SirenCall
Google
The Aro Palace is rated a 5-star accommodation. Not quite by Western standards … but it was very spacious: Both the lobby and the rooms are large; the Hallways on floors wide and luxury evoking. The dining area with included breakfast is also large, and the food is good. The lighting in hotel is nice. Whatever room you get, there is either a view of the park, which was decorated for Christmas when we were there, or the Old Town Square. The entrance is spare and not so inviting (you have to drop off and immediately move the vehicle). There were no tables for sitting outside (nor the space) nor smoking (not even a smoker pole). Smoking is big in Romania, like Paris, so this was surprising.||Others in my group reported a funky smell in their rooms. I thought I got a whiff of the room having once been smoking allowed. Then it went away. Ahhh… the 70s. ||The hotel was built in the 70s and renovated in the 90s. It sort of feels like that. Lots of wood in the rooms. Plenty of space to hang clothes and coats, and there are drawers (which is rapidly becoming rare in newer hotels). There’s a nice sitting area, too. ||As for the shower, I needed to go to the front desk to request a colleague make the rain shower head work. He made it so water came out the shower head, but in the act of showing, I lightly hit something when making temperature hotter … and rain shower head stopped again. I needed to finish by getting under the faucet. The shower dispensers were also a mystery to me. Couldn’t get the stuff out (shower gel and shampoo, which were nothing special, not a brand name). Turns out I had to squeeze the bottle. Everyone else in my party figured it out, but the whole experience of showering left me verklempt. ||I would just say to lower your expectations a bit, and you’ll have a nice stay. There’s just something a little off but perfectly satisfactory hotel. Very near Old Town. Two nights are really required in Brasov.