After my dire experience in the Golden Tulip (q.v.) I moved into the Minerva and have now stayed for over 60 nights with a further 60 planned for the autumn.

I am staying in the more expensive 4* part of the building though the older part is not too bad and quite good value for money. Avoid the back, though, as the a/c compressor is a bit noisy.

The older reviews are much more accurate than the recent ones. Smokers are now confined to a glass box in the bar – so, those sensible ones amongst us can enjoy a drink without choking on cancer-forming, second hand smoke.

My room is large, comfortable, with free cable or wireless internet. The breakfast is as good as has been described by others and the Chinese quite acceptable. If you get fed up with Chinese or just want to get out there are several good restaurants within easy walking distance.

In addition to the Italian restaurant described by another guest (which is good), there is another Italian (Buongiorno); there is also a good Spanish (Sangria) and French (Bastille – under renovation 6/09) within 10 minutes walk; plus a first class, cheap Romanian one even closer (Bistro Atheneu)

The award winning Romanian Peasant Museum; Geology Museum, Natural History Museum (closed to 2010) and the Enescu Museum are all within an easy stroll. Actually, it only takes 20-25 minutes walk to reach the Royal Palace Art Gallery etc. in the city centre.

The free Bucharest in Your Pocket Guidebook has details of the restaurants, museums, etc.

The only downside is that the 4* end of the building gets a bit noisy if there is a wedding reception in the ground-floor ballroom. However, I am offered another room to sleep in at the far end of the hotel – so, this is not really much of a problem.

Acceptable, which I would call business class hotel slightly away from the city center. Clean, nice sized rooms, plenty of TV, great buffet breakfast with smoked herring, eggs, Kleenex, safe, air conditioning under your control, window that opens. Gino’s Italian Restaurant, very nice within a 7 minute walk.

I spent 3 nights in this hotel.
Hotel has very good location - only 200m from Romania Square, 2 stops from North train station and only 150m from bus stop to the airport.

I had 3* quite room (old) with air condition, minibar. Room was aprox. 10-15 years old but very clean.
My colleague had 4* room with - new and very nice.

Breakfast was standart - European. Hotel has good chinese restaurant. Lobby bar is good only for smoker.

This hotel is old standart 3* hotel like another hotels in Paris or London. Better is booking by internet or by travel agent. Rack rate at hotel is too expensive.

I stayed in the Minerva hotel for a work-related conference, and it was selected by some people in Bucharest.
The place wasn't exactly cheap, so I expected a bit more than I actually got.

On the plus side: The rooms were clean, and it actually had all the things you'd expect from a "real" hotel: Night reception, TV, safe, minibar, airconditioning, and even wireless internet for free. The breakfast buffet was also included, it was standard fare.
After the breakfast, the restaurant will turn into a chinese one, for some weird reason.

On the other hand, the rooms were rather small, the furniture simple and the rooms had a rather "cheap" feeling to them. The main room was just the bed, a small cupboard with the TV, and a chair.
The last makeover seems to have been quite a while ago.

The location was quite nice, in walking distance to the city center, but unfortunately there wasn't much time to explore the town.

The staff was professional, but they didn't exactly go to lengths to be extra nice.

All in all the hotel was an o.k. place to stay, since I didn't have to pay myself. But I've stayed in central Manhattan for less money, at the same standard; and if I returned on my own, I'd probably try something else.