Anthea Gerrie Is Greeted By A Giant Red Dragon At The Radisson Red Hotel, Krakow’s Newest Style Hotel
It’s a rare hotel chain that commissions a huge scarlet fibreglass dragon to greet its guests, but then Radisson has created RED as a “game-changing” hospitality brand aiming to wow guests with bold design and a dynamic social vibe. The Radisson RED Hotel and Apartments in Krakow is certainly the boldest piece of modern design to hit the historic former Polish capital this century, and a delight to experience.
While surroundings on a futuristic glass and steel campus largely occupied by the university seem bland on approach, the hotel, restaurant and bar form a buzzy oasis on the plaza, especially on summer nights when the outdoor tables on the ground-floor terrace become a vibrant social hub.
The dragon, standing tall in its ambassadorial role in a lobby enlivened by a lounge and opening up to the restaurant at one side, made me smile – always a good feeling when arriving in an unfamiliar city. And if the reception staff were not exactly smiley, they were efficient and cool-looking, a pair you would consult for recommendations on this college town’s many happening bars and nightclubs.
Poland’s second Radisson RED, despite giving the impression of being slightly out of town, is only a 10-minute ride from Krakow’s Old Town and its happening centre, thanks to the trams running a level below its entrance, accessed by a subway leading to a park which is a veritable city transport hub.
The hotel is close to the Tauron Arena for those drawn by world-class music and sports events as well as the city’s own cultural attractions – trams also run directly to the fabulous Mocak, Krakow’s Museum of Contemporary Art facing the Schindler Factory, now a more sombre museum telling the story of the infamous World War II Ghetto.
And Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter packed with bars, restaurants and vintage shops which hosts a world-famous music festival every June, is just three short tram stops away.
No Ghetto ghosts haunt the rooms of the Radisson RED, merely parodies of 18th century nobles doing unexpected things – women necking beer or wielding golf clubs in their crinolines, blokes straddling Harley-Davidsons in their ruffs and cuffs. Murals of these characters peopled a whole wall of my corner room, which enjoyed views on two sides – they make up more than 10 per cent of the 229-room offering, which includes 46 spacious apartments designed for longer stays.
All rooms enjoy clothes-steamers as well as the usual hairdryers, in-room safes, espresso machines, mini-fridges and smart TVs with Chromecast as well as a supremely comfortable bed. My corner room was also furnished with a coffee table and comfortable armchair from which to enjoy my mid-morning espresso in with some superior baked treats from the Filini restaurant downstairs.
Visual delights continued in the bathroom, where a floor to ceiling strip of red glass emphasised the branding and elegantly heralded the entrance to a large walk-in shower with full-length mural depicting the snowy Tatra mountains nearby.
The ground-floor restaurant and bar, intended for all-day dining and drinking, offers an extremely bountiful breakfast which can be enjoyed outdoors on a spacious terrace when weather permits. There were mountains of smoked and cured fish, charcuterie, cheeses, fruit and a wide choice of juices and smoothies as well as a cooked counter offering the usual Full English components as well as local favourites. While the chef is Polish and local dishes are showcased, there is also a strong Italian influence at play.
The hotel, which also has a fitness centre and sauna, is a proud holder of the Leed Gold Certificate reflecting its sustainable build and green practices. Guests can fill up the glass decanter in their rooms as often as they want from the filtered water dispenser in the hall, and rewards are on offer to those who decide they can go a day without inviting the cleaners in to change sheets or towels.
A thoroughly modern perch, then, in one of Europe’s most historic cities, and a joyous one in a metropolis once as synonymous with sadness as the grandeur of a royal capital.
Telle Me More About Staying At The Radisson Red Hotel, Krakow
Radisson Red Hotel ,Alexsandra Lubomirskiego 16, 31-509 Krakow Poland
T: +48 12 880 5400
Rooms from £59 with advance booking
