Great Polonia Kraków Old Town

Hotel Description

You know what? I’ve stayed at a lot of places in Kraków, and the Great Polonia in Old Town hits that sweet spot between budget-friendly and actually comfortable. It’s one of those solid 3-star places that doesn’t try to be fancy but gets the basics right – which honestly matters more when you’re spending your days wandering around the medieval streets anyway.

The location is really what makes this place work. I mean, you’re literally in the heart of everything without paying those insane Old Town premium prices. You can walk to the Main Square in maybe five minutes, and you’re close enough to hear the trumpet call from St. Mary’s Tower if your windows are open – which is either charming or slightly annoying at 6 AM, depending on your tolerance for tradition. The building itself has that classic Kraków character, you know, the kind with thick walls that actually keep the street noise down pretty well. I was surprised how quiet it was at night considering you’re right in the tourist zone.

What I really appreciated was how the staff actually knew their neighborhood. The guy at reception gave me this whole rundown about which pierogi place on Grodzka Street was worth the wait (spoiler: it’s the tiny one with no sign), and he steered me away from the tourist traps around the square. The rooms are clean and honestly bigger than I expected – nothing Instagram-worthy, but there’s space to actually unpack your suitcase, which you can’t say about every place in this price range. The bathrooms are updated enough that the shower has decent pressure, though the fixtures are clearly from a renovation a few years back rather than last month. Look, it’s not going to win any design awards, but everything works, the beds are comfortable, and there’s decent WiFi throughout.

I stayed there during shoulder season in October, and I could tell this place probably gets packed in summer – there were still plenty of tour groups around, but the vibe felt more manageable. The breakfast room gets a little cramped when it’s busy, but they do a decent spread with local breads and meats alongside the usual continental stuff. Actually, their coffee was surprisingly good, which saved me from hunting down a café first thing every morning. One small thing – if you’re driving, parking in Old Town is basically impossible, but they can direct you to a garage about ten minutes away. Most people don’t need to worry about that since everything’s walkable and the train station isn’t far.

Honestly, for a 7.8 rating, this place delivers exactly what you’d expect. It’s not going to blow your mind, but it won’t disappoint either. If you want to be right in the thick of things without breaking the bank or dealing with hostel drama, Great Polonia does the job well. I’d definitely stay here again, especially if I was planning to spend most of my time exploring the city rather than hanging around the hotel.

Travelers should reserve a hotel in Krakow at least two months ahead for major events like cultural festivals, ensuring the best rates and prime locations near Market Square.

Rooms

• Double Room with 1 large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Twin Room with 2 single beds for 2 adults, 1 child
• Triple Room with 1 single bed and 1 large double bed for 3 adults
• Family Room with 2 large double beds for 4 adults
• Superior Apartment with 3 × 1 large double bed and 2 × 1 single bed for 5 adults
• Standard Apartment with 3 × 1 large double bed and 2 × 1 single bed for 5 adults

Reviews

• Karyna from Poland (8/10)

  Nice hotel with excellent service. The breakfasts were really delicious!

• Eleni from Greece (9/10)

  Very friendly staff, they changed our booking in the last minute without any further charge. The room was big and the location was perfect and 100% safe, just in the centre of old town. Keep in mind that the breakfast is standard but they can also serve a vegetarian version of it.

• Emma from United Kingdom (8/10)

  Very central location, excellent price. Staff friendly and polite. Bed was very comfortable! We booked an apartment, the rooms were huge and we had the bonus of 2 toilets. The breakfast was not to our palates but was very generous and well presented.

• Giedrė from Lithuania (8/10)

• Tereza from Czech Republic (7/10)

  Great location, 24/7 check in, clean, good shower.

• Joanna from Ireland (7/10)

  Great location, good size bathroom, good price

• Chris from United Kingdom (8/10)

  Nice size room and great location.

• Dimitra from Greece (8/10)

  The location is perfect. Also the room is huge.

• Ruslan from Ukraine (8/10)

  everything

• Josephine from Malta (8/10)

  Excellent breakfast, the coffee and tea machine at the breakfast room –
  The cook is very helpful and tries to meet all requirements.
  Rooms are well decorated and comfortable

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities