Hotel System Premium Krakow

Not Happy

There were people singing, yelling, laughing, and e.t.c. for 2 consecutive nights. Couldn’t sleep at all and the receptionist did not do anything to keep these people quiet. Additionally, people were allowed to smoke in the hallway but this is supposed to be a non-smoking hotel. My room stank really bad at nights. To be fair, the room was big and very clean but these positive aspects were meaningless when you do not get enough sleep.

Hotel System Premium

Although the name is not very inspiring and this hotel looks a bit like a prison from the outside, the rooms are clean and have everything you need. It’s very basic, a lot like a travel inn/ roadside motel but not bad if you’re on a tight budget. A cab to the main square in the old town (Rynek Glovny) costs around 30zl (about £7.50) but it’s definitely not walkable - never saw a bus or any other means of getting into town! I’d recommend this hotel - I’d stay there again but if I could afford to splash out I’d stay in the old town for sure.

Definitely sample the local quisine - Pierogi (Polish dumplings) and Bigos (spicy tomato stew) are top of the list! You’ll certainly be going back for more! Cafe Wiwa on the main square (opposite St Adalberts church) is recommended. Beer is cheaper than coffee but the coffee is fantastic - splash out and have a coffee and cake at Cafe Norolowski in the Cloth Hall. A nice place to go for a quiet drink is the Buddha Bar (also on the main square) It’s quaint and quirky!

Spoiled on the last morning

Hotel was a fair trek into the City. Not walkable and the public transport wasn’t the best on this route (trams didn’t serve this area). This is not a complaint as I chose it due to it’s location but it will let readers know if they think they will be close ot the City. Everything was good until the final morning. At 7am, despite not having a tag on the door to say "Please Clean This Room", the cleaners entered the room and didn’t knock first. They obviously saw my feet in the bed and left quicksharp. They didn’t close the door behind them which I checked some 20 minutes later having been woken by a vacuum cleaner outside the door at 7:20am. The checkout time was midday so thought this was a little early to be cleaning when the guests could be expected to still be in bed. Breakfast good, wide range but a bit pricey. Reception staff when advised of the cleaner’s room foray and leaving the door open said they would "speak to them" and rolled their eyes and giggled with some Polish comments. Would go back there though, as 90% of the Hotel stay was good.

Visit the St Marys Basilica Church in the Old Town Square and be sure to find out about the two towers and the bugler every hour, on the hour from the tallest tower. Make sure you take a camera. Wilieczka Salt Mine is a must for a half-day trip. See the cathedral underground the also the place where the first underground bungee jump took place. Need plenty of stamina to get down the first 58 flights of steps and can seem claustrophobic.