Swanhunter

I had no problems with a cab from the airport at New Year. Establishing the exact price can take a little time but it was at least a friendly process. IIRC the bus is not very frequent.

mauld

How much was the taxi into the city??

Raffles

I got the bus when I was there last October. It will cost a whole $1 and gives an interesting tour through the suburbs. If you walk out of the airport and one is there, then think about it.

mauld

Thanks, I was planning on taking the #192 into the city, then changing to the #152 to the Shearton tomorrow afternoon. But my flight back to the UK, leaves at 7:50am on Sat, so I figured I'd be better off with a taxi at that time in the am.

Swanhunter

IIRC a taxi cost about 50 zloty - my memory is a bit rusty. Worth it at new year when it was -8, snowing and not a bus in sight!

mauld

I am writing this from the lounge at the KRK airport where I've just checked out of the new Sheraton. Yes it is a very nice hotel, make sure to get a room with a river/Wawel view--many rooms face into the inner atrium of the hotel or onto sidestreets. As a Platinum I was told I was upgraded to a river view room (#406). Yes it was ok, but nothing special--the view was lovely, especially as I had both river & Wawel view from it. I will post some pics when I get back. There a very casual/sports bar-restaurant as well as a more upscale (expensive) lobby/atruim restaurant and a lobby bar. The heath club is small but seemed pretty good and there is a pool. I took the #192 bus from the airport and it cost about 60 cents--but took a loooong time, as it makes all local stops. I then took a taxi from the last stop to the hotel (cost about US$4). This am, I took a taxi from the hotel (actually it was the hotel car), there was no meter and the charge was zloty 75 (about $18). It was very quick getting to the airport--but be very warned if you are checking luggage the line to check in was very very long with only 2 or 3 agents checking all flights. I only had hand luggage, so I was able to bypass the line.

Here are the pics:
http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=xcyf847...&x=0&y=-6wnmcr

mauld

Add this new property to the list of NO amentiy choice in Europe. I checked in for my one night stay and asked about the amenity and was given a 'blank stare'-- this by an american desk clerk, who from the flags listed on his nameplate has worked in Starwoods in London and NY. Obviously Krackow has not been told of the new program yet. Also while my Platinum status was noted at check in by him telling me that I had been upgraded one level to a river view room-- he did stress the 'one level' point. Looking at the room chart I did see suites, larger corner rooms etc, but was not offered one.
(And alas, I'm the sort that does not make a big deal about complaining to the desk for a larger/suite room, I'm more the hopeful optimistic type who assumes if they have one of those better rooms, I'd get it???) While chatting with the restaurant staff I was told the hotel was pretty empty (it was a Friday) and had been that way for awhile. The rooms here, while ok, were very average (I found the Westin Warsaw rooms to be much better). Be careful about getting one of the inner facing atrium rooms because the echo from the deserted atrium can magnify any sounds--also there's no view from them aside from the restuarants.
There is an ATM on the lower level floor near the health club and pool, and the hotel itself is a pretty close walk to the old town area, and right across from the Wawel castle and Wistula river.

ac/elite

I'll be in Krakow next month and am considering staying at the new Sheraton. I've done a search and no one has posted any real detail on their stay there. I did notice people remarking that in stays soon after the hotel opened they didn't receive a Platinum amenity or much of an upgrade. Has that changed more recently?

acnev

We stayed here in the middle of August for 2 nights on an award stay. It is a very nice hotel - we got rooms overlooking the river, with a side view of the castle. As you know it is a new hotel with something close to a 'heavenly bed'. As a platinum, got a fruit bowl but nothing else. Wasn't offered a local gift as in the rest of Europe.

While we were there, the Real Madrid soccer team and David Beckham was also staying there. Hence, the hotel was barricaded to keep the hundreds of fans outside - it was interesting to see the constant crowds outside the hotel.

One other neat feature - the pool in the hotel has jets at one end that enable you to swim in place if you didn't want to do laps.

The hotel is about a 5-10 min walk to the center of town but is almost adjacent to the castle.

neo_781

I stayed there this spring/summer days after the hotel opened. I really liked it. The location is great. The hotel has their own fleet of Mercedes Taxis. Everyone was very polite. I too didn't recieve recognition for my platinum status and didn't really get an upgraded room (but I don't think the hotel was completely open). I would recommend it.

BTW - Krakow is great. Enjoy your time there.

Tak

We stayed 4 nights at Sheraton Krakow and originally planned to spend 28,000 SPG points for 4 free award nights.
When we checked in, we were told that breakfast was included.
However, that information was wrong and breakfast was not included for the award stay and charged us $50 for two.
Since I realized it on the first day, we changed our reservation and spent 1,000 SPG points for 50% off(next 3 days).
It was about 110 Euro and breakfast was included.

Spend 7000 points a night plus $50 for the breakfast for two was not a good deal at all.
AS the platinum, we got corner room which was a little bit bigger than standard room. I believed that this hotel had free high speed internet in each room.

haveric

That must be one darn good breakfast. I hardly remember spending that much in Poland for dinner a year ago.

sllevin

Doesn't surprise me...Westin Dublin is 25 Euro/person for breakfast as well....and yes, it's poor.

Steve

Tak

<<That must be one darn good breakfast. I hardly remember spending that much in Poland for dinner a year ago.>>

Breakfast at the hotel was not bad, but nothing special.
Indeed, the dinner at local restaurant was much cheaper than the breakfast at the hotel.

Also, I have to mention that the hotel is still new, spotless and very clean.
My room has the view of river and castle.
It took about 10 minutes walk to the center of the city( famous square ) and 3 minutes to castle.

mauld

Considering how inexpensive food is generally in KRK, I'd say that was NOT a good deal. As I remember breakfast at the Sheraton was a large buffet as well as being able to order hot foods. While it was ok... I wouldn't spend e 25 per person for it! I ate at the Sports Bar restaurant in the hotel for dinner and couldn't have spent more than e 12-15. Luckily, my room rate did include breakfast, but under no circumstances would I spend that much for it. As a Platinum I was given an 'ok' room (not corner, and not a suite) with a good view of the river/castle. I was there in June (about a month after it had opened), and the hotel was basically empty on a Friday evening.