Crystal Suites

Located in a charming salmon pink building constructed in 1905 with elegant molding and brickwork detailing, the Crystal Suites combines modern style with Old-World touches to create decor that’s tasteful and homey. While the entryway has fresh white walls, framed photos, and chandelier lighting, the lobby is extremely basic with a checkered tiled floor, a simple work desk that serves as the reception area, and a well-worn pink couch. Other than the attached cupcake shop (not owned by the hotel), there are no other common areas -- perhaps because the apartment-style rooms offer plenty of space and amenities. The hotel is popular for vacationing families and couples, though business guests stay here, too.

Sharing a building with a cupcake shop on a charming, old-town-style residential street, the Crystal Suites is a 10-minute walk from the popular Main Market Square in the heart of Krakow. The hotel is in easy walking distance to a plethora of sights, museums, eateries, and shops. Since the Crystal Suite’s apartment-style rooms have kitchens, guests can take advantage of two nearby grocery stores and a bakery down the street. Secure parking is available a block away, but costs an extra daily fee.- 10-minute walk to Rynek Glówny (Main Market Square) 

• 15-minute walk to St. Mary’s Basilica
• Six-minute drive to ICE Krakow Congress Center
• Seven-minute drive to Krakow Glowny (train hub)
• Nine-minute drive to Wawel Royal Castle
• 14-minute drive to Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory
• 20-minute drive to Wieliczka Salt Mine
• 20-minute drive to Kracow’s Balice Airport

Guest rooms range in size and decor, but all are apartment-style with bathrooms, seating areas, work desks, and kitchens or kitchenettes. Their decor is tasteful and feels at once homey, charming, and modern, though it varies in detail from apartment to apartment. In general, rooms feature white or lightly colored walls, white cabinets, parquet floors and patterned accents on stylish rugs, ottomans, or curtains. Each room features embellishments such as framed photos or paintings, vintage mirrors, sconce or chandelier lights, spiraling wood stairs, or antique lamps. Balcony rooms are available. Some guests say that furniture shows signs of use, but rooms are clean and well-maintained. Bathroom size and decor also varies. One bathroom has a patterned accent wall, while another has a black-and-white checkered floor. Some are small with wet-room style showers, wall-mounted sinks, and toilets. Others have bathtubs, hot tubs, or washing machines. Some have heated floors and heated towel racks. All rooms contain hairdryers and hair and body soap dispensers. Communal washing machines are available for those without machines in their apartments, though these cost an extra fee and detergent is not provided.Kitchenettes contain mini-fridges, sinks, microwaves, electric burners, electric kettles, coffeemakers, and toasters, along with pots, pans, plates, glasses, wine and bottle openers, and cutlery. Tea, coffee, salt, sugar, and bottled water are also provided. Some rooms contain full kitchens with dishwashers, while others are limited to kitchenettes. Each room has free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV (though there are no English channels), an iPod dock with a CD player, and an iron and ironing board. DVD players are available at reception. Towels and bed linens are provided, but rooms are only serviced by housekeeping once a week. Note that rooms do not have air-conditioning. 

While the hotel has few extra property features outside of the well-equipped apartment-style rooms, the Crystal Suites offer several amenities. There’s no on-site dining facility owned by the hotel, but the property shares its building with a cupcake shop. Breakfast, which includes a muffin or cupcake and a drink, is available for an extra fee. Rooms can be pre-stocked with grocery essentials, such as bread, butter, cheese, milk, yogurt, fresh veggies, and more, though it’s cheaper just to stop by one of the nearby grocery stores. Rooms can also be pre-stocked with a Made in Poland food basket or fruit basket. To help celebrate special occasions the hotel offers apartment decorating, wine or Champagne, flowers, or cupcakes with inscriptions.The hotel offers several tours -- including walking tours, as well as trips to the Salt Mine or Auschwitz -- through a local tour company that picks-up and drops-off right from the premises.While there is no on-site spa, the hotel has a partnership with a company that offers in-room spa and cosmetic services. For business guests, the hotel has fax, copying, printing, and postal services for an extra fee. Wi-Fi is free and strong throughout the hotel.