The Bucharest Palace that feels like stepping into Onyx Storm

The Fourth Wing fantasy series, along with other fantasy fan favourites such as Sarah J Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses, has shaken up the literary world, prompting many readers to search for an IRL escape that give the same energy as their favourite dragon filled lands.

Travel company First Choice may have found just that – with a palace in Bucharest that has the same dark wood-panelled energy of Riorson House and grand ornate reception and lounge rooms as the Basgiath War College Archives.

The Marmorosch Bucharest is a grand palace hotel housed in what was once Romania’s most influential 19th century bank. The imposing structure complete with gothic gargoyles blends harsh gothic stone, dark wooden features and opulent marble.

You won’t be undergoing the same gruelling training regime as Violet though, with sumptuous rooms and a decked-out spa, the hotel blends dark gothic with velvet clad comfort.

But if the hotel wasn’t enough to scratch that fantastical itch, Bucharest is a gothic playground that blends grand dilapidated mansion houses with harsh concrete brutalist structures, all set in the playground of legendary vampires.

Birthplace of the Dracula legend, Bran Castle sits just outside the city, with gothic towers and a dark, atmospheric interior that mirrors the gothic aesthetic of the kingdom of Navarre. Meanwhile the Snagov Monastery – the burial place of Vlad the Impaler – sits on a tranquil lake akin to the dragons sanctuary at the Vale, while it’s imposing structure mimics that of Basgiath College itself.

Trips to Bucharest staying at the Marmorosch Bucharest start at £497 per person*. on. Price is based on 2 adults sharing a double standard, on a bed and breakfast basis for 2 nights, flights departing from London Heathrow on 5th March 2025. 2x 23kg luggage included and transfers not included.

For more information visit firstchoice.co.uk.