We’ve wanted to go to Poland for a while, and being mindful of the weather, were primarily interested in late spring or early fall. This year we finally found a good deal on Finnair via Chicago-Helsinki-Warsaw for late September, so we booked the tickets and started planning where we would go in country. Eventually we decided on three nights in Warsaw, five in Krakow, and a final night in Warsaw, with our itinerary allowing us several daytrips.
Some of our observations:
- Poland is a great value given the strength of the dollar!
- Pedestrians wait at crosswalks with lights; lots of bikes and scooters to watch for on split sidewalks. At non-lit crosswalks vehicles always stopped.
- Uber was fairly easy and relatively cheap.
- Warsaw was surprisingly contemporary, lots of glass and steel, and also lots of greenery.
- Krakow was as historically beautiful as expected.
- We saw Ukraine support everywhere, including protests in the main squares of each city.
Where we stayed
City Center Boutique Apartment, Warsaw
It was a little tricky with the gate code to get into the courtyard for our apartment but we figured it out. Nice layout, lots of closet/storage space. Kitchen had everything we needed, and was a good size. Good location near a metro and not too far from central train station.
Our main problem was a pervasive sewer odor than intensified during our stay. The owner was responsive and apologetic via the booking app, but we never resolved the issue. Instead, we closed the door to the bathroom and a second door to the bedroom to try to keep the smell at bay while we were sleeping.
Brokilon House, Krakow
We got the code for the courtyard entrance figured out faster this time but then the locks on the door needed some practice to get right! Great location two blocks from central square (Rynek Glówny), less than a 1km walk to the train station, but still quiet due to its location in the back of the building.
Room was comfortable with everything we needed – kitchen, and a small sitting area. A (very shallow) clothes washing machine was a nice plus on a longer trip.
A large Carrefour by the mall and smaller markets all around town made it easy to get breakfast and snacks. We would stay here again on a future trip.
Intercontinental, Warsaw
We were upgraded to a great view!
As you can see, the hotel has a great location in the business district and is quite close to the central train station.
The room itself was very nice, with a desk and large bathroom. As a bonus the elevators were fast, and we received a free drink at the bar and welcome snacks for being IHG members.
