The moment I stepped out of my taxi, I was enamored by the fragrance from the pollen. The view of…read morethe colors in the sky as the sunsetting and the hotel front steps is breathtaking.
After reading a couple of reviews on TripAdviser and research online, we chose this hotel over others. It was definitely worth the gamble. The hotel is in a perfect location in Old Town. It is by the Wisla. If you walk towards the Wisla, there are stairs that take you down and there is a little park with fountains. Come at night time, the fountains light up in various array of colors and you get a water show. Great place to take your kids to see. The hotel is a short walking distance from the rynek and other shops. The price is comparable to the US, but the service and amenities is not something you would get in the states for that price.
There were bellboys who help you with your luggage as you enter and when you leave. As I entered the hotel, there was a man playing the the grand piano. This hotel is upscale, looks fairly new. The only downside is the old looking TVs in the rooms. The rooms were very nice. Free wifi! There is an electric safe in the closet, which we used to store our passports, jewelry, and electronics. They even had a large umbrella for patrons who ventured outside in the rain, which we used a couple of times on our way to the Rynek. The bathrooms are so nice. The tub is huge, took baths a couple of times during our stay. When we first arrived, the bathroom only had one set of robe, slippers, towels and toiletries; but less than 5 minutes after we arrived a housekeeper knocked on our door to drop off another set. I guess they didn't realize there would be two of us at first, but I was pleasantly surprised how quickly they accommodated the mistake without us having to call the front desk. Just shows their attention to detail.
The basement has gym equipment and a swimming pool. It was never busy during our stay. Only very early in the morning, there would be a couple of people taking a quick few laps on the pool before going on their merry way.
The front desk offers currency exchange, if you arrive too late to catch a currency exchange store in the city. They also offer breakfast and other meals at the hotel if you do not want the hassle of leaving the hotel to find a place to eat.
After traveling various places in Poland after my stay, I can honestly say this was the best hotel. I understand that Poland is a bit homogenous and, yes, people will look at you weird because 1) you're a foreigner, and 2) you're not caucasian. The employees at this hotel were always very nice and courteous. My observations suggests the management at this hotel has given its employees a better "cultural sensitivity" lecture or at least they've hired ones who seem more in tune to it and speak way better English! In comparison, I was at a hotel and spa resort in Zakopane and the front desk person was having difficulty saying our room numbers in English. I give them a five stars on customer service hands down. I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone going to Warsaw, and I would definitely come back to this hotel on my next trip.
