Hotel Indigo Krakow – Old Town, an IHG Hotel

Hotel Description

So I’ve stayed at a bunch of hotels in Krakow’s Old Town, and honestly? Most of them try way too hard to be fancy or they’re just bland international chains that could be anywhere. Hotel Indigo is different though – it actually feels like it belongs in this city, you know what I mean?

First thing that hit me walking in was how they’ve managed to blend that boutique hotel vibe with the medieval character of the neighborhood. The lobby doesn’t scream “look how trendy we are” like some places do, but there’s definitely thought put into the design. I mean, when you’re this close to the Main Square (seriously, you can practically hear the trumpet call from St. Mary’s Tower), you could get away with doing nothing special, but they didn’t phone it in. The rooms have this warm, slightly industrial-chic thing going on – exposed brick here and there, but comfortable beds and actually good lighting for reading. And can we talk about how rare good lighting is in hotels?

What really impressed me though was the staff’s local knowledge. The front desk guy didn’t just hand me a generic tourist map – he marked up specific streets to avoid during the horse carriage rush (yeah, that’s a thing around 2-4pm) and suggested this tiny pierogi place on Grodzka Street that I never would’ve found otherwise. The location is honestly perfect if you want to be in the thick of things but not dealing with the Florianska Street crowds every time you leave your room. You’re close enough to walk to Wawel Castle in about ten minutes, but far enough from the main drag that you’re not hearing drunk bachelor parties stumbling back at 3am. Well, not every night anyway – this is Krakow’s party central after all.

The breakfast was better than expected too, with local stuff mixed in with the usual hotel fare. They had real oscypek cheese and proper Polish honey, not just the international breakfast buffet clone you get at most places. I actually ended up extending my stay by a night because, honestly, the combination of the location and that 9.3 rating made sense once I was there. It’s not trying to be the fanciest place in town, but everything just works – the shower pressure is great, the air conditioning actually cools the room, and they clearly understand that travelers want to feel like they’re experiencing Krakow, not just sleeping somewhere that happens to be in Krakow. If you’re planning to explore the Old Town properly and want a place that enhances the experience rather than just providing a bed, this is your spot.

Facilities