Moldova’s capital is a true undiscovered gem. It is very cheap, there is a lot to see and do, and the women are gorgeous as well. Although we have not talked about travel to Moldova as much as we should have here on Eastern European Travel, more and more requests have been coming in for travel advice. And so we are starting out with the basics. What are the best Chisinau hotels – the most comfortable, well-located, and guest-friendly ones available?
How do you even go about choosing accommodation in Chisinau?
What you need, what you don’t, and what you should probably avoid.
Read on to find out!
Chisinau Hotels Vs. Apartment Rentals
For some countries, Airbnb (or your preferred flat rental service) is almost a better idea than an actual hotel. Moldova is not one of them. Here is why:
- The living standard here is quite low. Even higher-end hotels will probably look cheap to you. Getting a rental will not help your budget that much.
- Some of the flats on offer might look deceiving on the website. Chisinau is not even that large but you would be surprised at how far away from the centre a ‘central apartment’ can turn out to be.
- At hotels, you get some services which Airbnb hosts can’t deliver. Breakfast? A gym? An official-looking bill to present to your company? Very few hosts can do that.
So, even though rentals make sense in other parts of the world, you are much better off sticking with hotels.
Choosing Chisinau Hotels: What To Look For/ What Not To Fall For
First off, define your hotel expectations.
Everyone has different standards and what seems perfectly acceptable to me might look like barely a step away from a homeless shelter.
If you are into luxury, go for luxury.
There are some great Chisinau hotels at the high-end price level. If you just want a friendly place to stay (and maybe bring Moldova girls over), no need to go overboard. Pick a decent place with a central location and spend whatever you save on a nice meal.
One thing people tend to forget is the gym.
It is so easy to fall off the bandwagon and forget to exercise when you are travelling. Although there are some awesome bodyweight exercises you can do in any hotel room, if you are going for more than a week a fitness centre is probably a good idea.
You could get a day/week pass for a local gym if your hotel does not have one, but choosing a hotel equipped with at least some machines is much less fuss.
Budget-Friendly Chisinau Hotels
Yes, almost all Chisinau hotels can be considered budget if you compare to the prices in other European capitals. Here are two great options that give you the best value.
Edem Hotel
The Edem Hotel in the heart of Chisinau is one of those places where you go ‘What is the catch?’
At around 30 euro per night, you get a room for two in the centre. The hotel is small and cosy but not so much so that you are feeling watched. There is even a sauna, although maybe be careful with that. It is actually outside the building. Bring a coat, don’t just come out in your towel. This way your lovely trip to Chisinau won’t end with a nasty cold.
The Wi-Fi is pretty strong. The breakfast is tasty if you enjoy the local cuisine. Vegans and vegetarians might struggle to find good options, though.
The downside to the Edem Hotel is the location. It is central, that much is true, but some have described the area as a little dodgy. You should be fine by day but maybe it’s better to get a cab when you are coming back from the club.
Art-Rustic Boutique Hotel
At the Art-Rustic Boutique Hotel, you get a premium experience for a fraction of what you would expect to pay. True, it is not as affordable as the Edem Hotel. You can instantly notice the difference, though.
The location could not be better. You are less than 2 minutes away from all the sights and the restaurant/bar/club area. If you are looking for a place to spend the evening without making any effort, though, check out the rooftop bar. It has some beautiful views and the drinks are great. Why even bother to come out of the hotel?
As for the room design and comfort, the hotel has been renovated quite recently and you can definitely tell. The beds are comfortable, the cleanliness is excellent, and every room has a balcony with a nice view of the city centre. There is also free Wi-Fi in all rooms. And the breakfast quality is awesome as well. Finally, the staff are very friendly and they speak very good English. Even if an issue comes up, these people have plenty of experience and they can probably handle it just fine.
Middle Range Chisinau Hotels
At a slightly higher price point, you get some quite impressive accommodation. Once again, Chisinau accommodation is great value for all budgets. Well, Moldova as a whole is great value as well, so what can I say…
Komilfo Hotel
The Komfilo Hotel is central, beautiful, friendly, and your stay will only set you back around 70 euro per night. The area is quiet but very close to points of interest. It is also in a more ‘expensive’ neighbourhood so no need to go through dodgy streets just to get to your hotel.
Another awesome thing about the Komfilo is that you get a free transfer to the airport. It’s only one way but still a pretty convenient offer. Arriving at the Chisinau airport after an exhausting flight, the last thing you want is to spend time looking for a taxi/making sure it is a legitimate one (you can’t always tell).
Finally, the wireless speed is great. You can be confident that whatever work you need to do on your trip, you will have the Wi-Fi needed.
Thomas Albert Hotel
Here is the single hotel outside the centre that made it to this list. Why? Well, for starters it isn’t that far away anyways. But more than that, the Thomas Albert quite possibly has the best price to amazing quality ratio. You get some gorgeous rooms, very strong Wi-Fi connection, and a pool. Plus the area is very charming as well. It is in the historical heart of Chisinau – a quiet and beautiful neighbourhood that you would want to pay a visit to anyway.
Be prepared to take some cabs, though. The Thomas Albert is within a reasonably small distance to the centre by day, but you would not want to stumble back from a night out all the way there.
Out of the two mid-range hotels, I would personally choose the Thomas Albert. The price difference is practically non-existent and you get a much more premium experience. Of course, if location matters more to you than how fancy your room looks then, by all means, go for the Komfilo.
Luxury Chisinau Hotels
The more expensive hotels in Chisinau would be a great choice for a business trip or if you want to impress your long-distance Moldovian girlfriend. Also, if you just want to treat yourself. Our favourite high-end hotel at Chisinau is definitely:
The Bristol Park Hotel
This one is the best. It could not be more central (you literally have a view of the Parliament), the staff is friendly and efficient, and the décor is amazing. For the ultimate homebodies (or, erm, hotelbodies?) there is plenty of entertainment available inside the hotel:
- Casino
- Bowling Alley
- Sushi House
- Italian-Style Pizzeria
- A Coffee Shop
- Fancy Bar Area
- An Irish Pub
- Gift Shop
I have never been to Las Vegas but that is kind of what I imagine it to be like. The Bristol Park hotel also has a great gym with state-of-art equipment. And it is not that expensive either. A night there will set you back around 100-120 euro. You can’t even get a decent hostel room for that money in other European capitals.
Oh, and the breakfast is excellent. You even get some traditional local breakfast food options. There are plenty of vegetarian and even vegan foods as well.
Scams In Chisinau And How To Protect Yourself
There are not a lot of tourists coming in Chisinau and locals seem to think that being a foreigner = being filthy rich.
Hence the chance of you getting scammed (if you are not careful) goes up. For one, always avoid places if anything feels off. Pick-pocketing and robbery are not that uncommon and the police is not always that efficient in investigating them.
As for hotels in Chisinau, make sure the taxi leaves you at the correct place. Follow the car on Google Maps if you have to. There have been cases of tourists being mislead and sent to a different place than the one they booked. Usually, that second place will be a worse option and it will probably cost more.
Other than all that, have fun in Moldova and don’t forget to share your experiences in the comments below!
