Pavel Zingan, describing one of Moldova's iconic locations
Last week, upon maib's invitation, I spent a night at BERD'S hotel. You, too, can benefit from such an experience. How? Read the first article in the "Five nights in Moldova" series.
In the first article I want to tell you about the promotion "With a mortgage from maib, you create memories at home".
It started on April 25 and will run until July 31, 2024. By taking out a mortgage from maib of at least 700 000 MDL, you automatically enter the promotion and become eligible for the draw. We will offer 30 trips to five locations to celebrate one of life's significant events, such as buying your own apartment or house.
The locations are already indicated on the maib website, so I won't keep them secret. These are BERD'S, Château Purcari, Crama Mircești, Castel Mimi and Et Cetera. Each location is unique.
In the upcoming articles, I will share my personal experiences at each location, giving you an authentic feel for them. Travelling around Moldova can surpass many trips to other countries. And that's not an exaggeration. It's a personal background.
Today, I want to tell you about EBRD's. Especially since it was the first time I had spent a day and a night at BERD'S.
Do you know who designed BERD’S?
BERD'S has an incredible architecture. You feel it immediately, but it takes time to find the right words. When you cross the hotel's threshold, you feel like you have disappeared from Chișinău and are in another place. Where? It might be worth asking Luca Scacchetti, the architect who designed BERD'S.
Scacchetti headed the architecture Department at the Institute of Design in Milan. His work includes the Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Rome, the Bologna airport project, a residential complex in Shanghai, projects in Greece, France, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and BERD'S in Moldova.
Moreover, he is the author of the famous Italian "Hydra" design chairs (you've definitely seen them, but you didn't know who the author is).
Scacchetti brought BERD'S into a world of his own. The hotel has a lot of lighting and large windows, but they are always covered with blinds, curtains, and drapes. Just as there are no clocks in a casino to keep you from noticing the time, in BERD'S, there is no outside world to immerse yourself in the hotel space completely.
Some English words that are good to know
You can explore the hotel’s spa by winning a night at BERD’S in the maib promotion. You'll most likely be offered a massage and a chocolate body wrap, just like I was offered. It's yet another way to "escape" not only from the country or city but also from every day worries. Sit back and enjoy. The only thing you have to consider is that at BERD'S, the massage is done by Balinese women who will speak to you in English. You don't necessarily need a rich vocabulary, but you should answer "yes" when asked if you feel comfortable.
BERD’S Arome Locale
That's the restaurant's name at BERD'S, and there is a subtlety. 99% of the restaurant's food is purchased no more than 200 kilometres within a hotel's vicinity. This is a true sign of fine dining- cooking from local and seasonal produce. The second feature of the restaurant is that the cuisine here is not traditionally Moldovan but follows national traditions, especially since everything here is cooked from local ingredients.
The chef at BERD'S is Oxana Crețu, a Moldovan whose restaurant in Bordeaux is listed in the Michelin guide. For example, I was served her pâté for dinner. Take a look at the photos to see what it looks like! You must still work up the courage to cut it with a knife. Ask for toasted black bread alongside the pate. The combination is perfect.
Accommodation
Another thought, and it will be interesting to hear the opinion of those who will win a night in the hotel: If you didn't grow up in a mansion and live in a modern apartment, your bedroom is usually small, so-called " bedroom to shoulder width."
But at BERD'S, it's different. There is lots of space. Do you want to get out of bed and move through the room? You are welcome. Do you want to sit in armchairs with your partner, sipping champagne from a bowl of ice? There you go.
And that is another echo of Luca Scacchetti and aristocratic Italy.
Well, it's not every day you buy a new house so that you can celebrate this event to its fullest.
