Fancy a stay in an ice hotel? I have personally stayed here a few years ago when it first opened and was significantly cheaper and less well known and it is amazing and still reasonably priced. Loved Transylvania and food and drink is very reasonable, even beer at the Ice Hotel was around 70p when I went although I dare say it's gone up a bit now, but nonetheless much cheaper than the Ice Hotel in Sweden and you feel isolated as it is only accessible by cable car. We had an eventful time trying to find the toilets in the middle of the night leaving the Ice Hotel and heading for the cable car station in the middle of a blizzard and I got my hot mug of mulled wine stuck to the ice table oops! Definatly go before Feb and if you leave it til Feb or March time the hotel tends to lose its sparkle as it starts to melt!
There are a few variations you could do, flying in and out of different airports, visiting Bucharest too (around a 5 hour or so drive) and extending your trip. This is just an example of a short trip.
26th January 2016
Fly from Luton to Sibui. Drive to Brasov but stop of at Sighisoara just over 1hr away, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Make sure you climb Scara Şcolarilor covered staircase ad you get fantastic views from the top, and visit the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, the supposed inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula!! Very often they are filming movies here (and there was some very odd Romanian movies being filmed when I went, like Romanian versions of Carry On films). I'd suggest a bite to eat then head to Brasov around an hour away. Overnight in Brasov.
27th January 2016
You have a full day in Brasov. Plenty of time to visit Bran Castle and I'd strongly suggest Rasnov Fort, very LOTR like! Overnight in Brasov again.
28th January 2016
Drive from Brasov to the Cable Car station at Balea Waterfall which will take you to the Ice hotel at Balea Lac. The view below is of the Transfagarasan Highway but is not accessible in winter. Before you go check out the epic Top Gear episode where they drove this highway. It would be well worth visiting in summer too. At the Ice Hotel you can spend the day sledging, snowmobiling or walking through the tunnel (which in summer you would drive through along the highway but in winter it is full of very large icicles) or just enjoy the very cheap alcohol before turning in for the night in your ice hotel room.
29th January 2016
Leave ice hotel and get car from the cable car station and drive to Sibui visiting its original medieval walls and crossing the Bridge of Lies. Overnight in Sibui at the Exclusive Motel and More.
30th January 2016
Drive to airport for flight home.
BREAKDOWN
Flights to Sibui £105.96 @ Wizzair.com
2 Nights in Villa Swiss in Brasov area £42 @ www.booking.com
1 night in ice hotel €100/£60.71 book @ hotelofice.ro
This is not like the one in james bond :disappointed:
All comments (41)
rachelandgromit
11 Nov 151#1
Flights
Brasov
Sibui
Car
nicblaney
11 Nov 151#2
Heat for the time and effort! Sounds like a great deal and a fun trip!
leeparsons
11 Nov 153#3
This is not like the one in james bond :disappointed:
rachelandgromit to leeparsons
11 Nov 15#4
Hahah, no this is better :innocent:
Go and confess your sins in the Ice Church! James Bond never had one of them.....
Daywalker04
11 Nov 151#5
Freezing!
Lloydinio
11 Nov 151#6
this is cold. but I'm voting hot
Asiral
11 Nov 151#7
Just a small correction: it is Sibiu, not Sibui. Other than that, very good information!
Hot for me!
rachelandgromit to Asiral
12 Nov 15#10
Thank you! My phone makes up random places and capatalises words that don't need capitals and I'm forever having to edit... I should use my laptop but ironically WiFi is faster on my phone and my Asus Transformer is having network problems with 'limited access'.... If anyone knows anything about this problem pm me... I'm not going to edit again but yes Sibiu is what I meant!
InAFalsetto
12 Nov 15#8
My kind of holiday. So different from the normal hotel resort!
ving333
12 Nov 15#9
[Why this deal is for 2 not for solo traveller ???
rachelandgromit to ving333
12 Nov 15#11
Because a large amount of people travel as a two but you can adjust it to a solo traveller, you may find cheaper accommodation options and I'm sure if you want to look at meeting other travellers then Airbnb or hostels may be a good option too for you.
leeparsons
12 Nov 15#12
Oh I must have dream about this then
leeparsons
12 Nov 15#13
The word hates us singletons
rachelandgromit
12 Nov 15#14
Nah, lots of like minded travellers check out travel buddy amd also couchsurfing too. I've hosted a couple of people travelling on their own and stayed with a couple of people and met some great friends.
leeparsons
12 Nov 151#15
Really and you felt safe and secure?
archer1204
12 Nov 15#16
Airbnb is the singletons best friend have always used them where i can, met some amazing people and some very good friends cant wait for my next little trip- riga,tallin.helsinki,st petersburg.
