Appena Hostel Apartments

We booked ahead and paid 200 zł for two nights in a double room. The location was a big plus, about a five-minute walk from the train and coach station and the main square. Our room was changed so we could have a king-size bed, and the kitchen was well equipped. The room was lovely, though service was only available at certain hours.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and there were muffins and things for breakfast in the morning. We stayed our first night in Krakow in a room with its own bathroom. It was a short walk to the square. The price was okay, though not exactly cheap, and the place was nice.

We stayed four nights, from 10 April to 14 April 2016, and felt very welcome and comfortable. The room was spotless, the beds comfortable, and the bathroom exceptionally clean, with a fabulous shower. There was free tea and coffee and a great little kitchen. The hostel was opposite lovely parkland, with beautiful views, and close to the railway station, buses and trams. The station was a seven-minute walk away, with direct trains to the airport (17 minutes, 8 pln), Auschwitz (1 hour 50 minutes, 8.5 pln) and the Salt Mines (20 minutes, price listed as pln). In brief, the airport fare was about £1.50, Auschwitz £1.60 and the Salt Mines 60p. There are toilets on the train to Auschwitz. Krakow also has some fabulous restaurants. We rate the hostel very highly and thoroughly recommend it. Thank you for a wonderful stay.

The location was great, the room was clean and a decent size, and the price was reasonable. Still, our experience didn't match the rating. We were told reception was open 24 hours, but when we arrived at 8 a.m. we couldn't get into the building. On the phone, we were rudely told reception wouldn't open for another 40 minutes. We couldn't leave our luggage there and had to use the train station instead. During our stay, reception also seemed unstaffed at times when it was supposed to be open. Most of the staff didn't speak English, which made things difficult. We were also given keys that opened both the main entrance and our room, which raised a possible security concern because they seemed able to open all the rooms.