We review JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel, the way to do business and leisure in Romania’s capital
This JW is part of Bucharest's trinity of grandeur.
Perched close to the stately Palace of Parliament and People’s Salvation Cathedral, this JW is part of a trinity of grandeur. And though it’s the only five-star business hotel in the district, business isn’t the only calling for its clientele. Bucharest is fast becoming one of Europe’s hot spots, and JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel streamlines such leisurely prerogatives with luxurious amenities and acclaimed gastronomy, made all the better with warm Romanian hospitality. Sure, it’s 2024, so you’ll need to be wired back to the office now and then, so we checked in to fuse city exploration with a dash of remote working.
While this stay was complimentary, all thoughts and opinions are our own
JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel review
Touchdown in Bucharest
Arriving at Henri Coandă International Airport, it was an easy 30-minute rideshare to the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel. The location is where all the action is: walking distance to Old Town, which is a pleasant one and passes by major monuments. It’s also close to the upscale district of Cotroceni. Guests will wheel their luggage toward the grand structure, through revolving doors, and be met with a striking white marble lobby for check-in. The outside already makes us feel like we’re far away from home.
Rooms and suites
The hotel has 402 guestrooms and 23 suites, each incorporating intuitive design and functionality. The colour palette is neutral with blue accents, and the decor harnesses the skills of local craftspeople, from ceramic plates with traditional Romanian motifs and multifaceted mirrors that represent Bucharest.
Ours was an Executive Room on floor eight, featuring a king bed, desk space, and adjoined living corner. Tech was easy to connect with thanks to USB ports, and we quickly flipped open our Posturite laptop stand and powered through business. The stand is lightweight aluminium, making it a saver when it comes to travelling and working on low surfaces where the screen doesn’t reach eye-level. Highly recommended for work-from-hotel scenarios.
The marble bathroom contained a separate tub and shower. Marriott bathrooms aren’t known to be the most social-media friendly, you’ll seldom come across a city clawfoot next to jaw-dropping skyline views. But this one is polished enough for a long soak after a day exploring or attending to business. Wash products come courtesy of Aromatherapy Associates London, and we were surprised to find that dental items came from Olas rather than the standard Colgate or Marvis. Olas items are sustainable and natural, definitely an up on the usual offering. The wash area is well-lit for getting ready, and the countertop was heated, a nice touch if you’re one to leave a hand towel on top.
The highlight of this particular room is the access to the Executive Lounge on the same floor. Here’s where exec-level guests tuck into breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening canapes. Alcoholic beverages are included. The evening offerings are enough to suffice for dinner, for example, one evening there was trout, vegetable rice, salads, cheeses, a large selection of canapes, cakes, and much more. But of course, save one evening for an F&B outlet (especially if expenses allow).
Food and drink
The hotel’s signature restaurant is the JW Steakhouse, which serves premium USDA Black Angus beef along with premium wines and bourbon. Meanwhile, the Italian eaterie, Cucina, which we dined in one night, packs plates of Tuscan farmhouse flavours, including fresh seafood options and homemade pasta. The Romanian wines are exceptional. Eastern European wines are coming through, and the region has bottles to hard rival the French and Italian giants on the market.
Champions Sports and Bar is a solid spot for sports lovers. You’ll do beers and burgers under sporting memorabilia and 19 flat-screen TVs showing whatever is the game of the moment.
Breakfast is served in the steakhouse. It’s buffet style, with a selection of a la carte hot choices. However, if you have lounge access and have a sweet tooth, go have it in there. The reason is that there’s a JW Bakery cream-filled donut that was only available up there (at least when we visited). Other concepts include The Garden, a summer outdoor terrace, the Pavilion Lounge, the Vienna Lounge coffee shop, and the JW Bakery (where said donuts are sold).
Wellness
This property offers a remedy by way of the World Class Health Academy to break up those Zoom meetings. This is their spa and wellness centre which supports treatments (massages, body wraps, facials) and provides all the amenities that come with them. We didn’t use it but we did use the gym, which appears to be a bit like a Virgin Active; available to both hotel and non-hotel guests. It’s large, has classes, and has everything you need for a sweat before the boardroom. Equally, the pool’s more of a space to get your laps in, rather than to lounge by all day.
Things to do
Rain or shine there’s enough to do when staying on the premises, helped by the fact that the hotel is joined by an upscale mini-mall. The big boutiques are all here like Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabbana, and you’ll find the JW Bakery which is at the back. Get your steps in and explore Old Town whilst here, as we did on our first evening in town. You’ll stumble across some beautiful little cathedrals with intricate ceilings, and they’re free to enter.
We did a couple of day trips. A Full-Day Trip to Bulgaria allowed us to tick off another country and of course, you can’t visit Romania without a trip to Dracula Castle, Peles Castle & Brasov. Both were via Gray Line Romania which we found on the trusted GetYourGuide, which I highly recommended when you’re in a new city since they vet all local providers (if, like us, you worry about being ripped off, this gives you peace of mind). With both, pick up and drop off were included between the JW Marriott. Tip: Check the weather before booking, as we were caught in heavy rain at Bran Castle and our photos are a bit of a washout. The guides are brilliant though, so even if it’s pouring, they will find a way to make things fun. You’ll probably be fine in the summer, but if you want perfect snaps, try and be flexible with dates depending on the sunshine.
Find out more about JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel
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