A landmark property in Warsaw which opened in 1976 as the city’s first luxury hotel, the property has been at the centre of luxury hospitality ever since. Fast forward to today and the Sofitel is a brand synonymous with quality and style and the Sofitel Victoria is exactly that. Whilst the building exterior is most definitely from the 70’s (and we adore that) the interior and service most certainly is not.
We were kindly invited to stay and experience the hotel so read on to find out what we loved about the Sofitel Victoria.
Location
The hotel is conveniently close to Warsaw’s Old Town, within 5/10 minutes depending on how fast you walk you are at the Royal Castle. If you go in the other direction you are roughly a 10 minutes taxi ride (depending on traffic) from Centrum Station and the Palace of Culture and Science. The hotel overlooks Pilsudski Square and the park beside it providing uninterrupted view from the rooms, restaurant and bar at the front of the hotel.
Communal Areas
The hotel has a relatively large lobby which merges into the bar area and brasserie beyond. The restaurant behind the check-in (kitchen gallery) is where breakfast is served.
The Spa
In the lower ground is the hotel’s, pool and spa area. Impressive in look and feel, the pool space feels large and airy for a lower ground space which is due to its clever use of mirrors. We enjoyed using the pool, but were slightly disappointed that there was no spa pool and the sauna is back in the changing rooms, which breaks up the experience somewhat. For me the spa is one of the most important aspects of a hotel stay and it could do with a few tweaks in my opinion, however we noticed that the Hotel Bristol, where we also stayed, does not include a spa pool so maybe it is standard in the city not to have one.
The Room
We had a front facing Luxury Room and at 27m2 it is very comfortable in size. The luxury rooms come with a modern finish – unlike the classic rooms which have a traditional finish. Luxury rooms are positioned at the front so have a superb view looking out over the park.
Bed is a king size ‘Sofitel Mybed’ which is a feather filled bed that offers a superior nights sleep. There is also a chaise longue beside the window, writing desk and large LED TV.
Practical Things I liked
A Nespresso machine is included, which are not provided in the classic rooms, bathroom amenities are by Lanvin and the room includes a Bose sound system. There are plenty of plug sockets in the room and one on each side of the bed.
The Bathroom
Marble and tile finishes in the bathroom, there is a walk in rain shower, but no bath.
Some Nice Touches
The service was excellent and we were really looked after, we even got a this beautiful macaroon selection from the kitchen as a welcome gift. There is also a turn down service in the evening.
Food and Drink
We had breakfast in the hotel and it was one of the best buffet breakfasts I have had to date. The large airy and spacious kitchen gallery has plenty of space to move about in. There are multiple hot food stations and an egg station where you could cook your eggs exactly as you wished. I was overwhelmed with choice in the continental section with an enormous number of options to start the day on!
Finances and Final Thoughts
A Luxury Room with breakfast will cost approx £140 per night including breakfast.
Sofitel is a brand I very much respect and the Sofitel Victoria didn’t let me down. It offers great value for money for a 5 star experience and its location is perfect for a cultural city break so I have no hesitation recommending the Sofitel Victoria.
Address: Królewska 11, 00-065 Warszawa, Poland
Phone: +48 22 657 80 11
Web: www.sofitel.com
Warszawa, Poland
