had been done. The hotel Wi-Fi has no password, which is a security issue.