Despite number of travelers, only a few hotels shine
Among hotels in the capital, the Marriott offers the most in terms of quality services, the Bristol is best when it comes to style and the Sheraton is moving up but still needs some improvement, according to executives interviewed in an informal WBJ survey. (See also the List, page 20.)
After the top three, the Sobieski comes in as a runner-up, but, while reliable, is dull, executives said. The rest of the hotels on the market don't offer world-class services despite the hefty prices they charge.
"The Marriott beats everyone," said Ela Morrison, public relations director with Delphi Automotive Systems, a U.S.-based car components maker here. Morrison often hires conference rooms and ballrooms in top hotels to organize events. "If I want to organize a good reception I go to the Marriott," she added.
Other events organizers agreed that the Marriott is among the best options in town, although it is one of the most expensive locations to hold an event. "If it's a big event we go to the Marriott," said Jacek lozinski, managing director of ART Public Relations, which organizes press conferences or promotions an average of once a month. "The Marriott gives an absolute guarantee that everything will be OK."
Besides doing business with the American-owned hotel, many executives said they simply enjoyed staying there.
"I think the Marriott is top class, it's one of the best I've ever stayed in," said Frederic Frankel, exploration manager with Texaco and a frequent traveler to Poland who has paid about "30 visits to Warsaw hotels" including the Marriott and others. "I am fan of the Marriott; they treat me like they know me," he added.
Service and not style is what wins most people over to the Marriott, which is located in the modernistic LIM Center across from the seedy Warszawa Centralna rail station.
"The Marriott is efficient and business-like, rather than stylish," said Sean Murphy, a senior analyst with Nomura investment bank who often travels to Poland. "There's nothing wrong with that."
For style, visitors say the Bristol, located on ulica Krakowskie Przedmiescie not far from the Old Town, beats every hotel in the city hands down. "I like the Bristol; it has a bit of style and charm that others lack," said Murphy.
"The Bristol is really nice, it's No. 2," said Frankel of Texaco. He added, though, that the Bristol's high prices can prove taxing even for executives on expense accounts. "The Bristol is quite high, it's too high," he said.
Other executives said that while stylish, the Bristol isn't the best place for doing business. "The Bristol is trying hard (to offer good service)," said ART's lozinski. But because of its limited capacity, the hotel can only hold small events. lozinski said he could only organize small press conferences for 10 people as bigger events don't work well there.
"The Bristol is a more private hotel," said Juergen Hofmann, who runs his own automotive consulting firm. "I would take my wife there, not talk about business there."
He added that the Bristol's business center, which is located in an old library, is quaint, but not very convenient. Hofmann said that since "the Marriott is too American and there's a lot of hustling and bustling there," his top choice for a business hotel would be the Sheraton. "It has a good business center, fitness club and other services," he added.
The U.S.-owned Sheraton, which is located on plac Trzech Krzyly in the center of the city, has the potential to compete with the Marriott. "I prefer the Sheraton because it's nicer," said Frank Harris, managing consultant with Wood Mackenzie, an energy consulting firm owned by Bankers Trust. "The Marriott is sort of impersonal, it could be located anywhere in the world."
But others said the Sheraton needs to improve its service to successfully compete for the top spot.
"We have had bad experiences with the Sheraton," said ART's lozinski. In addition, the location of the Sheraton's conference rooms is not convenient because they are lined up along one corridor, which can confuse visitors, he added.
"There is always something wrong there," said Delphi's Morrison, citing an instance where a meeting room was changed without any prior notice.
After these three hotels, executives cited the Sobieski as a possible front runner, saying it offers good value for the money. But the hotel lacks enough style to be a top contender, some said.
"The Sobieski is efficient but I don't have a strong opinion about it," said Nomura's Murphy.
Other hotels in town price single rooms above $100, suggesting international standards, but don't always deliver.
Among these hotels are the Victoria Intercontinental, which before the construction of the Marriott in the late 1980s was considered to be the best hotel in Warsaw. "The Victoria is on the B-list, not on the A-list," said Texaco's Frankel. "It's not as clean, not as new, and the service is not as good."
"The Victoria is a little run down and they need new investment," agreed Hofmann. The hotel, which is owned by Orbis, is currently undergoing renovation.
After the top three, the Sobieski comes in as a runner-up, but, while reliable, is dull, executives said. The rest of the hotels on the market don't offer world-class services despite the hefty prices they charge.
"The Marriott beats everyone," said Ela Morrison, public relations director with Delphi Automotive Systems, a U.S.-based car components maker here. Morrison often hires conference rooms and ballrooms in top hotels to organize events. "If I want to organize a good reception I go to the Marriott," she added.
Other events organizers agreed that the Marriott is among the best options in town, although it is one of the most expensive locations to hold an event. "If it's a big event we go to the Marriott," said Jacek lozinski, managing director of ART Public Relations, which organizes press conferences or promotions an average of once a month. "The Marriott gives an absolute guarantee that everything will be OK."
Besides doing business with the American-owned hotel, many executives said they simply enjoyed staying there.
"I think the Marriott is top class, it's one of the best I've ever stayed in," said Frederic Frankel, exploration manager with Texaco and a frequent traveler to Poland who has paid about "30 visits to Warsaw hotels" including the Marriott and others. "I am fan of the Marriott; they treat me like they know me," he added.
Service and not style is what wins most people over to the Marriott, which is located in the modernistic LIM Center across from the seedy Warszawa Centralna rail station.
"The Marriott is efficient and business-like, rather than stylish," said Sean Murphy, a senior analyst with Nomura investment bank who often travels to Poland. "There's nothing wrong with that."
For style, visitors say the Bristol, located on ulica Krakowskie Przedmiescie not far from the Old Town, beats every hotel in the city hands down. "I like the Bristol; it has a bit of style and charm that others lack," said Murphy.
"The Bristol is really nice, it's No. 2," said Frankel of Texaco. He added, though, that the Bristol's high prices can prove taxing even for executives on expense accounts. "The Bristol is quite high, it's too high," he said.
Other executives said that while stylish, the Bristol isn't the best place for doing business. "The Bristol is trying hard (to offer good service)," said ART's lozinski. But because of its limited capacity, the hotel can only hold small events. lozinski said he could only organize small press conferences for 10 people as bigger events don't work well there.
"The Bristol is a more private hotel," said Juergen Hofmann, who runs his own automotive consulting firm. "I would take my wife there, not talk about business there."
He added that the Bristol's business center, which is located in an old library, is quaint, but not very convenient. Hofmann said that since "the Marriott is too American and there's a lot of hustling and bustling there," his top choice for a business hotel would be the Sheraton. "It has a good business center, fitness club and other services," he added.
The U.S.-owned Sheraton, which is located on plac Trzech Krzyly in the center of the city, has the potential to compete with the Marriott. "I prefer the Sheraton because it's nicer," said Frank Harris, managing consultant with Wood Mackenzie, an energy consulting firm owned by Bankers Trust. "The Marriott is sort of impersonal, it could be located anywhere in the world."
But others said the Sheraton needs to improve its service to successfully compete for the top spot.
"We have had bad experiences with the Sheraton," said ART's lozinski. In addition, the location of the Sheraton's conference rooms is not convenient because they are lined up along one corridor, which can confuse visitors, he added.
"There is always something wrong there," said Delphi's Morrison, citing an instance where a meeting room was changed without any prior notice.
After these three hotels, executives cited the Sobieski as a possible front runner, saying it offers good value for the money. But the hotel lacks enough style to be a top contender, some said.
"The Sobieski is efficient but I don't have a strong opinion about it," said Nomura's Murphy.
Other hotels in town price single rooms above $100, suggesting international standards, but don't always deliver.
Among these hotels are the Victoria Intercontinental, which before the construction of the Marriott in the late 1980s was considered to be the best hotel in Warsaw. "The Victoria is on the B-list, not on the A-list," said Texaco's Frankel. "It's not as clean, not as new, and the service is not as good."
"The Victoria is a little run down and they need new investment," agreed Hofmann. The hotel, which is owned by Orbis, is currently undergoing renovation.
