Hotel Pod Czarną Różą

This places makes me happy and restores my faith in people. I've read that the Polish pride themselves on being excellent hosts, and Pod Czarną Różą demonstrates that well. This is a hotel with a bed and breakfast feel and a prime location. It's near the clubs, which aren't my thing any more, but it's also near the water, near the leaning tower, near cafes, near the square, near NCU…

This isn't a technical five-star hotel. It doesn't satisfy some list of check boxes. It's not cookie cutter. There's character. You'll trip on the ledge at your room's door. You might worry a bit on the tight stairs. The floor creaks as an older building should. The shower's European, so beware of cracking your elbows.

All this, and they have a real iron you can use. Seriously, silly "business" hotels, why can't you get this right?

The staff went above and beyond. I needed to check out at 5am, and they not only accomodated me but also volunteered to help with my missed breakfast. One lady provided an excellent suggestion for dinner, Oberza two doors down. They always welcomed me with smiles, even with my sad attempts at phrasebook Polish.

Perhaps I'd feel differently if I were lodged in the newer building, but my stay in the older one was utterly delightful. And extremely inexpensive.

Oh, and there is a jar of Nutella on every breakfast table.