Living in the lap of luxury
Sofitel Victoria was constructed as one of Poland's flagship hotels in the communist era and has consequently played host to many prestigious events, most recently the European Economic Summit last April. There are 12 divisible multi-function rooms with a total area of 1500 sqm. The largest of those is 800 sqm and can be entered by car directly from the street. The hotel also has 341 rooms, including 50 suites. According to hotel sources, Sofitel Victoria also boasts one of the biggest swimming pools in Warsaw. Its location, though, is the Victoria's trump card. The hotel overlooks the Saxon Garden and is situated close to both the Royal Route and the Old Town. As a source from the hotel told WBJ: "We are the only hotel located in the very center of Warsaw but in a quiet area and close to a park."
Different style
Located in the commercial and shopping part of Warsaw, Hotel Radisson has 311 rooms and 18 suites to offer its guests. The rooms are designed in three different styles - Italian, Scandinavian and Maritime. The hotel's Latino restaurant Breserie@ferdy's is the only one in Poland to feature Argentinean cuisine, with beef imported directly from the South American country. Radisson offers conference facilities with the total area of 589 sqm, including the 346 sqm ballroom which can cater for up to 400 participants.
Opened in March 2002, The Hyatt Regency is adjacent to the diplomatic district of Warsaw as well as the Royal Gardens of Łazienki Park. It has 250 rooms (including 19 suites) and the Regency Ballroom (for up to 400 people) alongside 13 conference rooms. The hotel stresses that all conference rooms have access to natural daylight. The Regency Club, located on the fifth and sixth floor, is a "hotel inside a hotel" - offering contemporary work facilities and business amenities. As far as leisure time is concerned, the Hyatt boasts a Q-Club restaurant with Asian cuisine and piano recitals in its Lazienki Lounge.
Hotel deluxe
Hotel Rialto is the first deluxe boutique hotel in Warsaw. It is designed in the art-deco style of the 1920s and 1930s and located in a beautifully renovated building in the center of Warsaw. Its 44 rooms (including 11 suites) are individually designed in four styles-Belgian, English, African and Viennese. The famous Swiss chef Kurt Scheller runs the hotel's exclusive restaurant.
Located in the heart of Warsaw in the distinctive "legged" skyscraper, The Intercontinental is the most eye-catching addition to Warsaw's 5-star hotel family. It is the highest hotel in Poland also boasting the highest swimming pool in the country, located on the 43rd floor. It has 401 rooms, including 21 suites. For longer stays, it offers 40-84 sqm residential suites equipped with kitchens. The Intercontinental conference facilities include 11 rooms (totaling 1200 sqm in area) for approximately 800 participants. Since its opening in November 2003 the hotel has hosted prestigious galas and conferences such as the Polish Movie Awards, Woman of the Year and Grandpress. It can count the likes of Al Gore, David Copperfield and Isabella Rossellini among those who have stayed there.
Five-star chain
The Starwood chain has two five-star hotels in Warsaw - the Sheraton and the Westin. The former offers its clients 350 rooms (including 24 suites) and 16 conference rooms totaling 1160 sqm in area for more than 1,100 people. The Sheraton also boasts four restaurants offering four different types of cuisine - Mediterranean, Oriental, a Viennese-style cafe and an American-style bar. Worth mentioning are the Sweet Sleeper Beds - custom made for the Sheraton chain. According to sources, President Putin, Queen Sophia as well Sophia Loren and Catherine Deneuve are among those who have enjoyed the Sheraton's hospitality. The special Towers floor for VIP guests includes the services of a private chamberlain.
The Westin Guest Office creates the perfect working conditions for the hotel's business guests and after a hard day's work one can relax and dine at the Fusion restaurant which offers dishes of both Asian and Western origin. The Westin has 361 rooms (with 15 suites), 12 conference halls (1100 sqm) for around 800 people. The hotel boasts one of the city's fastest elevators set in a transparent tube on the side of the building. The Westin likes to boast that its custom-made "heavenly beds" are world-renowned.
New addition
Located in Warsaw's historical Old Town, Le Regina is the most recent addition to the exclusive five-star camp. Set between the cobbled streets of the restored 17th century area of the city, it boasts 58 individually designed and appointed rooms and three suites. The hotel, which in a former guise once served as an American Embassy building, has two function rooms that can cater for up to 100 guests.
Best for business
The Marriott has 522 rooms (with over 95 different apartments). Its 16 conference rooms and halls have a total of 2500 sqm. The hotel (opened in 1989) was chosen the Best Business Hotel in Eastern Europe in 1998-2002 and again in 2004. It offers Warsaw's first sports bar, Champion's where guests can enjoy the latest sporting events, as well as a Panorama Bar providing Japanese cuisine and live music. Also offering a medical center and a LOT airlines office, the hotel is, according to its PR sources, a "small city within a city."
World leader
Opened in 1899 Hotel Le Meridien Bristol on Warsaw's exclusive Krakowskie Przedmiescie is the oldest of the five-star facilities in the city. Located next to the presidential Palace and only a few minutes walk away from the Old Town, the Saxon Garden and the business district, the hotel is the only one in Poland which is a member of the exclusive Leading Hotels of the World organization. As the hotel spokesperson put it, "The Bristol combines 19th century elegance with 21st century luxury." The guests can stay in one of the 205 rooms or 31 suites, where they are certain to receive individual treatment. The hotel boasts several A-list stars among its former guests, such as the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson and Diane Krall.
As Ewa Don-Siemion of the Warsaw Destination Alliance said: "There are many five-star hotels in Warsaw. The demand for their services has increased because more and more businessmen are visiting Poland since the country's accession to the EU and because of good trends in the economy." She expects the occupancy rate to continue growing over the next few years.
