Ever stayed in a cozy family-owned hotel? Read on to find out why you should.

Don’t you just love planning for your next adventure? Choosing the destination, imagining everything you’ll see and experience and, of course, choosing your hotel.

Research shows that this is, in fact, the happiest part of any vacation. The planning. The anticipation.

 

Planning a trip to Bucharest soon? Why not stay in a brand-new 4-star hotel? New Era Hotel is ideally located in the Old Town of Bucharest. We’re a family-owned business – one that you won’t forget soon!

 

We experienced this firsthand. As frequent travelers ourselves, booking the perfect trip was always exciting. In the past few years, we have decided to forego the chain experience and discovered the quaint charm of family-owned hotels all over the world.

In fact, this is one of the reasons why we decided to open our own hotel in the Old Town of Bucharest. We wanted to offer other fellow travelers the same 100% local and 100% heartfelt experiences that we have received in our travels.

As family hotel owners and lovers, these are the things we most appreciate in such hotels as opposed to the standardized chain hotel experience.

1. The Human-Centric Approach of a Family-Owned Hotel

Have you ever been in the lobby of a huge chain hotel with 300+ rooms? The last time I was in one of those I felt as if I were waiting in line at the supermarket.

The reception staff was on auto-pilot. They had to check small groups quickly because a bus outside was unloading a big group. Even the VIP customers got the rush treatment, through no fault of the reception staff.

They were just doing their job as well as they could, working hard to limit the waiting time for everyone. Still, they were too overwhelmed to have time for a smile or a sincere ‘Welcome!”.

This rarely happens in family-owned hotels.

When you get there, you are treated like a guest. Just as if you were visiting old friends and staying in their home.

Since most family-owned hotels have very few rooms, you won’t see a big line in front of you when you check in and check out. So the reception staff won’t rush you. They’ll even have time to answer any questions you may have about the hotel itself of the city you are visiting.

Pro tip: the reception staff at New Era Hotel knows that there can’t be a hospitality business without hospitable people. So get ready to be greeted with a big smile every time you’re here.

2. Problems Are Solved Faster in a Family-Owned Hotel

It happens to everyone. The occasional leaky faucet, the squeaky door or the stained carpet that went unnoticed – they all happen in hotels, just as they happen at home.

You’d think that a big chain hotel would have more resources and fix such issues faster. Half of this is true – they do have the resources.

But because the volume of people that the hotel hosts is so big, most of these problems go unnoticed for a long time. Not to mention the fact that the employees aren’t so keen to report any problem they spot, even if it’s not in their job description.

Running a small hotel is like running a big family. It’s an all hands on deck type of situation. The employees all know each other and genuinely care about the hotel. They’ll report any problem immediately, often long before a guest notice. And if a guest does notice something, it will be fixed much faster.

Sure, the plumber may be off-duty that day. But a family hotel staff is more resourceful than you think.

Pro tip: At New Era Hotel in the Old Town of Bucharest, the rooms and the common areas are inspected thoroughly by a hotel manager after each checkout. This is how we make sure that every room is in tip-top shape for our next guest.

3. You Get to Sample Real Local Food

Yes, the food in chain hotels is (most often) very good – especially if we’re talking about 4+ stars hotels. But don’t you feel like you’ve eaten the same thing again and again?

You see, chain hotels have to make all the thousands of daily guests happy. So well-known dishes, often more blend than they should be and international cuisine (read: the usual pizza, burgers, and pasta) are the answer.

A family-owned hotel can take a different approach. They can hire a local chef that may not know the latest trends in Michelin-starred restaurants, but can sure cook a mean local feast. Just like their grandmother taught them.

In a small, family-owned hotel, you get to taste authentic cuisine, just like the locals eat at home. Plus, since small hotels cook for fewer people, the ingredients are always fresher and better. They don’t buy in bulk. They are more inclined to buy top-quality seasonal ingredients.

Pro tip: the New Era Hotel chef will splurge you every morning with delicious local foods – both sweet and savory –, as well as with some of the classic breakfast options from all over the world. Our menu always changes, as it depends on the ingredients available each season from our trusted local suppliers. Be sure to ask for recommendations when you check in.

Here’s a small sample of what you can expect:

4. Family-Owned Hotels Are the Ideal Choice for Business Travelers

Do you know what you miss most of all when you’re on a business trip? Take it from someone whose corporate travels took them all over the world: it’s home.

While no hotel in the world can give you the same feeling, family-owned ones come pretty close. The attention to detail isn’t just for optimizing space, as it happens with chain hotels. It’s also dedicated to offering you a homey atmosphere and cozy vibes.

Pro tip: the rooms at New Era Hotel in the Old Town of Bucharest offer 4-star comfort without sacrificing the homey vibe. Plus, all our rooms come with a desk or a table, so you can make your own choice between work and relaxation.

5. Customer Experience at its Finest

A small, family-owned hotel will go above and beyond to make sure that every single guest is happy while staying with them. They know that a bad review can cost them a lot of business. And they rely a lot on repeat customers, the people who can turn into friends for life.

On the other hand, chain hotels have countless partnerships, referral, loyalty and affiliate programs. So a bad review doesn’t harm them that much. Sure, if the bad reviews pile up, business may suffer. But the occasional disgruntled guest doesn’t give them pause.

This is why you family-owned hotels will take care of your every need. The staff will take the time to give you recommendations (for instance, we are already famous for our spot-on, local recommendations for foodies and urban explorers). They will hire cars for you and even splurge you with the occasional surprise.

Pro tip: New Era Hotel Bucharest likes to pamper their guests with in-room complimentary Nespresso coffee and even wine and sweets.

What about you? What do you love most about a family-owned hotel? What is the thing a chain hotel could never give you? Leave your comment below.