Belle Epoque Residence

It was bright, spacious and beautifully clean, in a lovely quiet area about a 10-15 minute walk from the main Square. I was sad to leave and wished I could live there, it felt absolutely perfect. I'll definitely come back on my next trip to Krakow. 5*

The apartment itself was grand and spacious, with high ceilings, and incredibly clean. It took 10-15 minutes to walk to the main square. I stayed two nights with my son for his 18th birthday, in a one-bedroom superior apartment booked with breakfast. I'd emailed to ask for twin beds and explain why, but got no reply, and we didn't get them. Reception was supposedly manned, though it was really a dimly lit high desk and screen with someone behind it, if you were lucky. Check-in took about five seconds with no information given. We had to ask where the cutlery was, then were shown the slim drawer just above the oven that we'd missed. Breakfast was really disappointing and not suited to British tastes. There was cucumber, peppers, gherkins, red onion and spicy meat, none of which I'd choose for breakfast. There wasn't even a drink, and I'd expected juice at a minimum. The fruit pot looked great but was soggy. We enjoyed Krakow, but Belle Epoch felt odd, with no atmosphere, like sleeping in a visitor attraction. A friendly face and welcoming smile matter. We got one 'hello' as we walked past, but surely that shouldn't be noteworthy. We wouldn't return to Belle Epoch.

Getting into the city centre was an easy, short walk, and it felt safe. The studio looked just like the photos, and the seating around the kitchen island worked really well. The kitchen had nearly everything we needed, though a few utensils were missing and we managed without them. There was a double bed and a sofa bed, with the sofa bed linens in the wardrobe. We’d asked about those by email before arriving and got a quick reply. The sofa bed was more comfortable than most. The frosted glass between the bathroom and sleeping area wasn’t ideal, especially for friends, but it caused no major problems. Lovely compact apartment for our three nights, and I’d stay again on another visit to Krakow.

The main drawback was the lack of service during my four days: no cleaning, fresh towels, or replacement coffee sachets. I don’t understand this new approach of charging the same per day while giving less to someone staying longer than a night. Otherwise, the apartment was quiet and comfortable, with a spacious room and bathroom, and everything seemed very new. The mattress was really good. The kitchen had a fridge, kettle, dishwasher, stovetop, and oven; toiletries, tea bags, and instant coffee were also provided. There’s a grocery store next door. Paid street parking was available nearby and not hard to find, at 93 PLN per day Monday to Saturday, 10:00-20:00. Reception was open 8:00-20:00.