destination UPDATE Romania

destination UPDATE Romania Amy & Danielle recently undertook a preliminary visit to Romania to see if it offered the standard of service and infrastructure for the incentive and conference market. In general the facilities for both incentive and conference groups are excellent. In Bucharest the main International hotels are on a par with any major city properties and when it comes to service it exceeds many of its counterparts anywhere in the world. Bucharest is a modern, vibrant city with different areas showing remarkable similarities to such cities as Paris, Vienna and even Istanbul. Mountain areas such as the Sanaia resort are generally unspoilt and offer excellent all-round facilities for all types of tourism. 1

INITIAL FINDINGS: 1. Our initial findings point to Romania having an excellent potential in both the incentive and conference/convention markets. 2. Certain themes immediately stand out such as ' Beauty and Beast' or 'Dracula Man and Myth' showing the adventures of the real Vlad Dracula and his mythical namesake. The beauty of the mountain areas where he came from, the town of Sighisoara; and even the stunning Parliament House, born from the excesses and ego of Nicolae Ceausescu. 3. Pure convention business is assured and should immediately be explored by those who specialise in this area by using the facilities available in the numerous International standard hotels, the Parliament building and the International Exhibition centre ROMEXPO. In addition to these, recently opened: - Willbrook Platinum Business & Convention Centre 1200 seats - Rin Grand Hotel 4* - 1000 seats TRANSPORTATION: Air We flew into Henri Coandă International Airport, Romania is well served from the UK by both British Airways and Tarom. BA has the earlier departure time from London and a later departure from Bucharest, making it more favourable for incentive groups. Tarom is a modern airline, well able to match and often surpass many other carriers within Europe. Previously Tarom's flight timings were the reverse of BA with a later departure ex London and an early morning departure from Bucharest, making it ideal for conference or convention groups. Nowadays there are flights with both BA and TAROM early morning from London to Bucharest. Land Due to the distances one has to cover to enjoy the best of what Romania has to offer, this makes the choice of arrival time even more important. The BA flight enables an itinerary to either travel directly to the Sinaia Resort as a base for further exploration or to transfer to the nearby Domestic airport to connect with the flight to the north, which is I understand the most picturesque part of the country. The later Tarom service is ideal for conference and convention delegates; however both airlines fly within the day. Roads in general are good, but, being single carriageways they are liable to be disrupted fairly easily hence why we would advise that one initially uses somewhere such as the Sinaia Resort in the Carpathian Mountains as a base to visit Sighisoara and the surrounding area. With regards to the transfers it might be a good idea to explore the use of a train in at least one direction between Bucharest and the Sinai Resort. The train services are excellent, with good connections, making it 2 hours from Sinaia to Bucharest. 2

BUCHAREST A surprising and interesting city not at all how one imagines, previous influences gives parts of the city a feel of Paris, Vienna and even Istanbul. Wide boulevards and green areas make the city a pleasant place to be; and the mixture of old and new maintain one s interest. Fine old churches varied cultural attractions plus the amazing Parliament building which is a monument to the ego of Nicolae Ceausescu that has turned out to be a great conference centre and a testament to the skill of Romanian craftsmanship making it a city able to cater for those attending a conference or convention, but maybe not a pure incentive group. ROMAERO This amazing event space is an old airline manufacturer in which you can arrange an event or a meal in an old aeroplane! This might suit techie type groups, but really only suited to those with a very large budget, as well as a large number of delegates, due to the sheer size of the event space. The space has 225 metres per 75 metres, with 7 metres height. BUCHAREST HOTELS RADISSON BLU 5* The Radisson BLU was renovated in 2008. The property won Romanian Hotel of Year in 2011 and 2012 respectively; and is well known for being a green as well as blu hotel! The décor is modern yet exquisite, and its main, central bar which has a floating water platform all around it is certainly a real draw for guests There are 718 rooms altogether, with 424 rooms in the 5 star part of the hotel. In the main hotel, of the 424 rooms, 111 of these are twin rooms, which make the hotel perfect for accommodating large groups / programmes that require the delegates to twin-up. Meetings-wise, the hotel has 11 conference rooms (with divisible options), all with natural daylight; including a Ballroom for 600 people theatre style (540 square metres), many break-out areas that are perfect for cocktail receptions, a business lounge and a Junior Suite, with its own private desk. 3

