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Getting into Warsaw after 11 hours in transit, never leaves you happy … even flying business class, however when the hotel you’re checking into, has such a remarkable history, you’re willing to go for the adventure. Opened in 1899, requisitioned by the Nazis, appropriated by the Communists, and even used as a secret base by the wartime resistance, it was reopened in 1993 by Margaret Thatcher. Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg once lived here, and more recent guests range from Charles de Gaulle to the Rolling Stones and now ….. me! As for the location,
Le Méridien Bristol is only a few minutes’ walk from the historic Old Town, the Royal Castle, the National Theatre and Warsaw’s business district – so it’s obviously a fantastic location.
As I visited in winter time, it was quite grim and grey during the day …
As for my room, I was upgraded to one of the Grand Suites, but I have to say that I was not terribly impressed with the room. For Central Europe, I know this a large room, but to my North American/Trini sensibilities, this was a standard executive room.
As for the bathroom, it was your standard suite bathroom … so nothing to write home about the toilet.
As for the walkthrough, here it is …
Other services
| High Speed Wired/Wireless Internet Access | Paid Wi-Fi access, but complimentary Wi-Fi for Plats. |
| Concierge | There was an excellent concierge at the hotel, who organized a very nice personalized tour for me. It was normally a group tour, but since it was winter, I was the only person on the tour, which was awesome. |
| Parking/Valet | Valet is available … I didn’t drive, hence I didn’t use it. |
| Dining | There are 3 different restaurants onsite and they will definitely cater to a foreign crowd. However I only wanted Polish food |
| Pool | There are one outdoor pool and jacuzzi and they are heated |
| Gym | There is a great gym in the hotel, as well equipped as any other Le Meridien that I’ve seen. |
| Business Center | N/A |
Overall thoughts
This hotel is located perfectly, being near the castle and old town, as well as near the shopping center, the university and the best cultural places, I couldn’t have been happier with the location. The suite that I was offered on the upgrade was definitely a plus, but the hotel was undergoing some renovations and I didn’t get to see it, in its full glory but personally rates a strong 7 for me, which is definitely what in line with my expectations of a Le Meridien.
| Staff attitude, conduct and support | Checking into the Bristol was a breeze, with welcome presents and a personalized check-in with the guest relations manager. The staff were at my disposal for anything we wanted – from multiple call outs, to researching multiple tour options for me, as well as trying to arrange tours of the Salt Mines and Auschwitz for me in Krakow. Would definitely rate the service as a very strong 8. |
| Hotel Cleanliness | Met with the Le Meridien expectations. |
| Location | Phenomenal location … can’t hype the location of the hotel enough, relative to the major sights in Warsaw |
| Would I return? | I would definitely return to the hotel. |
| Family friendly? |
I didn’t see many families in the hotel, but to be fair, I wasn’t in the hotel much to make a very valid judgement. |
| Good for business travellers? |
This is a business oriented hotel. |
| Value for price paid? |
There are a lot of cheaper accommodations than the Bristol in Warsaw, but for a fantastic location with amazing history, you can’t get a better hotel experience in Warsaw. The Bristol is definitely not a cheap property but with SPG cash and points, you can’t go wrong with this property, especially if you get the upgrade. If you’re coming to Warsaw and you’re not that price sensitive, then I would put this at a strong recommend. |
