The popular US-based TIME magazine has published its annual list of 100 of the world’s greatest places of 2025, including Matca Hotel in Romania’s Brașov County.

Opened in January 2024, Matca Hotel is a Relais & Châteaux boutique hotel featuring 16 exclusive rooms and two private villas, each decorated with handcrafted elements that reflect the local spirit.

Inspired by its name, which refers to the queen bee, Matca Hotel has its own beehive, producing honey-based products used in the hotel's menus. In collaboration with Roha Silva, the hotel also offers an exclusive selection of teas, enhancing an authentic gastronomic experience.

Guests of Matca Hotel enjoy breathtaking views of the Bucegi and Piatra Craiului Mountains. The article in TIME magazine also highlights a woven fence in the Maramureș style and a hand-carved gate from Țara Făgărașului.

According to TIME, Matca Hotel promotes Transylvanian fine dining through a farm-to-table concept, paired with some of Romania’s finest wines. Guests can also experience traditional hay baths, a rejuvenating local ritual, or swim in a pool with panoramic mountain views. 

“The famed Bran Castle is nearby, and the hotel operates a night tour for guests to experience a private visit—suitably eerie for the fortress best known for its association with Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” the magazine notes.

A standard 19 sqm double room at the hotel costs EUR 452 for one night, and can go as high as EUR 884 for an entire 92 sqm villa, with suites and junior suites also available. 

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Matca Hotel Relais & Châteaux on Facebook)