Hotel Polonia in Krakow

Hotel Polonia, located in the heart of Krakow at 25 Basztowa Street, is a three-star hotel with 118 beds across 59 rooms of varying standards, a restaurant, a cocktail bar, and two conference halls. The building itself was constructed between 1886 and 1887 in the Neo-Renaissance style, designed by Sławomir Odrzywolski. In 1909, its adaptation into a hotel began, which involved remodeling the interiors and installing plumbing and sewage systems. Initially named "Belvedere," it has operated under its current name since 1917, thanks to its owner, Aleksander Ritterman, who also adapted the wing facing Pawia Street. Between 1926 and 1927, the hotel underwent a thorough renovation, and by 1932, it was considered one of the largest hotels in Krakow, featuring modern amenities such as running water. During World War II, the building served as a hotel for German officers, and after the war, from 1945 to 1947, it housed repatriates. From 1946, it was under the ownership of M. Krzysztoforski, and in 1950, it was taken over by the City Hotels Directorate. In 1958, it became state property. In the 1970s, it was managed by the Krakow Tourism Enterprise "Wawel-Tourist," and in 1990, it was returned to the heirs of M. Krzysztoforski. A notable feature of the restaurant's interior is the ceramic compositions created in the 1970s by Witold Skulicz. Originally, the dining room featured three slender ceramic walls, which underwent various changes and were restored in 2014. The hotel's windows offer views of the Main Railway Station, the Juliusz Słowacki Theatre, and the Krakow city walls, highlighting its attractive location and its significance in local culture and history.