Topolowa Residence

The Topolowa Residence attracts international travelers, touring and on business, who want a flexible living arrangement with the option to cook their own meals. Guests are welcomed in a small, pleasant lobby with a choice of coffee, schnapps, or cherry vodka while a staff member imparts directions and various tips. The property's common area, where a free breakfast is served, provides guests with a chance to mingle. It's a bright, white-walled room with high ceilings and windows to the street. Orange crushed velvet banquette seats and black chairs provide some zest. Black pendant lights shine on white cafe tables topped with bouquets of fresh flowers. There is a small bar with white subway tile and backlighting within the breakfast room. There's also a back patio that provides some outdoor space with twinkle lights and lots of potted plants and greenery. Overall, it's a charming place with attractive, tidily kept interiors.

The Topolowa Residence is two blocks from Krakow's main train and bus station, Krakow Glowny, and within walking distance of several top attractions. The Krakow Opera House is a four-minute walk, while the Krakow Botanical Garden is six minutes away on foot. The Galeria Krakowska, a large shopping center by the train station, is a seven-minute walk from here. Krakow's Old Town can be reached in about 15 minutes on foot, while its main square full of shops, cafes, restaurants, and historic sights like St. Mary's Basilica and the Cloth Hall is about a 20-minute walk from the hotel. Wawel Royal Castle is about a 10-minute drive, while the National Museum of Krakow and the historic Jewish Quarter are between a 10- to 15-minute drive. Wieliczka Salt Mine is around a half-hour away, and the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial sights can be reached in a bit over an hour by car. Balice Airport is around a 30-minute drive from the hotel.

The spacious rooms and apartments at Topolowa Residence feature stylish decor and good quality furnishings. The bones of the property are vintage so ceilings are high and some have quirky eaves. Attractive wooden floors and furniture are paired with contemporary fabrics. Large beds with sleek wooden headboards are accented by striped pillows and throws, while big windows illuminate the spaces with natural light. Some apartments have balconies. The hotel rooms and studio apartments are both 322 square feet. Apartments have tiny kitchenettes with microwaves or small but full-service kitchens with dining tables. The biggest, the 755-square-foot Executive Apartments, have large kitchens with full-size dining rooms, living rooms, and large bedrooms. All of the rooms have climate control, coffee- and tea-making facilities, flat-screen TVs, safes, and mini or full-size refrigerators. Wi-Fi is free and guests report swift connectivity. Studios to larger apartments add Nespresso machines and full kitchens. The bathrooms are spacious with pretty marble finishes. Contoured porcelain sinks sit on generous marble countertops, and there are heated towel racks and showers with glass doors. Large mirrors span the wall and sit under high-hat lights. Toiletries are neatly packaged. Luxe touches include fresh flowers, plants, chocolates, and mineral water.

As a petite boutique property, the Topolowa Residence doesn't check all the boxes when it comes to features -- it's notably lacking a full restaurant -- but the extras it does provide lend to its sophisticated atmosphere. The property offers a free cooked-to-order breakfast that includes buffet options of fresh fruit, yogurt, pastries and breads. Guests are welcomed with a free drink such as coffee, schnapps, or cherry vodka and provided with maps and travel tips. Those traveling on day trips can receive a box lunch for a fee. The breakfast room includes a bar with affordably priced drinks. A staff member will carry luggage up the stairs to the rooms; but guests still lament the lack of an elevator. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. There is dry cleaning and laundry service for a fee, and airport transfers are available for a fee. Guests report gifts of chocolate at departure.