Located on the banks of the Wisla River in the heart of Krakow, the Sheraton Grand is a five star hotel and is the ideal place to stay whilst enjoying a city break here to Poland’s most visited city. With views of the Wawel Castle, modern design, comfort and away from the hustle and bustle of all the people in the heart of the city, I totally recommend a stay here. Read on to see why.
The hotel itself offers 232 rooms and suites as well as restaurants, bars, shops, fitness centre and an indoor swimming pool. The Sheraton Grand was my base for the last visit to Krakow I did and to be honest, probably won’t be my last. I love this part of Poland and what the region has to offer, so I can see myself staying at the hotel once again.
Location - as mentioned, the Sheraton Grand is on the outskirts of the city centre, a couple of minutes walk from the Wawel Castle and the banks of the River Wisla whilst the main market square in the heart of Krakow’s old town is around a ten minute walk away. I arrived here by car and used the underground car parking lot the hotel has to offer (for an extra fee) but the city in general is easy to get too with an international airport nearby with good train connections as well as taxis. Krakow city station has trains going to Czechia, Warsaw, Gdansk, Poznan, Zakopane and Ukraine to name a few places.
Walking through the main entrance - I was greeted by the front of house staff to direct me to the check in desk. I first noticed how huge the lobby with a glass-roofed atrium. There were flower arrangements and trees dotted about as well as big chandeliers hanging down. First impression was great, I totally love this natural feeling to the place. During check-in, the staff were polite and very informative, giving me the low-down on the facilities the hotel has to offer. Check-in was swift and before I knew it, I was heading to my room on the third floor. In the lobby I noticed a desk where guests can book up excursions and tours which is really handy for those who have never been to the city before.
The Room - I was fortunate enough to have the Grand Deluxe guest room with a view of the river. A spacious and bright room greeted me with a king size bed in the middle of the room. I loved the high quality textiles and warm colours which really changed my mood after arriving on a cold autumn’s day. I felt totally relaxed after a while as I got myself sorted in the room, it felt intimate and elegant with the cozy modern wooden furniture and pastel colours with metallic decoration mixed in whilst the atmospheric lighting gave this room more of a calm atmosphere. In the closet I found a safe, iron, ironing board but best of all, a robe and slippers. I totally love relaxing in these when I go to luxury hotels. A warm bath followed by wearing a robe, watching television, ordering room-service, is the way to go. Also there was a big desk (ideal for me, laptop out, blogger at work) and a sitting area with two armchairs by the window, so I could sit there with a local brew and enjoy the river view. Other room amenities include a mini-bar, air-conditioning, a huge television screen with international television channels, complimentary water and a machine to make tea or coffee.
I really did get a good night's sleep here with the huge fluffy pillows and the softness of the linen. I kept sleeping in every morning (I just made breakfast), that’s how good the beds were!
The bathroom was modern and spacious and had a bathtub (with a shower above it), makeup mirror, towels and a range of toiletries (which was good as I forgot to pack mine for the start of this trip!).
Big question time, is WIFI included? I was lucky and got WIFI provided as I dealt with the hotel directly but the WIFI there is an extra charge. However if guests book directly with the hotel, the WIFI is free.
Breakfast - Located at the Olive restaurant on the ground floor (under the glass atrium, you can’t miss it!), the buffet included a wide range of different foods from cold plates, pancakes, cooked options, cereals, fruit (and even cakes!). There is also an a la carte menu (which I didn’t check out). To be honest, I was trying everything on the buffet as I sure do love my food and didn’t really eat again until dinner time. It was probably one of the best breakfasts I have had on the road.
Dinner - also at the same restaurant (the Olive), I had to try the dinner which consisted of steak with rice and a few bits of vegetables. It didn’t seem much but the texture of the steak just simply melted as it entered my mouth, the taste blew me away and I felt quite full afterwards. The waiter service here is fantastic but I also love the person who was playing musical instruments whilst diners had their food. It was a very calm and lovely atmosphere to eat too. I would totally recommend a meal at the Olive.
Now for my favourite, the rooftop bar! - this place I could spend all day working on the laptop, having drinks whilst enjoying the views of the Wawel castle. However, it was autumn, the rain stopped for a few hours so I had the chance to have a few beers and cocktails. The lounge bar and rooftop terrace is open all day serving late breakfast, a light lunch, tapas but of course, the excellent cocktails. However if this place is busy, there is another bar on the ground floor which also shows sports on the television!
Fitness - as my readers will know, I am into my fitness. I checked out the gym which is fully equipped with an indoor heated swimming pool and sauna nearby. Also the hotel has spa services which include massage treatments (which I did not opt for). I loved going for a workout before breakfast and having a dip in the swimming pool to unwind after a session. A great way to start the day.
Overall - my stay at the Sheraton Grand was fantastic and exceeded expectations. With a prime location in the city, the friendly and informative staff who really made my stay welcomed and pleasurable, with a comfortable room and fantastic food, I am really glad I stayed here. Anyone coming to Krakow and needs a place to stay, then I would recommend staying at the Sheraton Grand.
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A personal note from me – my time at the Sheraton Grand Krakow was sponsored by the company. The opinions in this post are my own and are totally honest. I would like to thank the staff for making my short stay here an enjoyable one.
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