Hotel Review: Hotel Saski Krakow, Curio Collection by Hilton

Overview of Hotel Saski Krakow, Curio Collection by Hilton

This is a brand-new property that opened at the end of July and Hilton’s only upscale hotel in Krakow, Poland. This mid-size, low-rise (only three floors) property has a feel of a boutique hotel.

Because of its location in the heart of Krakow’s gorgeous old town, this is the perfect base for a few days in the Polish city. Saski Krakow is a quiet hotel, a perfect place to relax and recharge after a busy day of sightseeing. Families, couples or solo travelers would all enjoy staying there.

If you like design, and you like staying at newly opened properties, you’re going to love Hotel Saski. The hotel is impeccably decorated, with meticulous attention to detail, using high-quality materials and furnishings. It’s a gorgeous property with attentive staff providing flawless service.

The hotel’s classical exterior blends seamlessly with its surroundings, and it feels like the hotel has been there for a couple of centuries.

My husband and I stayed at Hotel Saski in August, and we greatly enjoyed our stay.

How I Booked Hotel Saski Krakow

I booked the hotel with 40,000 Hilton Honors points per night. I’ve seen the nightly redemption rate drop as low as 36,000 points and go up as high as 48,000 points, depending on the season. Both the cash price and the points price reflect the fact that Poland is still an affordable destination. A comparable property in a Western European city would cost at least 50% more.

If you have a free night certificate that comes with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card or the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, you can use it to book Hotel Saski Krakow.

I prefer to use my free night certificates on more expensive hotels, so I used my stash of Hilton Honors points earned with the Hilton Honors American Express Card’s welcome bonus.

Hotel Saski Krakow Location

The hotel is located in the heart of Krakow’s Old Town and just a couple of minutes’ walk from Krakow’s main square and the Cloth Hall. Old Town, where most tourists spend their time, is walkable, but if you need to venture into a different part of town, there’s a tram stop about 10 minutes from the hotel. Also, an Uber or a taxi can pick you up or drop you off right in front of the hotel.

Dozens of great local restaurants and bars line the streets of Krakow’s Old Town, so you’ll never go thirsty or hungry.

Krakow’s main train station is a 10-minute Uber ride from the hotel. If you’re traveling light, it’ll take about 20 minutes to walk from the train station. The Krakow John Paul II International Airport is about 40 minutes away by taxi or Uber.

Best Parts of Hotel Saski Krakow

Hotel Saski is a beautiful property, and I loved the gorgeous design and the impeccable attention to details. We enjoyed the hotel’s delicious breakfast and loved the great service we received from every single member of staff.

I also loved the self-service coffee machine at breakfast. The fact that I didn’t have to wait for my morning coffee is a huge plus in my book, and I wish more hotels offered that.

We also greatly enjoyed the pool and sauna. Like everything else in the hotel, the pool area is gorgeous, and it’s always nice to take a refreshing dip after a long day of sightseeing.

Hotel Saski Krakow Drawbacks

There’s only one drawback. I strongly dislike hotel bathtubs. They’re often slippery and can be hard to get in and out of. Unfortunately, our room had the shower/tub combination, but at least the bathtub wasn’t too slippery or too high.

Getting to Hotel Saski Krakow

We arrived in Krakow by train from Wroclaw, Poland, and took an Uber from the train station to the hotel. The ride took about 15 minutes and we paid about $4. If you don’t have luggage, you can also walk from the train station.

Because the hotel is located in the heart of the Old Town, there’s no public transport in the immediate vicinity of the hotel and it’s about a 10-minute walk from the nearest tram station, so I recommend getting an Uber or a taxi.

If I were to fly into Krakow, I’d take an Uber or a taxi from the airport as well. Considering how inexpensive rides are in Poland, it’s worth paying a little extra for a comfortable ride.

Check-In

Because the hotel occupies a corner building, there are two entrances from two different streets. Our Uber dropped us off at the entrance that didn’t have a doorman or a bellman.

As soon as we walked in, we saw a beautifully decorated, bright and inviting lobby.

When we approached the check-in area, the hotel’s staff warmly greeted us, and the whole process took just a couple of minutes. I have Hilton Honors Diamond status, but that wasn’t immediately acknowledged.

I booked the cheapest room, the King Courtyard room, and was hoping to get upgraded, thanks to my status. I asked about upgrades and was told that they’ve already upgraded us to the King Deluxe Courtyard room and no further upgrades were available. Diamond elites also get free breakfast so they pointed us in the direction of the restaurant where the breakfast is served every morning.

Judging by the pictures on the website, the rooms all look pretty similar, with the exception of the most expensive rooms and suites, and the main difference is size.

We arrived in the afternoon, so our room was ready. Because the elevator was right in front of the check-in desk, we grabbed our suitcases and headed upstairs.

