InterContinental Athénée Palace Bucharest

With an enviable central location on Bucharest’s historic Calea Victoriei, the Athénée Palace more than holds its own against the imposing monuments that flank its grand façade: the Royal Palace turned National Art Museum, the Memorial of Rebirth, the Romanian Athenaeum concert hall and the Athénée Palace. Each is a jigsaw piece in the fascinating yet complex history of this city.

A building of such gravity needs the interiors to match, and the classic yet modern rooms and suites are beautifully finished. Light, wood-paneled flooring and splashes of colour throughout the plush furnishings feel both comfortable and luxurious. Choose a room with a balcony for the chance to soak up birds-eye views over the square. Of the multiple dining options, Roberto’s invites you to dine on Italian cuisine infused with Romanian flavours in the shade of their leafy terrace. Meanwhile the English bar serves up a global selection of dishes alongside enticing stories of the renowned writers and spies who made it their wartime haunt, washed down with a crisp gin and tonic or a premium whisky.

The city’s Old Town, with its Belle Époque buildings and ornately beautiful churches, is just a 15-minute walk away, and ready to be discovered on a private walking tour.