Hotel Aréna

I arrived a day before my reservation, so this wasn’t a last-minute request. The hotel said it was full, and Booking.com had given the wrong date information, which had apparently happened to three different customers that same day. Still, they wouldn’t cancel because the booking was already paid. I knew it had been paid, as Booking showed, but since they were full they wouldn’t have lost my payment and could likely have found someone else at the same price or more. They did give me a voucher valid for six months, which was better than nothing and earned them two stars instead of one. They could have been friendlier, especially with the hotel full.

There’s parking at the hotel, and the staff were very friendly. The rooms were comfortable, and a separate shared room had a kettle and microwave.

I picked this hotel because it was near a train station, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you want a decent room with good service near the city center. For one night I paid 430 zl, over 100 euros, despite the distant location. The room and bathroom felt more like student dorms than a hotel. There was no kettle in the room, just a shared kitchen on the floor, and no shower gel or shampoo. The hotel supplied one small bar of soap for both washing your hands and showering, with nowhere to put it, so you had to carry it between the sink and shower. The fridge was crammed with drinks like beer, redbull, and champagne that cost extra if you had them, leaving practically no room for your own food or drinks. At that price, I expected at least a kettle or proper coffee machine, not 3 in 1 instant coffee packets. I’m not sure why it gets so many good reviews.

The Wi-Fi worked perfectly, and the rooms were clean, simple, and comfortable for a fair price. There’s a kitchenette with a microwave and kettle on each floor, though having a kettle in the room would have been more convenient. Metro and tram stops are nearby, but getting to the Old Town still takes about 25-30 minutes. Keep that in mind. Recommended.