Where to Stay in Bucharest, Romania: Hostels & Hotels for Any Budget

Wondering Where to Stay in Bucharest? Let’s Find Accommodations!

If you are wondering where to stay in Bucharest – you certainly aren’t alone! Finding the best part of Bucharest to stay in depends on what you are looking for budget-wise, what neighbourhood you are drawn to, and what you want to do and see.

You might consider the best neighbourhoods in Bucharest the ones that are close to the city centre like the Jewish Quarter. However, we stayed south of the Bucharest city centre and had a wonderful time.

Staying in the Bucharest old town might be for you if you want to be close to some of the best restaurants in Bucharest or the best bars in Bucharest. Staying closer to Universitatii Square might be quieter and more historic given the architecture and the area.

Ultimately, there are lots of things to do in Bucharest like wander the Bucharest old town or explore the Palace of Parliament – and you’ll have the opportunity to do it all no matter where you stay in the city. Public transport makes it easy to get around!

Whether you’re just starting to plan your trip to Romania or you’re ready to book your accommodations – we’ll help you through with a few suggestions for all budgets.

Table of Contents

Where to Stay in Bucharest: Featured Hostels & Hotels

If you know what kind of place to stay you’re looking for in Bucharest, then feel free to jump ahead given these descriptions and have a look at places we mention in the article!

For a fun hostel with a garden and an amazing community, check out Podstel Bucharest.
For a cozy feel at a cheap price in the city, check the latest prices for Victoria Poshtel.
For the elegant guesthouse feeling, check out Bucharest Boutique Accommodation.
For the private apartments with breakfast and a view, check the prices for Orhideea Residence & Spa.
For the gorgeous pool from a brand you trust, check out the Ramada Plaza Bucharest.

Amazing Hostels in Bucharest

Hostels still get a bad reputation. Let’s make this clear – hostels are not just dirty places with dorm-style rooms with bunk beds and snoring people.

Some are, yes – if you chose to book that kind of room at a bad hostel. We only stay at highly-ranked ones and trust reviews on Hostelworld or Booking.com.

What a lot of people don’t seem to realize is that lots of hostels have private rooms that can be cheaper than a hotel room in most cities. So, you can get your privacy at a cheaper price.

As of not-so-recent, there are even “boutique” style hostels that offer the luxuries of hotels in private rooms with ensuite bathrooms. It would be the same, or better than some hotels you can find.

But, still, most people think the label “hotel” makes a place better. Wrong. Just straight-up wrong. There are bad hotels just like there are bad Airbnbs, hostels, and rental apartments.

Do your research, read the reviews, understand your options, and you’ll get great accommodation where you least expect it (maybe a hostel) for a price you didn’t think was potentially possible!

Podstel Bucharest – Check Now

With over 1100 reviews on Hostelworld averaging out an incredibly high rating (9.6/10), Podstel Hostel is the place to stay!

Located near Unirii Square right in the middle of the city, you’ll be close to everything you want to see and do (as well as a metro stop if you need to go further).

Podstel was founded and is owned by 4 friends from across the world. They themselves are travellers, and they wanted to create a new kind of hostel with great atmosphere, a sense of community, and lots of fun to be had.

The layout of Podstel reflects exactly what these guys strive for. In the backyard, there’s a beautiful garden which is great in the summer.

There are frequent events, workshops, and even presentations – so you can get a mix of fun and actually learn something while you’re there. As for rooms, they have a private double room and dorms ranging from 6 to 8 beds.

Podstel can be sold out – especially in the summer since it is very popular, so be sure to book in advance if you can!

The Cozyness Hostel – Check Now

Located in a quiet neighbourhood south of the city centre, The Cozyness Hostel is a great place to stay if you want authentic Romanian hospitality in the capital.

Because of the location, the Cozyness has a great garden where guests can relax and hang out to escape the city life during their stay.

As for facilities, the hostel offers more private room options than the Podstel Bucharest above. In additional to the standard private double room they also offer single and twin private rooms, and their dorm rooms are slightly smaller from 4 to 6 beds. Towels, bedding, tea, and coffee are all included in the price which is always nice!

This modern hostel has lots of board games, movies, and a pool table in the common areas making it easy to socialize with other travellers.

They offer 24 hours reception and super friendly staff who are there to make your stay in Romania a pleasant one. Oh, and we read that they had a dog staying with them.

For us, this would have been an absolute selling point considering it’s described as a two-month Golden Retriever. There is literally nothing better than puppy cuddles.

Cheaper Hotels in Bucharest

Continuing to dispel myths here in this article, the next two hotels show you that you do not have to sacrifice location or quality for a good price.

In fact, these two budget hotels are so central that they are a few blocks away or underneath the word “Bucharest” when you search them on Google Maps!

Victoria Poshtel Bucuresti – Check Now

While they technically call themselves a hostel, Victoria Poshtel only offers private rooms with private bathrooms so we’d call that a hotel layout!

The location is great – being situated so close to Universitatii Square means you’re right in the heart of the action just north of the heart of the Old Town.

Poshtel is very highly rated among couples that stay there, with triple, double, and twin rooms available throughout. We like the wooden decorations since it makes the place feel very cozy even though you’re in the big city.

Overall, it’s the perfect place if you are looking for a cheap place in a good location that is still nice. Remember, just because you’re looking for something cheap, doesn’t mean you have to stay in a crappy place!

