Charter Apartments Costea

HOTEL OVERVIEW

You know what caught me off guard about Charter Apartments Costea? The moment I walked up to the building on Arh. Grigore Ionescu street, I realized this wasn’t going to be your typical apartment stay. I mean, the address might sound intimidating if you’re not familiar with Sibiu, but honestly – it’s in one of those neighborhoods where locals actually live, about a 15-minute walk from the Old Town chaos. The Calea Cisnadiei area has this perfect balance where you’re close enough to everything but far enough that you won’t hear drunk tourists singing at 2 AM.

The apartments themselves are surprisingly spacious, and I’m talking actually spacious, not that “cozy European charm” code for tiny. What really won me over was the attention to detail – the owner clearly gets that business travelers and families need different things than backpackers. The kitchenettes are properly equipped (I actually cooked a few meals there), and the Wi-Fi doesn’t cut out every time someone in the next room streams Netflix. Parking was straightforward too, which if you’ve ever tried to navigate Sibiu’s medieval streets with a rental car, you’ll appreciate. The building itself is quiet – most of the noise you’ll hear is just normal neighborhood life, maybe some kids playing in the courtyard during the day.

Here’s what I found interesting though – the 9.6 rating actually makes sense once you stay there. It’s not trying to be fancy or Instagram-perfect, but everything just works the way it should. The check-in process was smooth, the place was genuinely clean (not just surface-clean), and when I had a minor issue with the heating, it got sorted within hours. The location really grows on you too. There’s a decent grocery store maybe five minutes away, and you can walk to Piata Mare in about 20 minutes if you don’t mind the slight uphill trek back. Actually, that walk became my favorite part of the day – you pass through some residential streets that give you a real feel for how Sibiu locals live, away from all the tourist stuff. For a 3-star place, it punches well above its weight, and honestly, I’d stay there again without hesitation.