The very grand Royal Suite, which spans an entire floor, is perfect for special groups and even hosted Madonna and her entourage recently! The hotel has great outdoor space (despite being in the middle of the city!) and the meetings team are highly proactive and have a fantastic can- do approach, ensuring that all meetings costs are included, with no extra hire charges and even being able to outside cater at venues, such as museums. MARRIOTT GRAND HOTEL 5 * Accessible via a chic shopping precinct, this modern style 402 bedroom property is situated close to the Parliament building and offers the largest conference facilities of any hotel in Bucharest. A total of 12 meeting rooms: The Grand Ballroom, dividing into four sections, accommodating up to 850 for receptions and 500 for banquets including the Ballroom Foyer. The Constanta Ballroom (which is absolutely stunning), accommodating 400 for receptions, including the Ballroom Foyer plus 10 additional meeting rooms for smaller events. The bedrooms are more traditional in style and are spread across 8 floors; with one executive floor / lounge, plus a selection of apartments. All safes fit laptops and the hotel has a beautiful outdoor space, perfect for cocktail receptions. The restaurant options are fantastic and would be great to combine with meeting requests, with old favourites like the Marriott JW Steakhouse and a really quirky Italian restaurant Cucina. BUCHAREST CROWNE PLAZA 4 * An excellent modern 164 room property with attentive and professional staff. It has very good conference facilities and the ballroom can take up to 200 delegates theatre style and can be sub divided. There are an additional 5 breakout rooms that can accommodate from 12 to 75 delegates theatre style. One observation is that it needs safes in the room capable of taking laptops, no room safes exist at present. 4

ATHENEE PALACE HILTON 5 * Built in 1914 (and taken over by Hilton in 1997) this is a 272 room traditional styled property. Meeting rooms consist of the largest Le Diplomate accommodating 350 delegates theatre style and with 2 entrances to it. The Regina Maria room A + B (divisible) accommodating 200 delegates theatre style. 3 additional rooms the Marcu/Enescu/ Cioran each accommodate 60 delegates theatre style and the Brancusi / Coanda/ Pallady/Eliade/Silvestri each have space for 25 delegates theatre style. The meeting rooms have beautiful decor and pretty break-out areas, and the ground floor rooms have no natural daylight, but the upstairs ones do, including the boardroom, which accommodates 14 maximum; and in which Sharon Stone stayed. The bedrooms are a mix of standards, executives and junior suites; and all rooms except standard rooms have access to the executive lounge. Within the rooms, while the safes fit notebooks; laptops do not fit, but can be sent to security for safe keeping. All rooms have access to a terrace and there are also request buttons within the rooms. All in all this is a great hotel for groups and has the added bonus of attracting rock Royalty such as Lady Gaga to stay in its most expensive suite! Relax under the soft lighting amidst the traditional decor of the Athénée Palace Hilton Bucharest hotel's inviting English Bar. Choose from over 40 fine whiskies, sip a cocktail or even enjoy a Cuban cigar to round off your evening. SINAIA HOTELS THE PALACE HOTEL 4* A traditional style property with 149 rooms ranging from suites to singles. Set a little way from the centre of town it features attractive period furniture and design. 5

THE INTERNATIONAL HOTEL 4* A 180 room modern hotel with character offers amazing value for money. Set at the foot of the Bucegi mountain in the middle of the main bar and entertainment area well worth considering for those on a tight budget. Best hotel in Sinaia, recently renovated. THE NEW MONTANA HOTEL 4* A superb choice for younger incentive groups. This modern 177 room property is right in the middle of the action with the added benefit of a large swimming pool with Jacuzzi and sauna facilities. Other hotels including some excellent value for money 3* star properties offer exceptional space for both exhibition and convention traffic. CUISINE Throughout our stay we were surprised by the quality of the food and the presentation, whether it was of rustic origin or the more formal style of cuisine found in both quality restaurants and the International hotels. It is good to see that chefs are taking traditional dishes and serving them up in an interesting, modern and attractive way. It would be worthwhile looking into exactly which restaurants allow smoking in order to decide which of them would fit in with a group s demographic, or likes and dislikes. BUCHAREST RESTAURANTS Bistro Jaristea This traditional and pretty restaurant is only 7 minutes walk from the Radisson Blu. It is suitable for smaller and more intimate groups. The cuisine is traditionally Romanian with soups, hot and cold starters, poultry, pork, beef, fish or sheep, vegetarian and game. Tasty and fresh food, even for the most discerning. Capacities: 100 pax seating 6

