FROM AN UGLY DUCKLING TO A SWAN
LOCATION
One of Wroclaw’s central palaces formerly served as the residence of affluent banker Ignatzy Leipziger. It was erected between 1872 and 1874 according to plans by architect Karl Schmit, who designed other recognisable buildings across the city. Gdanks-based investment group Torus purchased the palace and transformed it into the opulent five-star hotel Altus. Dobry Hotel Group, a hotel chain with a portfolio spanning every Polish tourist destination, has been managing the historic hotel.
The storied palace is tucked away on the edge of the old town. In our opinion, the old town must be among Europe’s most scenic. Guests can traverse the nearby market to get acquainted with the city, try local delicacies and even learn elementary Polish phrases. The hotel’s location is undoubtedly perfect for exploring Wroclaw on foot. Amidst a verdure park, the setting is ideal for active guests, especially runners and hikers. From experience, we can affirm that a morning walk around the hotel works wonders.
ACCESSIBILITY
Wroclaw is a central traffic crossroads in southwestern Poland, boasting a well-developed infrastructure and connections with the rest of Poland and Europe. The A4 motorway represents a crucial connection between East and West, from Krakow in Poland to Dresden in Germany. Consequentially, the traffic is heavy, particularly during rush hours. Other roads adjoin this motorway, similarly to river tributaries joining the Oder River. Most local roads are well-maintained in Poland. Wroclaw is home to one of the largest train stations in the country, Wrocław Główny, offering numerous national and international connections. We warmly recommend this sustainable mode of transport. The international airport Copernicus Airport Wroclaw (WRO) lies some ten kilometres from the city centre. It offers solid connections with Europe’s high-flying airports, including Frankfurt, München, London and Warsaw. The tram and bus network connects the entire town. You can park in front of the hotel, if for a considerably higher price than in neighbouring parking garage houses.
COLD STARTER - Architecture and aesthetics
Torus company acquired the monolithic palace in 2016, commencing a fastidious renovation of the palace with immense historical and architectural value. They partnered with architects from the Archikon Bureau for the renovation.
Designed in Renaissance style, the palace now gleams with a new facade in its original colour, dominating the neatly arranged Staromijeski Park, adjoining an imposing statue of Nikolaj Copernicus. The complex and arduous task of renovating a historical building was evident in this hotel. With the help of eagle-eyed conservators, they were able to rekindle the spirit of the building. You will notice this in the countless details adorning the hotel, most notably the majestic, meticulously renovated staircase. The glass arch, which became an iconic photo point in no time, immediately caught our eye. Down to the last detail, the hotel is incredibly well renovated, not least when admiring the stucco on the walls, the mosaic floors or the fence on the hotel corridors. The Mirror Hall was revamped with the same amount of accuracy. The historical interior dons designer elements, including timeless pieces of furniture. The interplay of the 150-year-old architecture and modern design provides a unique and elegant ambience throughout the hotel.
WARM ENTRÉE - The staff and the culinary experience
The check-in process at the intimate reception guarantees an excellent first impression, most notably because of the youthful and professional staff. A jaunty concierge advised us where to park our car, let us in on secrets to navigating the city and even served us superb sparkling wine. Regardless of where they work in the hotel, the staff appears organised, friendly, professional, and even proud to work in such a superb hotel.
Although set in the underground, the restaurant oozes cosiness. The young chef Yassin Bugajny dishes up spectacularly creative dishes with a modern spin. His dishes pair seamlessly with the style of the hotel. Guests can experience this at breakfast, undoubtedly fitting for a five-star hotel. We appreciated the diverse selection of dishes, the a la carte menu and some of the best fish dishes we have encountered recently. The smoked mackerel was mouthwatering. Although some trainees were somewhat cumbersome while learning the ropes during our visit, they solved any challenge with charming confidence. Our only suggestion is to replace the instant coffee with proper espresso.
MAIN COURSE – The meetings offering at the hotel
Hotel rooms
Even the basic type of hotel room exudes timeless elegance. We stayed in the attic room. It does not boast city views, but the sky above Wroclaw, which is our only remark. Otherwise, grey walls, a chic ocher carpet, elegant and minimalist stucco elements on the ceiling and world-class furniture are a winning combination. The entire room oozes quality design, not least thanks to the superb furniture pieces in steel blue colour. Likewise, the illumination, a modern take on Art Noveau lamps, is inspiring. Everything is where you expect it to be, including the light switches and air conditioning. The icing on the cake is the antique telephone, a highly Instagrammable feature. Antique Palace is also among those hotels where managing the air conditioning is straightforward. As apt for a five-star hotel, the bed and bed lining is world-class. Equally impressive is the story in the bathroom, which impressed us with a ceiling in space blue colours and swanky white tiles. The gold-coated pipes and frames in the bathroom show attention to detail. This city hotel has set new standards for classic hotel rooms. Splendid.
Meetings centre
There are three meeting halls in the hotel. Alongside the Mirror Room, events can be hosted in two boutique conference rooms (Platan and Maple Room) on the basement floor, adjacent to the restaurant. The maximum capacity is 70 attendees (or 50 in a banquet setting). We must praise the imposing hallway, which enriches events in the Mirror Hall. It ensures a glamorous, Hollywood-like entrance to the event.
DESSERT – The extras
The boutique, intimate spa centre features two modern saunas, a jacuzzi and a zen area for relaxation. The selection of materials (red marble combined with red brick and industrial elements) ensures a pleasant ambience. We warmly suggest flipping through their rich catalogue of massages and treatments. The spa is the cherry on top.
FLOP – NEGATIVE SURPRISES
Unfortunately, the tram’s hum reverberates throughout the building, occasionally shaking up the hotel. With its central location, several tram routes pass by the hotel. Still, we found this noise romantic. One of the hotel’s practices we disapprove of is the high-priced parking rate (30 EUR per day). If we knew the price in advance, we would have parked in one of the abundant nearby parking garage houses.
TOP – POSITIVE SURPRISES
The historically modern architectural surf and turf is an elementary part of the experience. You will find this style at every step. We were impressed by this interplay in the public areas, especially in the community area behind the reception, within the voluminous library, spa, fitness, and hotel corridors. We could spend hours admiring the details and surprises strewn across the hotel, made by skilful architects.
SUSTAINABLE ENDEAVOURS
The intelligent air-conditioning in the rooms shows that the management of the hotel is acutely aware of the issue of energy efficiency. They also opted for efficient LED lights. Another testament to their sincerity about sustainability is their praiseworthy project #DobryZNatury. The renovation of the decaying palace is one of the best forms of sustainability that benefits the local community. Lastly, you will not find a grain of plastic because of their strict adherence to the Zero Waste policy.
FINAL IMPRESSION AND CREDIBILITY
We do not exaggerate if we dare say you will feel magnificent inside the hotel. The ambience is fresh, lavish and unique, as appropriate for a stay in a historic palace. The entire hotel is masterfully designed. Although it promotes itself as a boutique hotel, its 81 rooms render it a full-fledged city hotel. If you organise boutique events, incentive trips or perhaps specialise in weddings, the five-star experience in this hotel will immediately convince you. An indiscretion can occur sporadically, such as inconsistency among staff members. However, the incredibly affordable price, almost incomparable to other hotels around Western Poland, is a fair compensation.
FINAL GRADE: 4.93 THREE MEETING STARS⭐⭐⭐ City Meeting Hotel
3 MEETING STARS⭐⭐⭐ final score from 4.81 to 5.00
2 MEETING STARS⭐⭐ final score from 4.61 to 4.80
1 MEETING STAR⭐ final score from 4.41 to 4.60
