Bucharest has long hovered on my travel bucket list; a capital city shaped by contrasts, resilience and quiet cultural confidence. I finally visited in late autumn, when the city begins to lean into winter, and festive anticipation subtly gathers pace.
For this first encounter with Romania’s capital, I checked into JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel, a property that, this year, marks 25 years as one of the city’s most significant hospitality landmarks.
More than just an anniversary, the timing felt fitting. This is a hotel that has grown alongside modern Bucharest itself and reflects how the city presents itself to the world today: assured, generous and increasingly self-possessed.
A landmark arrival, 25 years in the making
The JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel occupies a rare position in the city. Opened at the turn of the millennium, steps from the Palace of Parliament, it was among the first properties to signal Romania’s readiness to engage confidently with international luxury hospitality.
Today, it remains the only five-star hotel in its district, a standalone complex whose scale still feels purposeful rather than overwhelming.
Pulling into the drive late in the evening, the sense of arrival was immediate. The entranceway and lobby are expansive and elevated but never impersonal. Door staff greeted us warmly, and despite arriving just after 10 pm, the atmosphere felt calm and assured; exactly the kind of ease that comes from decades of operational confidence rather than novelty.
Rooms that reflect the hotel’s generous approach
Given the hotel’s footprint, it’s unsurprising that the rooms are among the most spacious in Bucharest – a detail often cited as one of the property’s defining features. Our room felt properly livable, not just comfortable: space to unpack, move around and genuinely settle in.
That sense of generosity extends beyond square footage. One of the most reassuring aspects of our first night was learning that room service is available 24/7. After a late arrival, being able to order from a well-considered late-night menu felt like hospitality working exactly as it should.
Dining at JW Steakhouse
If the hotel has a gravitational centre, it’s JW Steakhouse. Over the past 25 years, the JW Marriott Bucharest has built a reputation not only as a place to stay but as a dining destination in its own right, and this restaurant is central to that standing.
Hands down, this was the best steak experience I’ve had to date. The service was precise without ever feeling scripted, and the knowledge of the team inspired genuine trust. I tried Kobe beef here for the first time, encouraged to enjoy it simply – no sauces, just salt and asparagus – and the result was exceptional. Rich, delicate and perfectly judged.
The JW Twice Baked Potato deserves its own mention: indulgent, comforting and memorably good. Watching the open kitchen hum on a Saturday night added energy to the experience, while the small ritual of choosing steak knives – I opted for a Japanese-made Miyabi 5000MCD – reinforced the restaurant’s attention to detail and craft.
I would return to Bucharest for this meal alone.
Executive Lounge access
This proved to be one of the most useful aspects of our stay. We took breakfast here each morning and returned throughout the day between sightseeing.
This is where the JW Marriott’s long-standing philosophy of attentiveness really shows. The lounge isn’t flashy, but it is quietly efficient and comfortable, offering a calm counterbalance to the city outside and the hotel’s larger public spaces.
Vienna Lounge: A space that evolves with the day
Vienna Lounge, located on the first floor alongside the hotel’s restaurants, became our default meeting point within the property. Recently refurbished, it feels warm, plush, and upscale without tipping into formality.
By day, it’s ideal for a coffee and pastry; by night, the cocktail menu makes it an easy choice for a final drink without leaving the hotel. It’s a space that encourages lingering, which is something the JW Marriott Bucharest has clearly prioritised as part of its evolving guest experience.
A hotel woven into the city’s story
Over 25 years, the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel has hosted thousands of events from weddings and family celebrations to diplomatic gatherings and large-scale conferences, becoming part of the city’s collective memory rather than standing apart from it.
What’s striking is how that legacy is carried today. The hotel employs several hundred associates, many of whom have built long-term careers here, contributing to a sense of continuity that guests feel immediately. Service is high-end but human, and confident but never rigid.
Heritage with an eye on the future
Rather than resting on its reputation, the JW Marriott Bucharest continues to evolve. Renovated venues, refreshed public spaces and thoughtful updates across the hotel reflect an understanding of what today’s luxury traveller values: comfort, efficiency and authenticity over excess.
There’s a clear effort to balance heritage with innovation, integrating modern technologies and sustainability practices without compromising the warmth that defines the brand’s approach to hospitality.
Staying at the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel during its 25th year felt like experiencing a property fully at ease with itself. This is a hotel that understands its role, not just as a place to sleep, but as a long-standing fixture in Bucharest’s cultural and social life.
For a first visit to the city, it offered a dependable, generous and genuinely enjoyable base. Exceptional dining, thoughtful spaces and a sense of continuity made the stay feel grounded rather than transactional.
And while Bucharest itself left a strong impression, part of the trip’s success lay in knowing that each day would end back here, ideally with a visit to Vienna Lounge, or at the very least, the lingering memory of that twice-baked potato…
JW Marriot Bucharest Grand Hotel
Calea 13 Septembrie 90
București 050726
Romania
