Evaluate: Sheraton Grand Kraków | Prince of Journey

After an amazing stay at the AC Hotel by Marriott Kraków, we headed over to the Sheraton Grand Kraków for a few nights. It was difficult having to leave the AC, given the amazing amenities available at the property, but I curious to see how the Sheraton would compare.

The Sheraton Grand Kraków has an excellent location, and serves as Marriott’s flagship property in Kraków. In fact, all 232 rooms and suites in the hotel, the lounge, and other public spaces were renovated in 2022. Here is my impression.

Sheraton Grand Kraków – Booking

The hotel’s standard room type, which is the Deluxe Room, can be booked on average from 600–1,000 PLN ($193–322 CAD) per night before taxes and fees. In our case, I booked into a Deluxe King Room for 849 PLN ($275 CAD) per night.

A redemption will cost you between 31,000 and 45,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night. Based on our valuation of Bonvoy points at 0.8 cents per point (CAD), it will usually be better deal to pay in cash. However, on pricier nights when the cost is well over 1,000 PLN ($322 CAD) per night, points may be a better option.

If you have a Free Night Award available, you could consider redeeming it at this property; however, you might get better value by saving it for another time.

For any cash bookings at the Sheraton Grand Kraków, you’ll be happy to know that it participates in Marriott Luminous, a preferred partner program. By booking your stay through an authorized travel advisor, you’ll receive a number of other perks and benefits at no extra cost, which come in addition to those you may enjoy with Marriott Bonvoy status.

Sheraton Grand Kraków – Location

The hotel is located right on the bank of the Vistula River and just steps away from the old town city center of Kraków. Just walking outside the hotel and making a left, you will find Wawel Castle before you.

If you’re looking for a hotel with a convenient location, then this hotel is an excellent option. It is a 10-minute walk to Kraków’s main market square, a 10–15 minute Uber ride 0r 30 minute walk to where the Jewish Ghetto once was, and an 18-minute Uber ride to Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory.

There’s a park with shaded paths and park benches surrounding the old town, which is a great spot for a stroll to walk off a meal. Plenty of shops, cafés, and restaurants are located all within walking distance of the hotel. 

John Paul II Kraków-Balice International Airport is only a 25–30 minute drive from the hotel. An Uber will cost significantly less than grabbing an airport taxi. 

Sheraton Grand Kraków – Check-in

From the outside, the hotel isn’t the most visually appealing. The building is a mix of reflective windows and red-brown blocks with an off-white concrete façade that doesn’t really fit in with the surrounding European architecture. 

As our Uber pulled up, a bellhop came out from the hotel to see if we needed any assistance with your luggage. We had only carry-ons, so we kindly declined.

Once you enter the hotel, the check-in desks are on the left.

The check-in desk was manned by three staff, and one was clearly a new trainee. The experienced staff member thanked my husband for being a loyal Titanium member, and informed us that our room had already been upgraded one category up to a Grand Deluxe King Room with Vistula River view.

I was hoping for a better upgrade, but it seemed like the hotel appeared quite busy, so I left it at that.

We were offered the choice of 1,000 Bonvoy points or breakfast at Anima restaurant as our Elite Welcome Gift, and of course, we went for the breakfast. The agent then went on to inform us of our lounge access benefit as well. 

The lobby quickly opens up into the main atrium of the building, a spacious area full of different seating arrangements and the hotel’s main restaurant, Anima.  

Making our way past the main atrium to the elevator, I was impressed by the openness and natural brightness of the space, lit entirely from the sunlight coming through the glass ceiling.

Getting off the elevators, the experience was quite different. The hallways alternated between dark, unlit corridors to areas that would open up into the atrium. The doors and corridors show the age of the building, which is in stark contrast to the renovated public areas.

Sheraton Grand Kraków – Grand Deluxe King Room with Vistula View

If you search for old photos of the hotel, you’ll notice that all the carpet and  some of the room furnishings have been replaced. 

As you enter the room, you have the closet and beverage station on one side, and a full-length mirror and bathroom on the other. The room was carpeted and this looked new, with a linked-chain design.