Maya Old Town Apartment – Check Now

Here’s another budget hotel in the heart of the city centre. Maya Old Town Apartment is also located very close to Universitatii Square and even close to the historic Old Town of Bucharest.

This place offers guests rooms with simple furnishings and they all come with private bathrooms. Uniquely, Maya also offers triple rooms which are great if you’re staying as a group. That said, couples on Booking.com rate it super high as a place for couples in Bucharest!

If you feel like saving money, there’s an onsite kitchen to cook your own meals with a grocery store, restaurants, and bars all very close by.

Some rooms even have balconies with amazing views and when paired with the helpful and friendly staff – it makes Maya Old Town Apartment a great stay without breaking your wallet!

Mid-Range Hotels in Bucharest

Mid-range hotels in Bucharest, compared to mid-range hotels in other popular tourist centres in Europe, are generally cheaper.

That said, there’s lots of choice around the city in many different areas so travellers really do have a variety to choose from.

The more popular summer months do get busy (and hot) so booking early and booking a place with a fan or air conditioning should certainly be a consideration. Here are two of the top mid-range hotels in Bucharest.

Bucharest Boutique Accommodation – Check Now

Bucharest Boutique Accommodation is actually located very close to where our Airbnb was in the south end of the city.

It’s a great neighborhood that is quiet and very close to two different metro lines. This made accessing the city centre easy but half the time we walked and it was quite doable. There is also a large park nearby that’s great for walks.

The place has more of a guesthouse feeling – with rooms that are both cozy and elegant. They give their rooms names with different cities – which adds a really nice touch to the experience.

They also have suites which are suitable for 2-4 people. This is great if you are travelling as a group and makes for very inexpensive accommodation if you split the cost. Some f the rooms even have balconies, and breakfast is included!

Boutique Accommodation provides bike rentals if you want to explore the city and get some exercise. They also have a sun terrace which is good for the summer months.

Based on the location, the look of the place, and the amenities, it’s no wonder that couples rate Boutique Accommodation super highly!

That said, Lisa really likes the hotel and wants to stay there next time we are visiting Bucharest. Guess that solves that question for our next trip!

Orhideea Residence & Spa – Check Now

Located in the west end of the city centre, Orhideea Residence and Spa is just like it sounds. This complex offers apartments on a bed and breakfast basis!

There are lots of different room types, such as business apartments, suites with spa access included (which is not much more expensive than a normal room), as well as apartments for two to four people.

Some rooms come with a terrace or balcony, while other rooms also have a kitchenette. Every room has a private bathroom.

Onsite, there’s a restaurant and, as the name suggests, a swimming pool and Spa & Wellness centre which you can use for an additional charge.

According to Booking.com, couples really love Orhideea and guests rate it as really good value compared to other hotels in the city.

Oh yeah, and breakfast is included and served on the 11th floor – with views of Bucharest below. If you need a place to call home for a few days, be sure to check out Orhideea!

Luxury Hotels in Bucharest

Being the capital city, there are is no shortage of fancy places to clay your head during your trip to Bucharest. What becomes clear with Bucharest is that the “expensive” hotels probably wouldn’t be considered expensive in other European cities.

It should be noted that both the hotels we chose to talk about aren’t in the city centre – and this was a weird trend that we discovered.

We then realized that the expensive hotels with lots of amenities are closer to the airports and it made more sense that Bucharest was catering to business travellers, couples, and people looking to get away without having to stay right in the centre.

Ramada Plaza Bucharest – Check Now

The Ramada has a great looking pool. Just going to get that out of the way off the top! The Ramada in Bucharest is located in the north end of the city which is very convenient if you are flying in and out of the city. The centre is 4 km away and reachable by cab, taxi, or the metro quite easily.

Guests have a choice of twin to king rooms, and breakfast and spa access are included in the price which makes this an even better deal! The wellness centre comes with an indoor pool, saunas, and fitness area.

The Ramada also has a garden which you can enjoy on the warmer days, and there are also two restaurants on-site which makes it easy if you don’t want to go out to eat.

Since it is very popular, the place is often booked out – so make sure to check availability in advance to not miss out!

Phoenicia Grand Hotel – Check Now

As with the Ramada Hotel, the standard rooms of this hotel would not be considered expensive in many other European cities. The Phoenicia is located in the north end of Bucharest, even closer to the airports than the Ramada.

The centre is still accessible but guests are certainly not in the middle of the city like with some of the other hotels on the list.

There are lots of different rooms to choose from including suites or apartments, and there are different spending levels for each room type – so check the different options available and choose the one right for your needs.

For example, some rooms come with a sitting area while the superior rooms include a spa tub or hot tub (fancy!). Some room types have breakfast included while others do not – so make sure to check beforehand.

The hotel offers a sauna and a fitness centre and lots of massage packages from which you can choose from.

Oh, and there is also a restaurant onsite which makes eating super convenient. Offering a car rental service, the Phoenicia has everything you might need for a lovely stay in the capital!

And there you have it – some of the best accommodations in Bucharest! Bucharest is a great city with lots to see and do – and it helps that accommodation won’t put that large of a dent in your trip budget!

What do you think? Have you stayed at any of these places before? Perhaps you’re planning a trip – let us know if you decide to stay in any of these places. We’d love to hear about your experiences!

As always, Happy Bucharest Waddlin’,
– L+E

If you’re looking for more content on Romania, check out our other posts about this beautiful country: