Holiday Inn Warsaw City Centre by IHG — Attraction in Warsaw

When we checked in we were greeted by the reception staff who was very confused with my booking. I booked through the brand's website at ihg com however she believed that I booked through booking com and advised that my Platinum membership does not actually carry any perks with this booking as I used a travel agent. After I showed her the original receipt, and she checked with a colleague, she finally agreed that I have booked through them and have the membership benefits.

Another disappointing aspect was that I contacted the hotel weeks in advance and asked for a room on a high floor as it was a special occasion for this stay however I was allocated on the 5th floor out of the possible 14 floors in this building, and there was no way to move up during my stay. This might not sound like a huge deal but it does reflect on the communication between the hotel's staff and departments.

There were many small/minor instances where I contacted reception to ask for different items or enquire about services and a lot of the times it resulted in confusion or poor service from the staff at reception. They were also rather cold and unfriendly most of the times I saw them or interacted with them. Not a very good impression.

Now with the positives:

the hotel building is very tidy and new, with a modern feel and a nice atmosphere. The housekeeping & maintenance team do a great job at keeping the whole place tidy and spotless.

our suite was quite spacious, I believe it's about 40sqm, and it has a very interesting layout around the corner of the building and with lots of windows which allow for natural light to come in. We also appreciated that you get both a bathtub and a shower (which is very high pressure & good) and it has a very practical design overall. The AC in the room was very powerful and the sound isolation was excellent.

if you book the suite you have a minibar in the room which gets refilled daily for free. The biggest hassle is that you have to advise them daily if you need it restocked (which is quite inconvenient at times when you return after a long day out).

the breakfast was surprisingly good. Almost every day there were new and interesting food items and especially sweets/cakes. You get an impressive variety of hot and cold foods, with many items you don't usually find even in expensive hotels: brie cheese, smoked/pickled fish, fresh juice maker with freshly cut fruits and veggies, dozens of sauces, syrups and dips, many types of breads, etc By far the best breakfast variety I've had in a 4* hotel.

the bar/restaurant has decent prices. I haven't tried the restaurant food but we had cocktails from the bar and they were very well done. If you go during happy hour which is every day from 4 to 6pm, you get 2 for 1 on cocktails (which cost about 6 euros each normally) so you can get amazing value for your money

the staff at the food and breakfast facilities were very friendly and kind so they really helped make our stay better. Also the housekeeping and maintenance staff were always smiling and nice.

the WiFi is good but the TVs in the room mostly have Polish channels with only 3 of them in English (which we didn't really enjoy). You can't really do other things on them and it says you can only mirror your phone if you have a Samsung (my Google Pixel didn't connect). You also can't reach behind the TV to connect a HDMI cable in case you wanted to. The same goes for Netflix or other streaming services.

the location was excellent for us. It's within walking distance from the main central shops and shopping mall, just tucked in away from the main road. The area is quiet and clean.

To conclude, our time at the hotel was enjoyable, and we would consider booking with them again in the future. Despite a few service inconsistencies, the positive aspects, such as the inviting atmosphere, spacious suite, outstanding breakfast, and friendly staff, contributed to a...

A positive experience from booking to check-in to check-out.

I booked this stay using points and it was already good value at that point, but beyond even a regular stay, this hotel and its staff exceeded all expectations. The hotel is situated in the city centre and a 5-10 minute walk from the subway and the tram systems.

The check-in process was smooth and the staff at the reception friendly. My status with the chain was recognised and I was given an upgrade even without me asking for one. Upon entering the room, I was surprised because the property appears new and fresh, and very cleanly kept, and the suite was very spacious and well-designed. At the entry way, you will find space to put your luggage at, and in the suite's living room is a working desk, the mini-bar (free), a comfortable sofa set and a smart TV unit. There is also a rack with hangers for you to put your clothing on. As you proceed further into the room, the door to the right of the short walkway between the living room and the bedroom leads to the bathroom, complete with toilet, shower and bathtub facilities. This is also very clean and well-stocked with the fresh towels and the amenities you may need. Finally, I proceeded to the bedroom. In front of the bed is another smart TV, a single sofa chair and another rack to hang your clothes at. There's also a safe in the room. On top of the bed, bathrobe and slipper sets await. The bed is firm but not hard, ideal for a good night's sleep.

My second day, I called reception to ask for late check out and upon confirming my status and agreeing, the receptionist asked me to go to the reception the next day to have my key card revalidated for the extended check out time - this is very proactive and probably the first time I've encountered this request, usually, you either get to the room and are unable to get in and go back to reception to have it revalidated, or you already know it's going to be an issue the next day so you go have it revalidated yourself. I also asked for a few bottles of water and while immediately agreeing to bring the water, the receptionist also let me know that they do not have housekeeping in the evenings and she would bring me the water as soon as there was someone else at the counter. This did not take too long, but I love how she set expectations on the outset so I won't get disappointed by "how long" it would take. To top this off, as she dropped off my water, she also gave me another keycard that already had the new check-out time registered --- I don't think I've seen such a pro-active approach even in most five star hotels.

During my stay, I also headed to the bar for a drink and the bartender concocted one based on my preferences - he doesn't even have a name for the drink. How creative!

Checking out was also a breeze and there was no trouble leaving my 3 pieces of heavy luggage with them. They also helped me speak to my Uber driver because he couldn't speak in English.

I felt like this hotel takes care of its guests well beyond what I'd previously experienced at Holiday Inns and upon checking how much a stay costs, will stay that it is definitely great value for the money you're...

I chose the Holiday Inn Warsaw City Centre because I wanted to stay within the IHG brand due to my loyalty points. It wasn’t the cheapest rate as I booked last minute, but that didn’t matter much to me. The hotel presents itself well and is in a convenient location, about a 10-minute walk from the train station. That said, this part of Warsaw is full of hotels and most of them are centrally located, so the idea of a “perfect location” really depends on your plans.

As a Platinum member, I was given an upgrade and placed on the 16th floor, which is the executive floor. The room didn’t feel particularly different or larger than a standard room, but the views were stunning. I used my complimentary drink to sit by the window and enjoy the night skyline—really spectacular. Of course, many tall hotels offer this, and while this isn’t the tallest building in the area, the views from the 16th floor are still great.

The staff were professional and pleasant during the few interactions I had. The room was very quiet, and I had a good night’s sleep. There is a minibar in the room, though not particularly well-stocked, but I don’t use minibars anyway. Complimentary water was provided, and I believe the bathrobes came with the upgrade. They’re also available for purchase. The bathroom was clean, with a heated floor and a shower (no bathtub), and the room overall looked spotless.

There’s an option to have breakfast delivered to the room for around €25 per person. I chose to eat in the restaurant and went at the busiest time—Sunday around 9:30am. It was crowded, and the restaurant seemed a bit too small for the number of guests. I had to sit in the bar area due to lack of space. The food selection was slightly smaller than what I’ve seen in other Polish hotels, but still more than enough for most people. If you stay here for one or two nights, you won’t feel like anything is missing. For longer stays, you might start to notice the limited variety.

There’s a coffee machine in the room, but only two cartridges were provided along with some instant coffee sachets. It would’ve been nice to have a few more coffee pod options, especially for guests who rely on those machines, though it was enough for me.

I used my complimentary drink at the bar, which had a busier, more business-like vibe rather than a relaxed hotel lounge atmosphere. It still served its purpose well.

Overall, I give this hotel 5 stars. Not because everything was perfect, but because it delivered exactly what I expected for the price and brand. Any minor complaints would be nitpicking. It’s a solid hotel in a good location with professional service and clean,...