By the entrance is a key card power control panel. You’ll have to put your keycard in here otherwise none of the electrical features of the room will work. You can also just put any other card in there, like a credit card or a business card, if you need to charge devices while you’re out.

The room was spacious, but the décor in the room seemed to be a bit of a hodgepodge of sorts. In the middle of it all is the king bed, with clean bright linen and leather headboard with mirror accents.

On either side of the bed is a night table and matching lamps. Behind the lamps on the wall is an electric panel with an outlet and a couple of USB ports. I found the USB ports in our room to be finicky, and it took a lot of fiddling around with it before it would charge my phone.

In front of the bed is a large smart TV. Beside this is a spacious desk that matched the night tables with a lamp and phone. A nice upholstered chair accompanied it. Above the desk was a few seemingly random framed prints.

Beside the bed are another two armchairs upholstered in blue velvet, with a table in between. Being right by the window, it makes for a nice place to sit to enjoy a coffee and do some reading. If it’s a cloudy day, like what we had, you can turn on the floor lamp in the corner.

From the window, you have a clear view of the Vistula River. 

The closet is divided into two sides, with the beverage station and fridge in-between. The beverage station consists of a kettle, a Nespresso machine, and a couple bottles of water. Interestingly, there was no tea available.

In the closet you’ll find a safe, iron, ironing board, hairdryer, extra bedding, and a couple pairs of slippers and bathrobes. There was also a shoe horn, shoe mitt, and sewing kit that seemed haphazardly placed on the shelf.

The bathroom is simple but spacious, decorated in beige tones with a mix of tiling and wallpaper. In the middle of it all is a dark accent wall, with a single vanity and a large backlit mirror.

The shower has a foldable, half-glass panel to prevent water from the shower head from spraying outside of the tub. Gilchrist & Soames amenities are provided. Other than the body lotion, everything is supplied in large eco-friendly bottles.

Other amenities available include a couple of toothbrushes, shower caps, and vanity kits.

We were pleasantly surprised by a small dessert gift when we came back from dinner the first night of our stay.

Staff had also come in to do a turndown service, laying out our slippers by the beds and placing chocolates on our pillows. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a huge fan of the chocolates, which consisted of fruit jellies dipped in chocolate.  

Sheraton Grand Kraków – Club Lounge

The Sheraton Club Lounge is available for Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite members and above, and for guests who book on specific floors.

In my opinion, this lounge was the highlight of this property. It’s located on the second floor, and open from 6am to 11pm daily. Once you enter, there is a check-in desk, but for the few days we were there, it was never manned. 

The space is very open, and in fact opens up to the atrium below, with natural lighting pouring through the glass ceiling of the atrium above. The only downside is that in the evening, the space does become quite dark, even though there is some lamps around.

The furnishings have a modern yet casual look to them. They match that of the atrium below, with a variety of seating arrangements around tables of varying sizes. It made for a very comfortable spot to work from, take a break from sightseeing, or just socialize. 

If you’re travelling for work, there is a long co-working table with outlets and USB ports. 

Light snacks like cookies, fruit, and nuts are available all day, along with water, tea, coffee, juices, and pop. 

In the evening, hot food and alcoholic drinks are served, and I was impressed by the spread. There would always be a soup, several hot food selections, a charcuterie platter, a variety of salads, wraps, other finger foods, and several dessert options. You could easily make a dinner out of it.

For the open bar, there was always hard liquor, a selection of wines, and beer on tap. 

My husband and I would eat an earlier “pre-dinner” here before heading into the city for a light meal, like dumplings. We also observed people bringing in take-out and just eating it here, too.

I also want to mention that the staff here are fabulous. They are friendly and attentive, constantly clearing tables and replenishing the food and drinks. One particular gentleman was always approaching guests and starting up conversations with them, much like an an old friend would.

The only small nuisance was getting to the lounge. The hotel is a long wedge-shaped building, with only one set of elevators, and the lounge is located on the opposite end of where the elevators are.