Caru cu bere Meaning the beer cart; this restaurant is excellent for large groups, especially with its long tables, warm, medieval feel, Romanian dancing and hearty meals. Due to the inclusivity of the dancers & staff and the laughs that ensue; this venue would be perfect for an ice breaker meal, especially for clients who don t know each other so well. Capacities: 600 pax seating Crama Domneasca - This quirky and highly traditional restaurant is great for incentives, especially with its fun, Medieval and spooky feel to it, plus underground cellar for large groups. It has space for 110 pax in the main restaurant, 80 in the adjacent function space and 70 in the cellar. This restaurant has a great atmosphere at night, with entertainment in the form of a band and for a more low-key affair; the courtyard is perfect for just a beer or a lunchtime ice breaker! Bordello Restaurant The Ground floor is home to the Pub, with a seated capacity of 60 and 40 standing. The Library Bar, the private side of Bordello is located at the first floor. It can host up to 70 people seated and standing. Last but not least, the Mulanruj Dining Theatre, the exuberant and joyful side of Bordello. Located close to the Library Bar at the first floor, Mularuj inspires its guests to unique experience. From the design to the events everything is meant to say Joie de Vivre. Cabaret, magic, acrobatics, theatre, dance, music and fine dining all of it can be found in only one place. Capacities: 100 pax seating; 200 pax standing 7

SIGHTSEEING On a typical Bucharest guided city tour we visited the following ancient buildings: the Romanian Athenaeum, the Church of the Patriarchate, the University Square, the Parliament Palace, old town with Stavropoleos Church, Old Court, and Hanul Manuc. The Parliament Palace is the 2 nd largest building in the World after the Pentagon. You can run private events here; the building houses an International congress centre. The beautiful Orchestra building was built in 1888 and can be hired exclusively for events. The venue can accommodate between 900 and 1000 for a buffet on the ground floor. Upstairs there are 600 seats and 200 on the next level, making the venue a fantastic choice for conferences; especially with its large stage and large screen options. Established as a distinct department of the National Museum of Art of Romania in 1995, the Auditorium provides a wide range of facilities for cultural programmes and corporate events. The comfortable hall on the first floor seats 450 people. Its 75 sq. m stage, 6.5 by 4 m screen, high-performance Philips, Sony and Ernemann equipment, and the Yamaha concert grand piano provide the perfect setting for concerts, film screenings, symposia, international conferences and meetings. Four specially equipped booths are available for simultaneous translation. The Auditorium also offers ample display areas (ground-floor hall - 300 sqm; foyer - 140 sqm; Rotonda 210 sqm), and Internet facilities. 8

Visiting the Village Museum for a half-day experience is a must! Here you will see no replications of eras gone buy; you will actually see the exact homes moved to Bucharest from their traditional villages throughout Romania! Accent Travel are well versed in running excellent teambuilding events at the Village Museum. For example they can execute Workshop programmes, as well as incentive options that include painting, sculpting and wood work; weather permitting. ADDITIONAL DESTINATIONS Brasov - We also visited Brasov. Formerly Kronstadt - Brasov is a city founded in the 13 th century by Saxon colonists which still preserves its medieval look in the old districts, making it perfect for a walking city tour through the old town centre. Brasov fits the Beauty and the Beast theme perfectly with the remains of the Communist era architecture side by side with one of the most beautiful old city centres. The city also houses a traditional market in its main square. There will be an airport soon in Brasov and the city s main square, has an abundance of large restaurants, ideal for groups; and also plays host to a renowned Festival called the Golden Stag - an international music festival previously showcasing the likes of Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera. Within the Square, Cerbul Carpatin Restaurant is perfect for large groups, seating 400 pax, while dancers entertain you during dinner. An additional restaurant nearby is Casa Hirscher, fitting 90 pax and is arguably the best restaurant in the area for smaller groups. Rasnov - is located at about 15 km from the city of Brasov and about the same distance from Bran; on the road that links Wallachia and Transylvania. Within this area, The nearby Aventura Park could be a great option for teambuilding; similar to Go Ape in the UK, the park offers activities such as bungee jumping and tree climbing within its natural surroundings. In addition, Equestra Riding Club in the area of Tancabesti offers excellent event spaces, equipped to host many kinds of events. Its proximity to Bucharest and its restaurant facilities also make this venue an excellent choice for groups. The Sinaia Resort - Sinaia is a mountain town surnamed the Pearl of the Carpathians and a visit to the fabulous Peles Castle, one of the most beautiful Royal residences in Europe, is a must! The Castle was built by King Carol I between 1875 and 1914 and has been the last refuge for King Michael before his abdication in 1947. Being set approximately 90 minutes between Bucharest and Sinaia, the resort is the perfect base to explore the main areas of interest. Set at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains it has much to offer in own its own right. Sinaia is famous mountain ski resort in its own right and is situated between Ploiesti and Brasov cities. Distance from Bucharest Otopeni Airport is 90 km and distance from Brasov is 50 km. King Carol I selected the Sinaia resort as Royal summer residence and you can visit the Royal Peles Castle built in 1870, Pelisor Castle and Foisor Castle and park, the Casino Palace and 16th Century Sinaia Monastery during your stay. 9

