Howard Johnson Grand Plaza Hotel - Bucharest, Romania 

I booked the Howard Johnson Grand Plaza for a business trip. This hotel is classified on some website as a 5* hotel. It is more a normal 4* hotel. On the plus side it is located very centrally. Excellent views from the rooms. The public areas like reception and restaurants are ok for Romanian standards but not great. Rooms are clean. On the negative side the rooms are small with cheap furniture. Low quality towels in the bathroom.

Do not judge this Howard Johnson with the majority offered in the United States. This is a new tower block hotel situated just off the Piata Romana one of Bucharests popular areas. Like most companies, hotel chains are seeking the opportunity to establish themselves in Eastern Europe now the communist regimes have fallen and most countries are joining the European community. This hotel is modern in a city made up of older interesting buildings. The rooms have all amenities associated with 4 to 5 star hotels. Even so it is always best to try outside restaurants to pick up on the local delicacies. The hotel bar is small and reasonably priced, but be warned smoking is still permitted in bars and restaurants in Rumania. The staff were friendly and most spaek English. Bucharest itself is still trying to free itself from old regimes. There is still no tourist industry as such and we had to hire our own guide and mini bus to see the city. The city is known as mini Paris and there a number of reasons for this, as it consists of wide tree lined boulevards. It even has its own Arc De Triomphe. There are old palaces and museums and the local people are proud of their city. It is still growing into the general European way of life and has some catching up to do say to Prague, although it does have a seedy side after dark. I am sure that hotels like the Howard Johnson will add to the tourist industry but don't use this hotel if you are seeking the true Rumania, beacause it is just like visiting a Western run hotel anywhere in the world.