Hotel Wentzl

Krakow, Poland, has a beautiful old town square and the Hotel Wentzl is the only hotel with a view of that lovely space. When we arrived on a rainy evening, after enduring three flights to get there, we opened the drapes at our window and were dazzled by the expansive sight in front of us. On one side of the square was the cathedral with its two towers beautifully lit up. In the other direction stood the illuminated town hall. And in the middle was the large Cloth Market building, also bathed in light. All around the edges of this very big square were the umbrellas of various cafes where flames from propane heaters were set up to try to keep customers warm. In the rain, everything was reflected in puddles and off the sheen of wet cobblestones, creating an atmosphere that was magical. Added to these sights were the sounds of the horses clip clopping by as they made their rounds with pretty white carriages offering romantic rides for tourists. And then, on the hour, from the top of the church tower, the official town bugler would sound a tribute to a martyred bugler from centuries before. We could watch as he opened the tower window and waved to spectators below. Being able to experience all this from our hotel room (#25) made our stay of five nights here very special. Besides the hotel’s great vantage point on the square, we must mention that the people manning reception were all very helpful, the housekeeping staff was thorough, and the breakfast offerings were plentiful. If you are planning a trip to Krakow, we highly recommend the Hotel Wentzl.