A Family Stay in the Heart of Bucharest
Bucharest wasn’t a city we knew particularly well before this trip, but it ended up being one of those places that surprised us in the best way. Great food, extraordinary architecture, plenty to do with the children and a slightly chaotic energy that made it a really fun city to wander around.
For our time in the capital, we stayed at Matisse Bucharest Old Town, a collection of luxury apartments right in the heart of the Old Town. Travelling as a family, particularly with three children, I increasingly appreciate the difference between simply having somewhere to sleep and having enough space to actually live for a few days. Here, we had the latter.
The apartment was incredibly spacious, beautifully finished and comfortable enough that coming back at the end of a long day exploring felt like coming home rather than returning to a hotel room. There was room for everyone to spread out, which makes an enormous difference when you’re travelling with children.
Check-in was also refreshingly easy. The whole process was straightforward, the staff were warm and helpful, and there was none of the faffing around that can sometimes come with apartment stays. There’s also a lovely little courtyard tucked away at the back, which feels surprisingly peaceful considering how central you are.
But the location was probably what we appreciated most.
Step outside and you’re immediately amongst Bucharest’s cafés, restaurants, beautiful old buildings and busy streets. We could wander out for food without having to make an expedition of it, explore the Old Town on foot and then retreat back to the space and quiet of the apartment whenever we’d had enough
Bucharest itself gave us plenty of reasons to stay out. We spent our days wandering the city, eating extremely well, discovering some brilliantly over-the-top cafés and visiting Therme București, which was a huge hit with the family. We also found the city an easy base for seeing more of Romania, taking the train out to beautiful Brașov and exploring Bran Castle and the surrounding area.
For families who want the comfort and space of an apartment without sacrificing the feeling of staying somewhere special, Matisse worked brilliantly. You get privacy, space and a proper place to retreat to, while one of the most interesting parts of Bucharest is waiting the moment you step outside.