Follow in the footsteps of the TV programme Top Gear which was filmed in Sinaia and also the film Cold Mountain starring Nicole Kidman, which was filmed in the Carpathian Mountains. Restaurant Cabana Stana Regala (which means the Royal Sheepfold), is a restaurant entirely at one with nature, as this hidden gem resides amongst the mountains. This authentic wooden lodge serves up incredible cuisine, with tasty specialties, including a selection of cheeses and barbecued meats to enjoy either inside or on wooden picnic-style tables; while taking in the backdrop of the ski resort and mountains. Despite the region s almost wilderness terrain, the DMC can propose excellent 18-seat minibus options to transport groups up the mountain and recommend excellent team building activities on the lawn outside. Timings-wise, Bucharest to Sinaia is 2 hours and Brasov to Bucharest is 3 hours. INTERNATIONAL SINAIA This is a 4 star hotel, situated near to the mountains and comprises of 180 bedrooms, with a mixture of double and twin rooms in both standard and deluxe styles; as well as suites and apartments. This hotel is traditional in style, but remains highly luxurious. Its Austrian restaurant is quirky and perfect for a smaller group, whereas its main restaurant, with fabulous views of the mountain range can seat 250 people; and as all buffet stations etc are movable, this makes the room the perfect option for large events. There are 10 conference rooms, based on the other side of the hotel (across a covered walk-way above the road) and the largest (divisible) room fits 450 theatre style together across both partitions. The rest of the meeting rooms are smaller in size and the meeting suite also features very comfortable sofa / breakout areas. The hotel also comprises of a bowling alley and other activity spaces, which could be great for ice breakers! Being so close to the mountains means that the hotel not only boasts fantastic views, but it also means that only one side of the hotel requires air conditioning. Lux Garden in Azuga This luxurious 5-star property boasts its very own ski resort, which is open all year round with the aid of artificial snow machines! The hotel has a glass lift on the outside of the building, enabling fantastic views of the landscapes, ski slopes and mountains. Despite its luxurious appeal, the hotel also has a rather quirky side to it, especially with its unusual giant, illuminated tree in the lobby and a hugely expensive piano (EUR 200,000) taking centre stage in the bar! Within the hotel there are a mixture of standard and executive rooms, as well as apartments and deluxe garden suites, spanning across 2 floors; making it very high-end for bespoke groups. Although 100 people can fit into the restaurant for a gala dinner, the hotel has a relatively small meeting, room fitting just 85 theatre style, so this makes it ideal for a small group. 10

