Hotel
Hotel Copernicus
A five-star boutique hotel in an early 16th-century house on Kanonicza Street below Wawel, the first Polish member of Relais & Châteaux.
Hotel Pod Różą
Kraków's oldest hotel, on Floriańska Street, renovated to five-star standard in 2020, with a spa in its medieval cellars and a restaurant with a glass-walled kitchen.
At a glance
- Type
- Five-star historic hotel
- Area
- Old Town, Kraków, Poland
- Price
- $$$$ · Luxury
- Hotel class
- 5-star
- Official site
- podroza.hotel.com.pl
Good to know
- Wellness and spa in medieval cellars
- Pod Różą restaurant with open kitchen
- Szef Room tasting menus
Why we recommend it
Hotel Pod Różą, the Hotel Under the Rose, calls itself the oldest hotel in Kraków, with almost 150 years of history as a hotel and a tradition of receiving distinguished guests in the building since the 17th century. Its guest book reads like a history lesson: Tsar Alexander I of Russia, Grand Duke Constantine, the Persian envoy to Napoleon, Mohamed Riza, and the composer Franz Liszt and novelist Honoré de Balzac are all recorded among those who stayed here. A thorough renovation completed in 2020 brought the hotel up to five-star standard, and it now belongs to the Kraków-based LHR group, which also runs Hotel Stary and Hotel Copernicus.
The hotel stands on Floriańska Street, the main stretch of the Royal Route between St Florian's Gate and the Main Market Square, so the location could hardly be more central. Step out of the door and you are a couple of minutes from St Mary's Basilica and the Cloth Hall, while the Barbican and the Czartoryski Museum are a short walk in the other direction. Kraków Główny station is also within walking distance, which makes arrival by train straightforward.
Dining is a strength. The long-established Pod Różą restaurant has a glass-walled kitchen, so guests can watch the chefs at work, and the hotel also runs Szef Room, a more intimate venue for tasting menus that suits a special occasion. Having two such options under one roof is convenient on cold evenings or after a long day of sightseeing.
In the hotel's medieval cellars there is a small wellness and spa area, a peaceful contrast to the busy street outside. It is described as intimate rather than extensive, so it is best seen as a place to unwind rather than a full resort spa.
Pod Różą suits couples, history enthusiasts, business travellers and anyone who wants to be right on the Royal Route. Floriańska is one of the Old Town's busiest streets, so light sleepers may want to ask for a room away from the street side. Book directly through the hotel's website or by email, and reserve early for summer weekends and the December holiday season, when Old Town hotels fill quickly.
Hotel Pod Różą FAQs
Is Hotel Pod Różą the oldest hotel in Kraków?
The hotel describes itself as the oldest in Kraków, with almost 150 years of history as a hotel.
How many stars does it have?
It is a five-star hotel following a full renovation in 2020.
Which famous guests stayed here?
Tsar Alexander I, Grand Duke Constantine, Franz Liszt and Honoré de Balzac are among the guests the hotel records.
Where is it?
At ul. Floriańska 14, on the Royal Route a couple of minutes from the Main Market Square.
What restaurants are there?
The Pod Różą restaurant with its glass-walled kitchen and Szef Room, which serves tasting menus.
Is there a spa?
Yes. A small wellness and spa area is set in the medieval cellars.
Can I walk from the railway station?
Yes. Kraków Główny is within walking distance.
Is the street noisy?
Floriańska is busy, so light sleepers may prefer to request a room away from the street.