If your hotel room is located at the same end as the lounge, you actually have to walk all the way to the elevators, and then once you get off at the second floor, walk all the way back in the direction you came from to get to the lounge. In the end, we used the fire escape stairs several times for convenience.

Sheraton Grand Kraków – Dining

The Sheraton Grand Kraków has three main dining venues. 

Anima is a sit-down Italian-inspired restaurant located in the atrium on the main floor. Here, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served, and it’s open from 7am to midnight daily. This is also where breakfast for Platinum Elites and higher is served here.

For breakfast, there is a good selection of drinks and food. The beverage station had smoothies, milk and milk alternatives, and several fruit juices. Different types of coffee could be prepared from a coffee machine. 

Other cold food stations included a pastry and bread station, a cheese, salad, and cold cuts station, and a fruit station.

The hot food station consisted of oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, beans, bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, and a made-to-order egg station.

We didn’t get chance to check out the lunch menu, but we did have dinner here one night. An appetizer starts at around 40 PLN ($13 CAD), while an entrée starts at around 60 PLN ($20 CAD), so the pricing is reasonable. 

The food was simple but decent, although the streak could have used a bit more salt. 

Roof Top Terrace is the hotel’s main bar, located on the fifth floor. It offers great views of the Vistula River; however, the entrance to the bar terrace is very unassuming.

The terrace is open from 5pm to 12am daily. The alcoholic menu was comprehensive, but not extensive. You can also order small bites here as well.   

There are seating options inside a covered area, or outside on patio furniture. 

Despite the venue itself being quite simple, the view was great on a warm, sunny day.  

SomePlace Else is the sports bar located on the main floor, tucked away down a small hallway. It’s open from 6pm to 12am daily.

I peeked in before they opened so the photo makes it look dead quiet, but in the evenings we were there, it was bustling with people. 

As someone who is a night owl and suffers from the midnight munchies, I appreciated that all the dining venues were open till midnight. 

Sheraton Grand Kraków – Other Facilities

Even if you don’t have lounge access, you won’t have to worry about finding a place to sit, work, or even have a meeting. The atrium on the main floor offers a range of seating arrangements and work stations, whether you’re looking to socialize with family and friends, or to work alone or with colleagues.

A range of comfortable chairs and sofas upholstered in neutral, turquoise, or blue-coloured velvet are spaced out around the atrium. The whole area is carpeted, and with the natural lighting from the skylight above, gives the area a warm feel, similar to that of one’s own living room.

Keeping with the open concept, the casual seating area seemingly blends into the bar of Anima, so you can easily enjoy a drink wherever you choose to sit. 

A variety of larger workstations are available, too. There is a long wooden work table in the atrium, similar to the one in the lounge. If you require more privacy or are meeting with a group, sliding wall dividers can be pulled out to separate the space from the rest of the atrium.

If you need help with planning your travels in Kraków, there is a concierge desk in the lobby, right beside the check in counter. Staff here are readily available to provide assistance during regular business hours. 

Next to the concierge desk, is a small enclosed business centre, with two computer stations and a printer. 

Located below the main floor is the spa and fitness centre area. The spa offers a sauna, pool, and massage services. 

The pool and sauna are open from 7am to 9pm on Mondays to Thursdays, and from 9am to 9pm on weekends. The pool is warmed to a comfortable 30ºC. 

The fitness centre is open around the clock, and had a variety of weight machines as well as cardio machines. Free weights are also available.

A change room with showers, toilets, hairdryers, and lockers is available, should you need them. 

Conclusion

We had a pleasant stay at the Sheraton Grand Kraków, and appreciated all of the amenities at the full-service property. Despite the renovations, some parts of the hotel still show signs of its age.

If you have Marriott Bonvoy status and enjoy making full use of your benefits, then this hotel is a great option. There’s a fabulous breakfast buffet, and an amazing lounge experience.

The location is also fantastic for exploring Kraków’s old city centre by foot. Considering the cost, I’d recommend a stay at the Sheraton Grand Kraków if you’re looking for a centrally located hotel with plenty of amenities for guests, especially if you have elite status.