The Old Town View

The Old Town View Overview

First Impressions

Walking up to The Old Town View on Podwale Street, you immediately understand why this three-star hotel has such devoted fans. The building sits right in the thick of Krakow’s medieval heart — I mean, you’re literally steps from the Main Market Square. It’s one of those places where the location does most of the heavy lifting, but honestly, that’s exactly what you want when you’re exploring a city like this. The entrance feels welcoming without trying too hard, and there’s something refreshingly straightforward about the whole setup.

Location & Neighborhood

Here’s the thing about staying on Podwale — you’re positioned perfectly between the bustling Main Square and the quieter residential streets where locals actually live. I’ve walked this area countless times, and The Old Town View really nails that sweet spot where you can duck into authentic Polish restaurants or grab a quick coffee without fighting tourist crowds. The Cloth Hall is maybe a three-minute stroll, but you can also wander down side streets to find those hidden courtyards that make Krakow special. Couples seem to get this location particularly well (they rate it 9.4, which honestly makes sense), because there’s something romantic about having the whole Old Town as your backyard.

The Rooms

The rooms won’t blow you away with fancy amenities, but they’re thoughtfully put together in that European way where everything has its place. What I appreciate is how they’ve managed to keep things comfortable without going overboard — clean lines, decent beds, and windows that actually open so you can hear the city waking up. Some rooms give you glimpses of the medieval rooftops, which is pretty magical when the morning light hits just right. It’s the kind of space where you’ll sleep well but won’t want to spend all day inside, which is probably the point.

Breakfast Experience

The breakfast setup here actually surprised me — they’ve got this whole range from continental basics to Italian options, plus proper vegetarian and vegan choices that don’t feel like afterthoughts. You know what’s smart? They offer breakfast to go, which is perfect when you want to grab something and head straight to Wawel Castle before the crowds hit. The Italian influence shows up in little touches like decent espresso and fresh pastries that remind you Poland’s food scene has gotten seriously good in recent years.

Why Guests Love It

Look, The Old Town View isn’t trying to be the fanciest place in Krakow, and that’s exactly why it works so well. You’re paying for an unbeatable location (that 9.5 location score isn’t just marketing fluff) and solid, no-nonsense hospitality. When you can walk to St. Mary’s Basilica in two minutes or catch a late dinner in Kazimierz without needing taxis, you start to understand what really matters in a city break. It’s the kind of place where you’ll spend your money on experiences rather than room service, which feels right for a city as rich as Krakow.

The Old Town View Accommodations

Reviews of The Old Town View

• Ryan from United Kingdom (8/10)

  Fantastic location, very clean and fair price.

• Barry from United Kingdom (9/10)

  Spotless great location

• Emma from Netherlands (7/10)

  The location was great, and the building looked old from the outside but the room was nice and clean. The breakfast options were plenty, and after asking, breakfast could even be delivered early on an exception basis since we were leaving early.

• Aleksandra from Ireland (7/10)

  The room was clean and the location was excellent, right beside the old town so close to everything. Breakfast was okay, kinda limited choice

• Dennise from United Kingdom (9/10)

  Easy of access. Suitable location. Fully equipped. Nicely heated.

• Catherine from United Kingdom (8/10)

  Room was lovely and clean. Bathroom was clean too.

• Barbara from United Kingdom (9/10)

  Fantastic location, very clean and tidy, modern.

• Sean from Malta (7/10)

  Its very central

• Natalie from United Kingdom (7/10)

  It was close to the areas that we wanted to visit.
  They did go over and above as requested for a birthday gift.

• Robert from United Kingdom (7/10)

  A Stressful arrival. Its hard to find the accommodation as we could find no reference to "The Old Town View" in the street outside, just a building number 3 – yes, you have arrived at the correct address!
  We got let into the main lobby by a resident passing and boy we were worried, it looks rough! We were still none the wiser as to how we could gain entrance to our accommodation or where it was as there was no one around to assist.
  I know younger people will probably take this in their stride, but we are not used to this system of no one being on site and messages being hopefully being sent via e mail etc.
  We wondered what we had let ourselves in for.
  I managed to get a reply from the telephone number provided from "Booking.com" and it became apparent that we had arrived too early (1330hrs) and that at 1500hrs would receive further instructions by e-mail.
  We had to drag our large cases to town and found a coffee shop to await these instructions.
  So my first point is that there should be signage and basic instructions available at the outside entrance of the property, at least so you know its the right building!
  From arrival of instructions on the email later on, with 2 door codes – 1 for the outside door and then upstairs – level 1 – to the accommodation, all went well.
  Once you enter the accommodation area for this company it is split into several apartments with a separate keypad entry.
  We were relieved when we entered the apartment – big sigh of relief – all nice, warm, well appointed and clean.
  We were facing the main road, being above this road and tram way, its noisy, but the good news is the trams stop at 2300hrs (starting at 0500hrs) and it goes much quieter overnight.
  The main plus of the accommodation is its central location providing very easy access to the centre of town and in our case the fantastic Xmas market and wonderful historic old town.

Surroundings

Facilities