Fourth visit to Krakow but first to this hotel. Had previously stayed at Hotel Kazimierz I which I had liked but this even better. This visit was to celebrate my 50th with friends.
Like so many of previous reviewers I was impressed by size, comfort and cleanliness of rooms. Receptionists extremely friendly and helpful. On arrival I said hello in Polish (it was one of only four words I knew - the others being beer, thank you and goodbye) and she must have thought I was fluent as she gabbled away in her own language until she realised I didn't understand a word she was saying. Then, like so many other Poles we met, carried on in perfect English.
After making the booking through hotels.com the hotel contacted me directly to warn us of a Polish wedding reception being held there until about 4.00 am on our first night. However as we didn't get in until 5.00 am it didn't really bother us !! Likewise after a few glasses of Tyskie didn't notice the trams rattling along outside.
Hotel 15 mins from town centre although we spent most of our time around bars and restaurants in Jewish Quarter on our doorstep. Mainly used by locals. The Alchemia bar a particular favourite. Eating and drinking very cheap away from tourist parts. There are a couple of floating bars on the river which make a nice change - the breeze providing a welcome respite from the heat.
The main square is good for people watching although very busy on Summer weekend evenings resulting in difficulty finding a table and subsequently getting served. Also worth noting that the Cloth Hall in the centre of the square is currently surrounded by fencing which really detracts from the beauty of the building and its environs.
The city is a beautiful place to wander around, particularly the Rynek, Planty, castle and Jagiellonian University's historic buildings (check out the coffee bar off the courtyard with the black and white prints on the walls).
Further afield you obviously have Auschwitz/Birkenau and the salt mines. However a lesser known day trip is the Ojcow National Park (NW of Krakow). You can get a bus to Ojcow (about one hour) , then walk 8 km through the park to Pieskowa Skala (castle) and get a bus back from there. It is beautiful.






Value
Rooms
Rooms
Location