If anyone has any recommendations for somewhere nice to eat whilst in st petersburg gratefully appreciated as never been there before.
rachelandgromit
12 Nov 151#17
Yep but do your research carefully. One lovely family put me up when I was running a marathon for charity and even cooked me breakfast before hand and dinner afterwards and cheered me on. I'm careful who I choose to host and where I stay and whilst I do stay in a mix of hotels, airbnb and hostels I do occasionally look at other options too.
archer1204
12 Nov 15#18
Dont always go for the cheapest option and if you havn't used airbnb before i wouldn't stay with anyone who hasn't had a review.Also even if people have had reviews i normally contact random reviewees to see what they really thought.
leeparsons
12 Nov 15#19
Where about did you go then? Tell me, and how you came by these people then?
2o2o
12 Nov 151#20
Would add heat but it would melt the hotel..
micpwelsh
12 Nov 15#21
You can meet Olaf
archer1204
12 Nov 15#22
In the last 2 years probably about 16 small holidays ( max 7 days but sometimes only 5 days)mainly with airbnb or other low cost accommodation.I always travel light only carry on luggage makes life so easy.Low cost carriers are a godsend but always play by their rules else you will probably get your fingers burnt.
I prefer to spend my money on guided tours etc but sometimes i look at what they offer and if i can do it cheaper replicate it.However sometimes you can only go to some places as a guided tour of if they offer special access then i go with them.
As for airbnb personally i wouldn't stay anywhere without a proper bed i done my time staying on couches or sofabeds.I recently had a lovely time with a family who was a tube stop away from the EXPO in milan which was ideal.Also you dont pay any city tax which is an extra normally added onto your bill by a hotel.One of my best experiences was when i visited New York last year and stayed with a lovely south american family for £20 a night in new jersey.Whatever you do if you goto New york dont stay in the city using airbnb you might get away with it however you might end up turfed out in the street.However if you stay in New Jersey you should be fine plus in the morning and nighttime i had the amazing Manhattan skyline to look forward to.Any other questions you can ask below or PM me.
FTOdude170
12 Nov 151#23
wow what an incredibly well written deal. great stuff OP
NikLP
12 Nov 15#24
You must have dreamt that it was a church...?
Daryl010
12 Nov 15#25
Hi Very Interested in this deal but I am new to this but do you have to book each via there own web page?
Hot from me.
darren9030 to Daryl010
12 Nov 15#29
Yes, indeed you do :wink:
rachelandgromit
12 Nov 15#26
Here you go, the hotel of ice in Romania has a church, you can even get married there. You can see it on the hotelofice.ro website or the pictures here are better.
Yes you need to book everything individually as per the Screenshots. I'd suggest getting all the links open on different tabs so you can make sure everything is available before booking it and if necessary change dates.
WheresMeNuts
12 Nov 15#27
What would happen if you pee :-/
rachelandgromit to WheresMeNuts
12 Nov 151#28
You use the toilets are the cable car station nearby or you can go there for a warm. It was about minus 5 when we went and we were nice and warm and slept surprisingly well (perhaps the amount of mulled wine we drank had something to do with that too)...
afroylnt
12 Nov 15#30
Surely staying in a badly maintained travelodge in Scotland during Winter would be allot cheaper?
boofuls1 to afroylnt
12 Nov 15#31
no vampires there tho
Daryl010
13 Nov 15#32
Has anyone tried booking the Ice Hotel? I have sent them request (twice) no reply. I do not want to book flights untill confirmed booking at Ice Hotel other hotels are not a problem.
us_agent2012 to Daryl010
17 Nov 15#35
The reply from them went to my junk mail. Try there.
Daryl010
13 Nov 15#33
Just tried to book flights and only bags you can take for free is 42 x 32 x 25 cms so the size of a small day pack for 4 nights. My wife and I always travel light but not sure I could get 4 x t-shirt, extra pair trouses, extra hoody, socks and underwear in day ruck sack. May be ok in summer when less clothes need. For £10 each way we can take one extra case 56 x 45x 25 cms. Or 23kgs going in aircarft hold for £18.50 each way. Begining to get more expensive.
archer1204 to Daryl010
13 Nov 15#34
For the days you are there because its going to be cold no one is going to see your t shirts i just buy some cheap ones there and then throw them away.I also wear 2 pairs of combats flying thereby saving space but also got the warmth if needed.If you dont want to go down the luggage in the hold route.
Daryl010
17 Nov 15#36
Booked Ice Hotel via booking.com for the same price in the end. Also the car hire add £7.50 approx for winter tyres.
