BUSINESS CLASSIC
LOCATION
Radisson Blu Krakow boasts a splendid location next to the central city park halfway between the medieval Wawel and Main Square (Rynek Główny), the largest medieval square in Europe. Krakow’s landmarks are just a stone’s throw away and can be reached by taking a short walk. Guests can visit the nearby Philharmonic Hall, Jagiellonian University, Barbican and Florian’s Gate. What is more, the hotel’s location is suitable for congress attendees, considering ICE Krakow is reachable in no time by walking alongside the mesmerising Visla river. If any hotel, then Radisson Blu Krakow justifies the paradigm location, location, location.
ACCESSIBILITY
From the aspect of accessibility, the location is outstanding. Due to the central location, you can head to the heart of Krakow on foot, by opting for public transport or taking a taxi. Radisson Blu Krakow offers an underground garage house; we do recommend booking it in advance, though. Krakow’s decent air accessibility is comparable to other regional congress destinations. The airport is only 20 minutes away, connecting the city with over 80 destinations. If you are more sustainably oriented, you can embark on the train from Warsaw that will take you to Krakow in around 2,5 hours. In any case, we warmly recommend cycling through Krakow that does not have too many challenging climbs.
COLD STARTER - Architecture and aesthetics
The hotel catches the eye with its monolithic elegant architectural design that blends seamlessly into the urban city centre with its form and height. It seems the hotel’s architecture is ageing like fine wine and has not become alienated from its environment. The interior, likewise, follows a classic hotel design. Hence, guests can expect an interior design that has been seen before in other Radisson hotels. Nonetheless, guests seem to be lured to it, considering the hotel was well-booked even during the corona crisis. Without a doubt, the colour combinations are pleasant, on occasions daring and reminiscent of a cosy living room. For a five-star experience, nevertheless, the materials would have to be more prestigious.
WARM ENTRÉE - The staff and the culinary experience
The personnel is youthful, highly professional, and prioritise satisfied guests above all else. A journey encompassing the entire experience from the reception to the breakfast and restaurant service seems effortless. Cleanliness and tidiness were impressive throughout, as were the trustworthy guidelines put in place by Radisson in line with the epidemiological restrictions. As expected, the hotel breakfast was solid, international, yet not on par with its five-star status. To uphold its rank, it will need to offer more on its a la carte offer and advocate local cuisine. Room service and restaurant menu were, likewise, an international cliche. A bit of innovativeness in this area can go a long way.
MAIN COURSE – The meetings offering at the hotel
Hotel rooms
The room’s spaciousness is noteworthy, and following the renovation, staying at the hotel has become a pleasant experience. Lighting is excellent, and the work desk dedicated to business guests contributes to the general well-being. Although the bathroom was not renovated, it appears compact, robust and timeless. More importantly, everything functions flawlessly. The hotel amenities are a welcome addition and include everything a business guest might need. These comprise a Nespresso machine, fast internet and a superb bed that is, in our opinion, the centrepiece of the room. The rooms are what one expects of a hotel of this category.
Meetings centre
The smaller conference centre is located in between the ground and first floor. Its central space is Carmen Hall that can capacitate up to 150 attendees. The hall is connected to a series of smaller halls dubbed Prelude. Halka Hall offers plenty of daylight to participants. All halls are adjacent to a foyer suitable for coffee breaks. We must highlight the brain rooms we have come across in other Radisson hotels that still add a special flair to the offer.
DESSERT – The extras
The RHG Safety Protocol instils trust that the hotel’s cleanliness is unquestionable in corona times. It is important to note that the protocol is overseen by one of the leading certification companies, SGS.
FLOP – NEGATIVE SURPRISES
An empty minibar due to the corona restrictions and the weariness of some furniture as a consequence of the high guest frequency are the only drawbacks.
TOP – POSITIVE SURPRISES
According to prior agreement, the hotel ensures a special conference room for organising hybrid events. It includes the majority of equipment an event organiser needs for organising average events, including LED screens and complex videoconferencing equipment with switchers and professional HD Sony EX3 cameras.
FINAL IMPRESSION AND CREDIBILITY
Radisson Blu Krakow’s greatest asset is its location, and with a bit of luck, you will enjoy views of Wawel from your hotel room. Overall, this is an excellent four-star hotel. However, its categorisation as a five-star hotel substantially raises guests’ expectations. In our earnest opinion, four stars would suit this hotel much nicely. Its flaws are most evident in the breakfast offer and interior that cannot be considered a five-star experience. Regardless of such compromises, the hotel is undoubtedly a superb business hotel, tailor-made to the needs of modern business guests. Albeit Radisson Blu Krakow is not the youngest or most modern in the city, its holistic and quality offer make up for the rest. Therefore, if you are a hotel classics lover, the hotel assuredly deserves your attention.
FINAL GRADE: 4.74 SILVER City Meeting Hotel
GOLD final score from 4.81 to 5.00
SILVER final score from 4.61 to 4.80
BRONZE final score from 4.41 to 4.60
