Hotel Banat

Beautiful hotel, though it seems to belong to another era. It works well enough as a Holiday Inn today, and despite some frustrated people, they do seem willing to sort things out. I needed accessible parking and couldn't find any. Still, the price is fair for what you get. If you're not too fussy, it's VERY CLEAN, with no mold or bad smells, apart from the tourists' salami and onion.

From our 9th-floor room, the coast looked gorgeous, and I could watch the sunrise from an armchair with a cappuccino. The sheets were fresh and clean, and reception staff were quite friendly. Hot and cold water didn't mix properly, but I managed, wearing slippers around the room, bathroom, and tub. I'm picky about hotels and would normally want five-star amenities and an infinity pool, but this place is low-standard and very cheap. In July 2022 we paid about 150 ron a night, while nearby hotels wanted 500-600 ron. I've booked another stay for mid-August at around 200 ron nightly. For that price and view, five stars from me. I hope the reception staff are just as friendly next time.

The location is the real draw: the V-shaped building gives every room at least a partial sea view, and from the 12th floor there were no mosquitos. I had a lovely view and could hear free live music from the fancy place nearby. Some people found it disturbing, but I didn't. The area looked a bit Chernobyl-esque in places when I wrote this three years ago, in 2021. It's changed a little since, and I'm only posting now because I just noticed the review hadn't been approved. The nearby beach was awful, or at least it was in 2021. We walked a bit farther to the one after Meduza, on the beach, which I think was called charm beach, and it was worth it. There's a supermarket near Majestic, though it's kind of pricey, and drinks are also sold at reception. This is very basic, no-frills accommodation, a real time-travel trip. The hotel was built in the 70s, and I imagine the furniture is still the same, though it all worked. I paid 634 lei for a two-room apartment with AC for seven nights. The second room only has a one-person couch, so you'd need extra beds for more than three people. The windows don't seal properly, so it gets breezy. On the plus side, there was hot water, daily cleaning, a big fridge, and a comfortable bed. Keep expectations modest and you'll be happy here. Enjoy!

There's nowhere to eat around the hotel, and nothing much to see either. The conditions are awful, everything is old and smells as if it hasn't been renovated in 50 years. They also charge extra if you use the towels. This is the last place I'd want to stay.