We booked different hotels in Sibiu and Brasov as we wanted to be nearer the centre of town so we could walk to resturants etc. I made sure the hotels had free parking before booking.
rachelandgromit
17 Nov 15#37
Hope you all have a great time!!
us_agent2012
17 Nov 15#38
Thanks! Booked up for Feb and looking forward to it.
harams
18 Mar 16#39
Just got back from staying here which I booked after seeing this. Amazing place not just the ice hotel but Romania. We flew in to Tirgu Meres traveled to Sighasora, Bran, Brasov, Peles Castle and Bucharest. Very cheap we even went off the beaten track and traveled through villages. Thank you for posting,
rachelandgromit to harams
18 Mar 16#40
Brilliant to hear, second report back this week off someone that had an amazing time from one of my posts. So glad you enjoyed it.
harams
18 Mar 16#41
Just been looking at one on here for Croatia and notice you've posted that one too.
![Fresh Breakfast Meat Box (Using code) @ Campbells Meat [Haggis / Lorne Sausage / Bacon / Black Pudding & More]](/images/topics/208684_1.jpg)
![[Xbox One] Q. u. b. e: Director's Cut on Deals with Gold](/images/topics/208716_1.jpg)
Opening post
There are a few variations you could do, flying in and out of different airports, visiting Bucharest too (around a 5 hour or so drive) and extending your trip. This is just an example of a short trip.
26th January 2016
Fly from Luton to Sibui. Drive to Brasov but stop of at Sighisoara just over 1hr away, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Make sure you climb Scara Şcolarilor covered staircase ad you get fantastic views from the top, and visit the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, the supposed inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula!! Very often they are filming movies here (and there was some very odd Romanian movies being filmed when I went, like Romanian versions of Carry On films). I'd suggest a bite to eat then head to Brasov around an hour away. Overnight in Brasov.
27th January 2016
You have a full day in Brasov. Plenty of time to visit Bran Castle and I'd strongly suggest Rasnov Fort, very LOTR like! Overnight in Brasov again.
28th January 2016
Drive from Brasov to the Cable Car station at Balea Waterfall which will take you to the Ice hotel at Balea Lac. The view below is of the Transfagarasan Highway but is not accessible in winter. Before you go check out the epic Top Gear episode where they drove this highway. It would be well worth visiting in summer too. At the Ice Hotel you can spend the day sledging, snowmobiling or walking through the tunnel (which in summer you would drive through along the highway but in winter it is full of very large icicles) or just enjoy the very cheap alcohol before turning in for the night in your ice hotel room.
29th January 2016
Leave ice hotel and get car from the cable car station and drive to Sibui visiting its original medieval walls and crossing the Bridge of Lies. Overnight in Sibui at the Exclusive Motel and More.
30th January 2016
Drive to airport for flight home.
BREAKDOWN
Flights to Sibui £105.96 @ Wizzair.com
2 Nights in Villa Swiss in Brasov area £42 @ www.booking.com
1 night in ice hotel €100/£60.71 book @ hotelofice.ro
1 night in Sibui £30.98 @ www.venere.com using code
Return cable car transfers for two €28/£19.77
Car Hire @ www.atlaschoice.com £27.85
Total £287.27/£143.63pp
Top comments
All comments (41)
Brasov
Sibui
Car
Go and confess your sins in the Ice Church! James Bond never had one of them.....
Hot for me!
Oh I must have dream about this then
If anyone has any recommendations for somewhere nice to eat whilst in st petersburg gratefully appreciated as never been there before.
I prefer to spend my money on guided tours etc but sometimes i look at what they offer and if i can do it cheaper replicate it.However sometimes you can only go to some places as a guided tour of if they offer special access then i go with them.
As for airbnb personally i wouldn't stay anywhere without a proper bed i done my time staying on couches or sofabeds.I recently had a lovely time with a family who was a tube stop away from the EXPO in milan which was ideal.Also you dont pay any city tax which is an extra normally added onto your bill by a hotel.One of my best experiences was when i visited New York last year and stayed with a lovely south american family for £20 a night in new jersey.Whatever you do if you goto New york dont stay in the city using airbnb you might get away with it however you might end up turfed out in the street.However if you stay in New Jersey you should be fine plus in the morning and nighttime i had the amazing Manhattan skyline to look forward to.Any other questions you can ask below or PM me.
Hot from me.
Yes you need to book everything individually as per the Screenshots. I'd suggest getting all the links open on different tabs so you can make sure everything is available before booking it and if necessary change dates.
We booked different hotels in Sibiu and Brasov as we wanted to be nearer the centre of town so we could walk to resturants etc. I made sure the hotels had free parking before booking.