The Room at Hotel Saski Krakow

We were immediately impressed with the room. Everything looked and felt brand new, and because the hotel opened less than two weeks before our stay, it might have indeed all been brand new.

Our corner room was spacious, welcoming and bright with a lot of natural light. I was a little concerned about street noise in the corner room, but the soundproofing was excellent. We didn’t hear any noise with the windows closed. And when I kept the windows open during the day, I could hear the street musicians and city concerts performed in Krakow’s main square. This was actually a lot of fun and added even more color to this already-charming hotel.

We loved the room’s layout. There was a small entrance hallway, a huge king-sized bed, a small living area with a couch, a coffee table, an armchair and a desk by the window. It all worked together beautifully, and there were plenty of surfaces to put things. I loved the mid-century modern walnut wood furniture and the brass light fixtures.

A small wardrobe held the safe, the ironing board, bathrobes and slippers.

There was no view to speak of, as we were on the second floor and this hotel is located on a narrow Old Town street.

We got a lovely welcome amenity and a note from the manager thanking us for choosing Hotel Saski.

The console table under the TV had a sliding drawer that held a Nespresso coffee machine and an electric kettle. Coffee capsules and tea supplies were replenished daily by the housekeeping. We also got two water bottles every day.

The bathroom was, thankfully, fully enclosed and had real walls. I hate it when hotel bathrooms have glass walls or aren’t fully enclosed. This makes it so awkward for friends or families staying in the same room, and I wish the hotels would stop building these open-plan rooms.

Overall, the room was comfortable and quiet. The air conditioning worked well; it was quiet; and our room stayed at a comfortable temperature. We didn’t hear any noise from neighbors or hallways, and the windows provided excellent sound insulation from the street noise.

I loved the comfortable king bed. The mattress wasn’t too firm, and the linens were beautiful and felt brand new.

The blackout curtains blocked the streetlights well and kept the room dark.

One of my favorite things about staying at newer hotels is the abundance of electrical outlets. There were plugs at each side of the bed, which is, of course, convenient for charging your phone at night.

The bathroom, like the room, was spacious and beautifully decorated.

I’m not a fan of the shower/tub combo, but at least the glass partition was somewhat effective at preventing the water splashing all over the floor. The water pressure was excellent, and the water temperature always remained consistent. I also liked the bright lighting and the magnifying lighted makeup mirror on the wall.

The C.O. Bigelow amenities came in bulk packaging, which could be a negative or a positive depending on your feelings about bulk vs. individually packaged soap and shampoo.

Food and Drink

Thanks to my Hilton Diamond status, breakfast was included in our stay. The on-property restaurant Regale is open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We only ate breakfast at the restaurant because there are so many great local and affordable restaurants in Krakow.

The breakfast was excellent with lots of choices, and the food was fresh and beautifully presented.

And when in Europe, you can’t miss all the fresh bread and pastries.

We both loved the self-service coffee and tea station. It was always kept immaculately clean.

You can also order a few items from the menu.

My husband’s favorites were these delicious pancakes.

Hotel Saski Amenities

The hotel has a pool, a sauna, and I was told they’re working on opening a spa soon. Just like the rest of the property, the pool was beautiful.

I loved the dry sauna with color-changing lights.

If you prefer a steam room to a dry sauna, there is one as well.

The gym is quite small but has all the necessary equipment for a good workout.

I spoke to a staff member at the pool/gym reception desk, and she said a full-service spa is coming soon. Judging by all the other hotel’s services and amenities already in place, we can expect great things when the new spa is finally open.

Service

We didn’t have one bad or unpleasant interaction during our stay. Everyone was friendly, polite and just a joy to talk to. Housekeeping kept our room clean. We never had to wait too long for our food during breakfast. Every interaction with a staff member was delightful.

Hotel Saski Family Friendliness

Hotel Saski is definitely a city hotel, so you won’t find a kids’ club or any activities geared specifically toward the youngest travelers. However, the bathroom is private; the rooms have a good amount of storage; and the central location is excellent for exploring the beautiful city of Krakow. You can easily pop in for a quick rest, a nap or a dip in the pool to give your young travel companions some respite from all the sightseeing and activities.

Breakfast had a lot of kid-friendly options, such as pancakes, cereal, bread and pastries.

Final Thoughts on Hotel Saski Krakow

Both my husband and I loved our stay at the brand-new Hotel Saski. I was a little apprehensive about booking a property that was slated to open two weeks before our trip because hotel openings are often delayed or there might be some growing pains to be worked out, but the hotel was fully operational and there were no issues at all.

If Poland is on your list (and if it’s not, you should definitely add this amazing country), then Krakow is a must-stop on any Poland itinerary. And now, thanks to this great new Hilton property, your stay in Krakow is going to be extra special.