Hotel Stary

Hotel Stary is a high-style boutique property that feels particularly fashionable compared to other five-pearl hotels in Krakow. The Romanesque townhouse on a cobblestone street provides modern amenities woven in to a dramatic vintage atmosphere. The reception area is bright with natural and artificial light and a high, vaulted ceiling, exposed brick walls, and red leather chairs paired with glass coffee tables. There's a mix of art, ranging from 14th-century frescoes, to 18th-century paintings, to some contemporary abstract sculptures. The property's formal restaurant has an arched ceiling, white tablecloths, and sconce lighting. Its lounge has contemporary leather chairs and a backlit bar. There's a breakfast roof with a glass ceiling and dramatic marble floor with a buffet table of silver chafing dishes. Two outdoor venues are on-site for drinks and food: One is a fifth-floor terrace with boxwood plantings and black woven tables and chairs; the other is a rooftop terrace overlooking the historic section of the city. The hotel's most unusual space, however, is in the basement where a softly lit pool sits under brick arches that resembles a grotto. 

The Hotel Stary is on a quiet, cobblestone street, a one-minute walk to Rynek Glowny, the historic main market square at the center of Krakow's Old Town. This charming area is full of shops, cafes, and restaurants, and is also home to the 14th-century St. Mary's Basilica and the Renaissance-era Cloth Hall. The National Museum of Krakow is about a 15-minute walk, while Wawel Royal Castle can be reached in under 20 minutes on foot or about a 10-minute drive. Wieliczka Salt Mine is about a 25-minute drive from here, while Auschwitz-Birkenau can be reached in about an hour. The main train station can be reached in around 15 minutes on foot, while Balice Airport is about a 25-minute drive.

Rooms at the Hotel Stary vary in size and decor, but all have historic touches that may include frescoes, waxed wood floors, and antique molding. The smallest rooms begin at 376 square feet and have parquet floors with red silk draperies and views that include limited vistas of the city. Double Rooms begin at 484 square feet and overlook the main square, plus some have balconies and frescoed walls. Rooms with separate living areas include three Luxury Suites that run as big as 968 square feet and have beamed ceilings, raised beds, and Renaissance-era frescoes. One of the prettiest rooms is a garret-style, Junior Suite with a large skylight in its eave and a freestanding egg-shaped bathtub by a window. All rooms include climate controls, safes, flat-screen TVs, and minibars. Many rooms have a lighted cupboard, often placed near the bed, that's set off by motion sensors, which some guests find too sensitive. Some guests also lament the absence of black-out drapes. 

Bathrooms are large and luxurious, with deeply veined green or black marble walls and heated floors. Each room has a jetted tub and glass door shower, although some have wet room-style showers with powerful fittings, which can result in wet floors. There are magnifying mirrors, slippers, robes, and Molton Brown toiletries. Turn-down service includes free chocolates. 

For a small, intimate boutique property, Hotel Stary packs in multiple extravagant amenities. The hotel has two indoor pools, one of which is situated in a romantic grotto-like space with brick walls and arched ceilings. There's also a smaller pool with currents to swim against. The fitness center has many cardio machines, weights, exercise mats, and a TV. The hotel also has a sauna as well as a spa housed in a charming warren of brick rooms, offering massages and other treatments. 

Three Fish Restaurant is the hotel's formal dining option that serves Polish cuisine. A breakfast buffet is available for a fee and includes meats, cheese, fruits, breads, and eggs cooked-to-order. The Lounge Bar has a lighter menu and drinks that include seasonal specialties, such as frozen cocktails in warm weather. There are also seasonal outdoor dining options on the roof and fifth-floor terrace: the rooftop SKYBAR offers beautiful vistas over the Old Town, while the summer restaurant on the terrace offers alfresco dining with a view over the main square. Room service is available as well. 

Business travelers are catered to with several conference rooms with vintage and modern backdrops and audio-visual technology. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, and there are computers for use in the lobby. Guests at the Hotel Stary receive a 10 percent discount in restaurants and bars at Krakow's Hotel Copernicus and The Rose. For a fee, guests can have attended parking, a car and driver, shuttle service to the airport, laundry and dry cleaning, babysitting, newspapers, and a guided tour. A concierge is on hand to arrange for tickets. Children under 12 stay free.