Orizont Hotel in Predeal Although this hotel is not the epitome of luxury, but is rather quirky in style and features a rather minimalist and unusual reception area. Despite having good meeting facilities / conference rooms that are only 3 years old, they plan to build a large conference centre in 2014 adjacent to the hotel. This will feature one large room, with divisible partitions. The hotel has 139 rooms and features a mixture of standard & executive bedrooms, along with 7 apartments. The hotel s main restaurant is adequate for incentive and conference groups, as it seats 250 pax. The newest Restaurant called Miorita is quirky and may be privatised. PRAHOVA VALLEY / BRAN / TRANSYLVANIA Prahova Valley is well known for the medieval castle of Dracula (built 1377.) It was turned into a summer residence for Queen Mary in 1922. Surrounded by an aura of mystery and legend and perched high atop a 200-foothigh rock, Bran Castle owes its fame to its imposing towers and turrets, as well as to the myth created around Bram Stocker s Dracula. The Castle is perfect for a half-day of sightseeing and fits well into most incentive programmes. Clearly the Castle is the perfect back-drop for a Halloween inspired event and Accent Travel and Events are well versed in accommodating such requirements. Sport Hotel and Spa 4* is a very homely alpine-style hotel. It is perfect for incentive groups or even spouse programmes, with its nearby ski resort, beautiful spa and large apartment-style bedrooms and suites; all with an almost barn-like, charming feel. The hotel s restaurant will hold up to 160 persons. The conference rooms can be divided into 4 sections, but can in total accommodate up to 500 theatre style. They each have natural daylight, meaning that they are very light and airy and they don't actually look like they've been separated. The meeting rooms also have fantastic views of the mountains and there are nice breakout areas for coffees; one of which is outside in an amazing barn-type room, where you can pull down the blinds to make it warmer in the winter. The smaller meeting rooms, called Sport M1 and M2 can also be used as dining room or a small conference room, however for larger groups there is the possibility of utilising the nearby conference centre NATO Meeting Room at Piatra Mare Hotel, which is the largest in the alpine area and seats 1,200 pax. 11

Hotel Wolf - This L-Shape hotel has an amazing alpine feel to it; and only 10 minutes from Castle Bran, it is the ideal location from which to explore The hotel is a really good 4 star and has 71 rooms (18 rooms of which are categorised 3 stars) and each of the rooms are very large in size, with breathtaking views of the mountains and farmlands. The room types are as follows: Standard Suite with terrace and apartment with upstairs bedroom for one. Meetings-wise, the conference room seats 200 theatre style and is divisible into 2 sections, to make it 100 per room. In addition, there is a smaller meeting room for 80 delegates. In the main restaurant there are 280 seats, as well as a cellar downstairs that caters for 60 persons. This is quite modern despite the hotel s resort feel and would be perfect for a incentive group wishing to relax in the spa or get back to nature with teambuilding options outside within the beautiful farmland! The hotel lives up to its name; with the wolf theme continuing throughout the hotel and their restaurants, with décor, such as including wolf shaped chairs etc. Hotel Turnul Although this hotel which is more like a very up market alpine guest house is not traditionally used for events, we stayed here and were pleasantly surprised! Located in Moeciu, at only 10 km away from Bran, this property is an equally good place from which to explore the Castle. The rooms almost have a (to quote a popular phrase) shabby chic or vintage feel to them; and the property definitely felt more boutique in style. The restaurant (seating 80) was very homely and served excellent traditional cuisine from most regions. SUMMARY Romania has both the expertise and infrastructure for most aspects of incentive and conference travel and, as such has excellent potential in both the incentive and conference/convention markets. My only real concern is the travelling times to the main areas of interest from Bucharest. This initially makes conference and convention groups the best choice in the short term. As well as incentive groups up to around 100 persons, we feel that the quality market of groups of between 8-20, staying at some of the superb 'boutique' hotel properties, especially in Sighisoara, would be worth developing. The natural theme both visually and aesthetically is Dracula and Sighisoara and maybe a Halloween programme. Accent Travel & Events has both retained and added additional staff i.e. guides, who understand the incentive and conference travel market. Accent Travel & Events can offer a variety of team building options, such as events that incorporate art, as well as movie making, as there are 2 film studios near Bucharest. 12

SAMPLE ITINERARY Sighisoara - Built by the Saxons in the 12th Century Sighisoara is world famous as the most perfectly Medieval Town in Europe. The 60 metre tall clock tower stands guard over the town close to the birthplace of its most famous son, Vlad the Impaler, better known as the character Bram Stoker based Count Dracula on. Day 1 BA Flight arrival transfer to Sinaia resort, (need to look at possibility of rail transfer and any enhancements to make the journey interesting) Cocktail reception and dinner with scene setting entertainment i.e. folklore etc. Day 2 Visit to Sighisoara (Need to add enhancements) Dinner at the Taverna Sarbului Day 3 Visit to Peles Castle, maybe a falconry or medieval weapons display, then return to Bucharest and highlight tour of the city with stop at Parliament building. Dinner at a restaurant of your choice. Day 4 Depart to London 13