The Best Eco Hotels and Guesthouses in Romania

Charmed by Romania’s beauty and rich heritage, Prince Charles bought several guesthouses in the country’s villages, which were later transformed into sustainable guesthouses. Nestled among the hills of Zălan Valley, the prince’s guesthouse is a 400-year-old, caringly-restored building, featuring five guestrooms, superbly decorated with antique Transylvanian furniture. To sustain and promote local agriculture, the cottage has its own vegetable garden and the dairy products come from the village’s cows and sheep. Every meal is cooked following old Romanian, Hungarian, and Saxon recipes, including vegetarian options, and is served together with a bottle of fine wine from the guesthouse’s wine cellar.

Dotted around the Transylvanian Micloșoara village, carefully restored 19th-century houses have been metamorphosed into beautiful cottages, now Count Kalnoky’s guesthouses. Situated within large gardens, the lodges have been marvellously furnished with vintage Szekler and Saxon furniture, boasting a rustic ambience. Guests can meet in the large dining room situated in the main house, or in the picturesque gardens. The meals are served in the 17th-century wine cellar by candlelight, with dishes prepared using vegetables from the guesthouse’s gardens, dairy products from the villagers’ cows, and homemade jams, with options for vegetarians also.

In the village of Cincșor, the former school and parish house have been converted into eco guesthouses, ideal for a countryside holiday. The classrooms have been transformed into four gorgeous bedrooms, a cosy chimney room, a fabulous library room and a dining area. The old parish offers five en-suite rooms, a spacious kitchen, a fantastic dining room, as well as a small library, all adorned with 15th-century murals. The flowers beds and vegetable gardens are the perfect playground for kids, while parents can savour a glass of wine in the old barn. Every day, the chef prepares mouthwatering dishes with fresh, local ingredients.

In the picturesque village of Sfantu Gheorghe, in the Danube Delta paradise, the four-star Green Village Resort has been built using only ecological, local materials, perfectly fitting in the surroundings. The guests are accommodated in spacious double rooms, amazing apartments and coquette bungalows, and can enjoy the outdoor swimming pool, or relax in the sauna or Jacuzzi. The organic garden provides fresh produce for meals prepared in the resort’s restaurant. During the day, discover Delta’s wonder by taking a boat trip or a bicycle ride. Moreover, guests can do aqua gym, yoga on the lake, or fish on the edge of the resort.

A place filled with peace, in the heart of Bucovina, La Roata guesthouse looks like a small village museum: five 120-year-old peasant houses thoroughly rebuilt offer a comfortable, warm housing. The rustic terrace and the wine cellar complete the bucolic ambience, making you feel like you stepped back in time. Once you get to the restaurant you’ll feel like you’re in grandma’s old kitchen, where food’s aromas were luring you to taste granny’s homemade dishes, made with ingredients from the local farmers. Overall, an eco-guesthouse with a homely feeling for a holiday in the middle of nature.

Awarded the European Flower EcoLabel, Hotel Piatra Soimului is situated in the mountain resort of Sinaia, considered a Carpathian pearl. Featuring cosy rooms and apartments from which amazing views of the mountains open before your eyes, the hotel is engaged in implementing a sustainable form of living through reduced energy and water consumption and selective waste collection. Moreover, the food prepared in the restaurant is fresh and homemade, and can be served on the beautiful terrace. While parents relax, children can have fun on the playground or play board games. A great option for a mountain holiday.

If you decide to stop in balneotherapy resort Băile Tușnad, Fortuna Hotel is the best option if you are searching for an environmentally friendly location. Built with natural materials and furnished in a pastoral style, the hotel’s functioning gives particular attention to sustainability and environment protection. Each room is designed in a unique way, with a touch of old, natural, and authentic. The restaurant’s menu includes only traditional dishes prepared with organic ingredients—a true delight for everyone who wants to taste the local cuisine. With such cosy rooms and marvellous landscapes around, this eco-hotel is ideal for a laid-back holiday.

In a mountain village, between Transylvania and Bucovina, Casa Alexandra is a traditional holiday house with a warm atmosphere, certified with the Eco Romania label. Once inside, you really feel like you’re in an old house, while outside the garden, the outdoor pavilion, the grill for barbeque and the bread oven make you think of a traditional Romanian house. Ecotourism can be practised through bicycle rides, hikes in the surroundings or carriage rides.

Situated in Mamaia, a few steps from the beach, Vega Hotel is a five-star eco-hotel, the first one in Romania to receive an Eco-Hotel Management System certification. Using only renewable energy, Vega Hotel is engaged in an environmental sustainability process. The hotel’s private beach features a Blue Flag certification, an ecological label for sustainable beaches of the world. The luxury building features feng shui-inspired rooms and elegant decoration, two restaurants and the Vintage Bar, as well as a beauty and Spa centre and two conference halls, making a great option for couples, families, and businessmen alike.

The first hotel in Romania to obtain the Ecolabel for tourist accommodation services, Hotel Saturn is located in Mangalia, at only 150 meters from the beach. Using solar energy for heating and ecological lighting, the five-star hotel has all you could wish for in a seaside holiday: comfortable rooms, swimming pool with Jacuzzi, a spa centre, a restaurant with an outdoor terrace, and a café bar. The hotel is open all year round and also hosts events and conferences. The whole design is conceived to reduce energy consumption and the high-quality services make it a great holiday spot.