Brașov, Carpathians, romania

My wife had a stay-over on a snow-filled night in Zurich and loved it, recommending that we mark Switzerland on our holiday destination list. Sounds exciting, except when I scour Airbnb broadly for Switzerland the prices are, as expected, beautiful and very costly.

At the same time, some friends texted me, wanting to share a listing in the Romanian ski resort called Poiana Brasov in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains.

Where would we stay

I was surprised to find so many *modern* Airbnbs in the area. This property stands out for it’s combination of appeal and price.

3 bedrooms/3.5 baths in Râșnov, Romania

In June 2024, the price for a week is $310 per night

Râşnov, Romania

Staying in the town is more appealing and more expensive. This apartment is attractive and this penthouse would be very nice for a splurge but then we are in the pricing of Switzerland.

Would we stay here?

There’s a lot that is compelling here. The restaurants look nice as do nearby towns and villages. There is outdoor activity year round. The weather is not too hot not too cold.

If visiting in the winter, Ski tickets are just $76 per day, and half that for children. This is a steal in the US, however, ski passes in the EU tend to be much lower than in the US.

The two knocks agains the property are that it is not in-town or close to a town. Some want that but when we are visiting a new region we want to be around people and sites.

Also, it’s a hassle to get the area. If you arrive in Europe in Paris, you would then need to fly 3 hours to Bucharest, followed by a 3 hour drive or train to the Carpathians.

WOULD WE INVEST IN A PROPERTY IN Brașov?

Here is the villa that my friend shared. 10 rooms at this price in the village seems like a great deal. However, the furnishings and fixtures look very dated. The building iteself looks like it’s in good shape, however, I’d wonder if there has been much investment in upkeep giving that the interior has seen no love.

One of my friends said he thinks that in Europe he feels that luxury properties are currently over-priced by speculators. But until there is a global recession I don’t see that changing.

Listing this on Airbnb after an investment I can see that it will see a good return.

The bottom line is that the onerous travel requirements mean I wouldn’t consider it. I need to be able to get to a property without 2 days of travel.

This 10 room villa is listed for $1.4M