TL;DR

Bold maximalist design: A lavish Baroque-inspired luxury hotel.
Relaxed neighbourhood setting: Housed in a 19th-century building west of the city centre.
Luxury with personality: Dramatic interiors that feel theatrical, glamorous and opulent.
Excellent guest reviews: Known for attentive staff and strong service.
Good value for luxury: Surprisingly reasonable nightly rates for the level of comfort and style.
Check prices here

Old Town Krakow has plenty of grand history, and high-end historic hotels, but for something a little more OTT, we go west of centre to find Bachleda Luxury Hotel.

It occupies a 19th-century tenement building on the same street as the Kraków Philharmonic.

It’s an exercise in maximalism, but one rooted in history.

It’s not Art Deco, or the more general 20th-century styles that some historic design hotels seem to favor.

Bachleda, instead, takes on the far greater challenge of the Baroque.

We’re talking royal blues, satin, studded furnishings covered in shimmering microsuede, lots of gold, plush curtains, velvet fabrics, and all things designed to make you feel a bit old royal.

Bachleda sure won’t be to everyone’s tastes, we know. Many of you may be put off by the above description already.

But it’s got its own unique, unabashed sense of style, which we admire.

It’s also got excellent staff, sees tremendous guest reviews and, for such a luxury hotel, offers quite reasonable nightly rates.

What are the rooms like?

64 rooms and suites: A wide selection ranging from singles to large executive suites.
Plush interiors: Velvet fabrics, rich blues, brass accents, and dark wood furnishings.
Junior Suites standout: Around 30m² with comfortable living space and balanced elegance.
Executive Suites: Up to 50m² with bathtubs and luxurious furnishings.
Modern amenities: LCD TVs, Nespresso machines, minibars, robes, and premium comforts.
See each room in detail here

Bachleda’s rooms are our least favourite part of the hotel, on the whole.

Without much architecture going on, the yards of velvet and super-plush interior feel a bit tacked on, like someone created the guest rooms in a game of Sims.

Suites have a little more going for them, with space for extra furnishings and living areas that add variety.

The 30 square metre Junior Suites, especially, strike the right notes; they go full on plush but keep the elegance.

And they’re super comfortable. Everything that isn’t brass or gorgeous dark wood is squishy or fuzzy.

Colours circle around blues, with added bits of gold and beige to keep things feeling fancy.

Options run the gamut, from relatively roomy 17 square metre Singles to 50 square metre Executive Suites with bathtubs and shiny coffee tables, and plush chandeliers.

Whatever you choose, you’ll enjoy LCD TVs, Nespresso machines, plush robes, bathtubs, and minibars.

What are prices like?

Check prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

Gavi Restaurant: Elegant dining with Polish specialties and international flavours.
Outdoor patio: A pleasant spot for lunch during warmer months.
Opus Lounge Bar: A dramatic cocktail bar set inside a historic brick vault.
Luxury spa: Gold mosaic pool, sauna, and wellness treatments.
Fitness facilities: Gym and sauna available for active guests.

Gavi Restaurant is the main space for food at Bachleda.

It’s an extravagant area with a lot of charm, dripping in Polish delicacies, European favourites, and International inspirations.

They have a patio space perfect for lunch in nice weather. Dinner is a nice experience, but for the evening, we’re charmed by the Opus Lounge Bar.

This sultry space is tucked into a historic vault, with a brick ceiling and a posse of leather and velvet furniture that feels like Louis XVI and Winston Churchill opened the place together.

That’s just the decor, though. The menu is a little more refined than ‘all of the world’s champagne and whiskey’.

Cleverly crafted cocktails served in exquisite glassware are ready for happy hour, a lazy nightcap, or anything in between.

If you need more pampering, head to the hotel spa, which features a glittering Art Deco-inspired mosaic pool coated in gold and overseen by a literal chandelier.

Bachleda Luxury Hotel also features a fitness room and sauna for those who want more or less movement.

How is the neighbourhood? Anything interesting nearby?

Close to Old Town: Just outside the busiest tourist areas for a quieter stay.
Krakow Philharmonic: A short walk to its concerts and cultural events.
Planty Park: Easy access to Krakow’s scenic green ring around Old Town.
Kazimierz district: Historic Jewish Quarter with bars and restaurants about 25 minutes away.

We like Bachleda Luxury Hotel’s location a lot.

The Old Town isn’t far, but you’ll be just that much more out of the tourist bustle, which, in Krakow, can kill the vibe.

In less than 10 minutes on foot, you’ll be at the Krakow Philharmonic and the edge of the Old Town.

This sits right next to Planty Park, the charming green area that follows the walls around Old Town, and a place we love the most for a stroll.

From there, the enclosed historic quarter is easy to explore. Head down to the Castle or over to St. Mary’s Basilica, checking out all sorts of historical buildings and small museums on the way.

Kazimierz, the historic Jewish Quarter, offers more history, a nice collection of bars and restaurants, and is our favourite place for a night out.

It’s a pleasant 20-minute walk south across the Vistula River.

Krakow is very walkable, and you’ll find very little need for public transport, but if you do, Filharmonia Station is a short walk away.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

“Fantastic stay at the Bachleda Luxury Hotel. The rooms were very comfortable. The staff were delightful and nothing was too much trouble. We ate in the restaurant the night we arrived and it was delicious. Breakfast was also excellent and the staff packed up a breakfast bag to have on an early morning excursion. All in a fabulous stay. We will return!…”

“The welcome when we arrived after a difficult journey was exceptional, the staff were welcoming and attentive. The check in was exceptionally smooth and we were very quickly and professionally assigned our rooms. The rooms are stunning and have everything you would need for an extremely comfortable stay. I am not able to pick out one member of staff as all staff that our party dealt with were brilliant. I would highly recommend this hotel it may be a little bit more expensive however the design of the hotel and the staff are well worth the money. We had room service for our breakfast on two of the mornings and it was presented beautifully, on our last day we went into the restaurant for breakfast and we was not disappointed the selection is amazing. I honestly cannot recommend this hotel enough, our party have stayed in the Savoy and the Dorchester in London many times and we all agreed this hotel was far better….”

Some things guests didn’t like:

”It is a pity that the hotel does not have a dedicated massage room with its own professionals and that this activity is indeed outsourced….”

”Minor point room was too hot and they have set temperature you cannot lower below, think it was 24 and we prefer much cooler to sleep. Could not really leave a window open, as no screens and noise….”

Read all the reviews right here