ANYONE looking for a cheap holiday with some great beach time needs to consider heading to Mamaia.
It’s one of the most popular seaside resorts in Romania and is also one of the cheapest – and has a hotel owned by a former footballer.
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Mamaia is a lively beach resort known for its nightclubs and sandy beaches that sits on a thin strip of land between the Black Sea and Lake Siutghiol.
Thanks to its location it has incredible views across the water with highs of 25C in September.
Romania itself is known for being one of the cheapest countries for a city break – you can get a local beer for just 11 lei – £1.88.
The resort is considered the ‘Blackpool‘ of Romania thanks to its affordability and party atmosphere.
In Mamaia, one hotel is even owned by a celebrated Romanian footballer who has been known to sit at the bar and chat with guests.
Gheorghe Hagi, who played for the Romania national team for 17 years, bought the IAKI Conference & Spa Hotel in 1999 and has given the hotel a big makeover since then.
Now, it has 122 spacious rooms and apartments with rates starting at €60 (£52.04).
Thanks to its location on the Mamaia strip, the hotel has either seafront or lake views.
The hotel has a first-class spa with a hot tub, yoga room, room for spin classes and a wet and dry sauna.
There are outdoor and indoor pools too and even access to a private beach.
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The IAKI beach has 220 sun loungers and umbrellas and a volleyball court.
The IAKI has three dining areas too, the Coriolis is open all-year round, has traditional Romanian food including plenty of seafood, and meat like beef tenderloin and lamb chops.
The Ballroom restaurant is where buffet meals are served for guests during the summer period.
IAKI Casino is usually reserved for special occasions, like birthdays, weddings and baptisms.
As for where to get a drink, guests can check out the Piano Bar, Sunrise Bar as well as the bar on the beach.
As the hotel is owned by a former footballer, there is of course a football pitch where both staff and guests can play.
On Tripadvisor, the hotel is rated number one in Mamaia.
One guest wrote: “It has been our 4th visit here and, as usual, the view towards the sea was magnificent, the room was prepared in advance with a baby cot for our daughter, food was excellent.
“I had the chance to see the owner in person again: Gheorghe Hagi, the best Romanian footballer of all time!”
Another added: “Our best memory represents the fact that we met “the king”- Gheorghe Hagi at the front desk and at the hotel’s bar. We took a photo with him and he gave us an autograph.”
It’s easy to get there too, with Wizz Air, you can fly direct from London Luton to Constanta Kogalniceanu from £23.
From there, Mamaia is a 30 minute drive away.
Romania is so affordable that one woman even flew to there for a spa holiday with her mum because it was cheaper than the UK – even with return flights.
And here’s another pretty European city most Brits won’t have heard of gets new cheap flights from the UK.
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