The fortunes of this estuary island are linked to the tides
21.07.2023 - 08:24 / roughguides.com / Art
No longer the grey city of Eastern European stereotype, the Polish capital Warsaw is a forward-looking, ebullient and multi-layered kind of place, where gleaming corporate skyscrapers rub up against time-capsule neighbourhoods that have remained unchanged for decades.
Above all, it's an increasingly engaging summertime city, thanks to its riverside bars, expansive parks, strollable urban spaces… and surprisingly wonderful ice cream. Alongside these attractions, come fine accommodation choices suited to whichever aspect of the city you would like to experience. Here's our guide to the best places to stay in Warsaw.
If you want to be close to Warsaw's handsome Old Town, painstakingly rebuilt after World War I destruction, then the grand neoclassical sweep of Krakowskie Przedmieście (Nowy Świat in its upper reaches) is the place to be. Lined with fine churches, former palaces and a host of restaurants and cafés, it's Warsaw at its most elegant; the kind of place you'll find yourself strolling along more than once during your stay. The Vistula riverbank, with its waterside paths and open-air bars, is a short walk downhill to the east.
Old-school glamour: Hotel Bristol
Opened in 1901, the legendary Hotel Bristol is an arresting dollop of nineteenth-century neo-everything. Though it's been completely modernised, the rooms have retained a lot of historic character and are supremely comfortable.
Bags of character: Chopin Boutique B&B
The Chopin lives up to its name, with daily piano recitals in a room next to reception. Featuring parquet floors and vintage furnishings, the guest rooms are certainly not lacking in personality.
Cute and comfy: SleepWell Apartments Nowy Świat
Bold interiors with a discreet touch of kitsch bring an arty sense of cosiness to SleepWell Apartments. You can't get better than the location in a courtyard behind Nowy Świat, which is on the Royal Route to the Old Town and lined with excellent restaurant choices.
The Nowy Świat area of Warsaw © trabantos / Shutterstock
Modern Warsaw's main point of reference is the Centrum metro station, right below the oversized Stalinist wedding cake that is the Palace of Culture and Sciences. Many of the capital's hippest bars and restaurants are on Poznańska, which runs south from here into a grid of buzzing downtown streets.
Top-floor hideaway: Apple Inn
On the top floor of an apartment block in a perfect location, Apple Inn offers large-ish rooms with neat contemporary decor. Breakfast is in the Vincents café downstairs, but there's a shared kitchen (with free tea and coffee) in the B&B itself.
Domestic charm: Between Us Bed & Breakfast
Located in a converted apartment above the mellow Między Nami café, Between Us offers a combination of down-to-earth
The fortunes of this estuary island are linked to the tides
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