When it opened a few years ago in 2013, the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Lodz was the first hotel of the DoubleTree by Hilton brand in Poland. A 10-storey building with a glass façade, the hotel overlooks Poniatowski Park to the south.

Check In

The check-in process was efficient, but service at the front desk was not particularly friendly (including at check-out). I was given the signature DoubleTree cookie.

Chilled water (with mint and lemon) and a bowl of apples were available for guests in the lobby.

King Deluxe Room

As a Diamond member, I received a one-category upgrade from a standard room to a deluxe room on the top floor (10th floor). The main difference between the two room types is the floor level and extra amenities in the deluxe room (espresso machine and dressing gowns).

The room was quite spacious.

I was allocated a north-facing room with a view of the city. It was possible to open the window partially.

If possible, I would recommend requesting a south-facing room as the view of the park is much better – see the section below for a photo of the view of the south from the health club.

There was a welcome gift (macarons and meringue) and letter, as well as two bottles of mineral water.

As I mentioned in this thread, although the hotel's official website claims that guests can access 'complimentary 50 MB/s WiFi', the internet speed was much slower during my stay.

Bathroom:

Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries were provided:

Breakfast

At the entrance to the Four Colours restaurant on the ground floor, tea/coffee, pastries and yoghurt/muesli are available free of charge for all hotel guests to take away (including those who are not Diamond/Gold members and not staying on a rate inclusive of breakfast). This service is available daily from 5am onwards.

As a Diamond member, at check-in I was given complimentary vouchers for the full breakfast buffet, which is available from 6:30 to 10 am (weekdays) and 7 to 10:30am (weekends) in the Four Colours restaurant.

There were a wide range of drinks available (sparkling white wine, coffee machine, tea, fruit juices, water etc) and a self-service juicer for freshly squeezed apple and carrot juice.

There was also an extensive range of bread, pastries, cake, fresh fruit, porridge, crêpes, cold meats (sliced roast beef, pork loin/neck, turkey, chicken), cheese, spreads, cooked items (mushrooms, bacon, sausage, baked beans, scrambled egg etc).

Eggs (fried, boiled or omelette) and zurek soup were available made to order.

Staff were efficient in collecting used plates/cutlery.

Dining

As a Diamond member, I received a voucher for 2 complimentary welcome drinks (house wine, beer, soft drink, tea/coffee or drink of the day) in the Four Colours restaurant or the Golden Bar on the ground floor.

During my stay, I had dinner in the Four Colours restaurant. I ordered the homemade ice tea (using the complimentary drinks voucher), which was very refreshing, and ‘Lazanki Szefa Jakuba’ (39 PLN, around USD 10), a layered pasta dish created by Chef Jakub with traditional Polish ingredients (cabbage, mushrooms, red cabbage, pork belly and chanterelle sauce). It was delicious and beautifully presented.

Service was excellent – the waitress was very friendly and the food arrived quickly.

Health club

The spa and health club are located on the top floor (10th floor).

The gym is open 24/7.

The gym and swimming pool overlook Poniatowski Park.

The swimming pool and jacuzzi are open daily from 6am to 10pm.

Unfortunately, the pool is very small and the jacuzzi was out of order during my stay. The changing room is also very small.

In addition, the health club features a sauna and steam room.

Location

The nearest railway station (Lodz Kaliska) is around 10-15 minutes away by foot.

Bus number 88A (as well as 88B) to/from Lodz airport (bus stop name: Lotnisko) stops directly in front of the hotel (bus stop name: Lazenki). The journey takes around 20 minutes. The timetable is available at http://www.mpk.lodz.pl/rozklady/trasa.jsp?lineId=114. A 20 minute ticket costs 2,80 PLN (less than USD 1) and can be purchased with a credit/debit card using the ticket machine onboard the bus.

Lazenki bus stop in front of the hotel:

Piotrkowska Street (the main pedestrian street) is around 15 minutes’ walk from the hotel. The closest tram stop (Zeromskiego - Mickiewicza) is 5 minutes’ walk away. You can take tram number 15 (journey time around 10 minutes) to visit sights such as Manufaktura, ms2, the Lodz City Museum etc.

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Victory is located next to the hotel.

The Sukcesja and Pasaz Lodzki shopping centres are located around 10-15 minutes by foot from the hotel.

The staff member at the concierge was friendly and happy to give advice on sightseeing.

Overall

Overall, I had an enjoyable stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Lodz. I enjoyed the dining experience in the Four Colours restaurant. Unfortunately, the health club facilities were quite disappointing (the pool was too small and the jacuzzi was out of order during my stay), the front desk staff were not too friendly, and wifi was slow. Nonetheless, I would recommend this hotel.