You can always pay for accommodation in leas. There are no bureaucratic rules to report to the police or account for each night spent in the country.
Camping
Because there are no youth or school hostels in Romania, and the dormitories do not open their doors to tourists often, travelers with a thin wallet are actually only camping. Provided, that they have their own tent and… it is summer. Dozens of official campsites have emerged along the Black Sea coast. It is a perfect place to relax and meet young Romanians. Fields with mobile homes (bungalows) they are called popas turisticas. The conditions at many campsites are very primitive. Some do not have toilets or showers, and most are open from mid-May or June to mid-September. Choosing a place on the camping site, worth taking into account, that Romanian neighbors will probably listen to loud fiery music almost all night long.
It is forbidden to pitch a tent in the wild in cities, but outside of them there are no prohibitions. It was unthinkable under Ceausescu, and today it has become quite common, especially on the Black Sea. Nothing stands in the way, to join the Romanians smashing up somewhere in "no man's land."” or on the beach. Lonely travelers should avoid staying overnight in the vicinity of roads. If someone is going to sleep in the car, will be safer, when parking near a campsite or hotel. A car by the road can generate unnecessary attention. Any suggestions, that staying overnight in a given area may end up in trouble, take it seriously and move elsewhere. You always have to be careful with your belongings, so that they do not change owners.
Mountain huts
Although there are no restrictions on pitching tents in the mountains, Low temperatures may prove to be a major obstacle. In the mountains, especially on more frequented routes, It is not difficult to come across cottages and hostels (cabana) with canteens or even buffets. It can be different with prices. A cabana can be a cheap night shelter without running water or a luxurious resort with the standard of a three-star hotel. Maps usually do not specify the type of shelter and unless the tourist asks about it more knowledgeable hikers met on the trail, it can fall into a compote like a plum – in the middle of a storm or late at night in a luxury hotel in a remote area, without the possibility of catching a few more kilometers to a more sensible place. Reservations in typical hostels are not necessary, but if the cabana is attractively situated, for example, near the cable car station, better arrive early enough. You can count on good company and delicious, inexpensive wine, but not for cleanliness and comfortable conditions. Most mountain huts are open all year round – in winter, they switch to servicing skiers – but it never hurts to make sure of this at the tourist office in advance.
Private accommodation
Only from 1989 r. Romanians have the right to rent private rooms to foreigners. It costs money 7-15 $ from person; sometimes you can bargain. Sometimes at the news, that the traveler is a Pole, the hosts lower the price, but this is obviously not necessarily the case. Because people discovered this way of earning extra money quite recently, often they do not know very well, How to do it. Mostly "catch” foreign tourists in the streets and stations, judging them by their appearance, and propose an overnight stay. It happens, that they have no idea, what price to quote. If someone boasts, that he has a shower or hot running water in the house, meaning, that he lives extremely comfortably. Only a few travel agencies reserve private rooms (private room).
The easiest way to find private accommodation is in Brasov and Sinai, they are much rarer on the coast, and very expensive in the capital.
Railway station waiting rooms
As a last resort, you can spend the night in the train station waiting room, especially if you are departing very late or arriving early. It's good to have your ticket with you, in case the security services try to get the traveler outside. It would also be safer to leave your luggage in the storage room, unless he's awake all night. Lounges allow you to get to know the richness of station life up close, mainly based on spreading sounds and smells.
Hotels
Rooms in decent hotels often cost just £ 10 $ more than a bed in a private house. However, this must not be forgotten, that hotels have different tariffs for foreigners. Some hotels charge extra fees for using a shared shower. Ultimately, renting a room with a bathroom may be a better solution, although even in first-class hotels there are water failures.
All prices listed here have been converted at the official rate. You can pay in lees or in hard currency; sometimes the receptionist asks for a receipt confirming the legality of the exchange.
Romanian hotels are officially divided into categories from one (lowest standard and cheapest) up to four stars. Hotels of the two highest categories usually provide hot water, telephone and tv in the room. The prices fluctuate quite significantly, from 45 after 90 $ and more for a double room.
There is little difference between two-star and three-star hotels. Warm water is a common comfort, but all the rooms, regardless of size, they have an equally unpleasant smell. A double room costs money 20-40 $.
An undoubted advantage from the point of view of a foreign tourist is the fact, that there will always be a place for him, even if there is a large nu avem locuri on the hotel door (there are no vacancies). This hospitality comes from here, that a foreigner pays four times more than a Romanian for the same room. In some hotels breakfast is included in the price (you have to ask).
Hotel passes – Romanian Automobile Club (Automobile Clubul Roman) issues hotel tickets – significant facility in using the accommodation facilities. They can only be purchased from Touring ACR representatives in selected hotels, at large border crossing points and in the office in Bucharest.
The ticket price is 28 $, so less than the average hotel room price. The passes entitle you to stay in a double room with a bathroom and breakfast, in selected hotels. For incomprehensible reasons, a single ticket costs money 32 $.
Reservation is unnecessary, because participating hotels always keep a certain number of places for pass holders. Whether, when they were purchased, are valid until March of the following year. They can be especially useful on the Black Sea coast, where hotels are always "full”. Unfortunately, the number of hotels accepting passes as a form of payment has significantly decreased in recent years - they are listed in this chapter, and ACR has a complete list of them. It does happen though, that after all, some demand payment in cash. But these kinds of surprises make up the charms of traveling in Romania.
Better to ask about the normal price before using the subscription, sometimes it may turn out to be a little lower. By opting for passes, you shouldn't buy too many of them, because you can spend the night in many different places, not necessarily in hotels. Basically, ACR buys back unused tickets, offsetting 40% their values, but it is rather only a theoretical assumption.