The Victoria Hotel is a landmark hotel in Warsaw which opened already in the 70s on the site of a former royal palace. During the communist era it was one of the top hotels in the city used for dignitaries visiting the city. It has hosted many famous guests over the years such as US presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, French president François Mitterrand and many musicians and actors such as Jane Fonda and Jean-Michel Jarre.
The hotel was acquired by Accor in 2001 and underwent a complete refurbishment and got a well-needed facelift in 2013-2014. It is still one of the top hotels in the city although nowadays there are of course many other five-star hotels in Warsaw.
Where is it?
The hotel is located in downtown Warsaw just opposite the large Piłsudski Square (previously Victory Square). The location is excellent with the old town just a few minutes walk away and with plenty of shopping, bars, cafes and restaurants in the area. The location is about as good as it gets in Warsaw, at least if you visit the city as a tourist.
The arrival experience
I arrived at the hotel by taxi just before 7 pm which took less than 15 minutes from the airport. The check-in process was friendly and fairly efficient and I was informed as a gold card holder with Accor they had upgraded me to one of the newly-renovated Luxury Rooms. I was also given a welcome package with a drinks voucher to be used for a complimentary drink in the bar.
The room
There are 359 rooms in the hotel divided into Classic Rooms, Superior Rooms, Luxury Rooms and Suites. There are 41 suites in total, the largest being the Imperial Suite measuring 122 sqm.
I was upgraded to a very stylish and without any doubt newly-renovated Luxury Room on the top floor of the hotel overlooking the large square. The room gave an excellent first impression and and the interior felt fresh and modern.
The new design has been created by Didier Gomez who also designed several other new Sofitel hotels. He has used several different colours for the interior such as gold, bright orange, grey and silver but also various materials such as wood and marble, which are used extensively.
The room measured 27 sqm and had a large and very comfortable Sofitel MyBed, a sofa, an armchair and a desk with a very modern LED TV.
Some other perks of staying in a Luxury Room include a Nespresso coffee machine and a Bose sound system. And of course the view of the square and the park was another rather nice benefit.
There was also a minibar in the room with a fairly standard selection of drinks and snacks. The bottles of water in the room were complimentary.
The bathroom was also rather modern with toilet and shower (but no bathtub) and toiletries from Lanvin.
Food and drinks
There are two restaurants and one bar inside the hotel. La Brasserie Modern is open from noon until late evening offering mostly French food in a brasserie-style setting with an open kitchen. The second restaurant is called Kitchen Gallery and this is where the breakfast is served in the morning as well as the brunch on Sundays.
Drinks and cocktails are offered in the Victoria Lounge on the ground floor next to the lobby overlooking the large square. This is a rather hip place with a modern and colourful interior and on weekends there is often a DJ playing. I made a visit there in the evening to use my drinks voucher which could not just be redeemed for a beer or a glass of wine but also for a complimentary cocktail.
Other facilities
The hotel has a good and very elegant spa and leisure centre with a fitness room, a large heated pool and a steam bath. It is also possible to order different massage and body treatments at a charge.
The large and very spacious pool area is very elegant with a very exclusive feel to it and it is usually a very quiet and relaxing place. The lights are dimmed and there are often candles to enhance the spa experience.
There is also a conference centre at the hotel with several different conference rooms and meeting rooms.
Service
The service was perfect throughout the hotel including the bar, the breakfast restaurant, the spa and at the reception. Nothing whatsoever to comment about.
Breakfast
Breakfast was served in the relaxed Kitchen Gallery restaurant designed much like a living room with a very relaxed atmosphere although it was rather busy the in the morning as the stay took place during a weekend.
Final impression
A very stylish hotel with a very attractive Luxury Room which gave an excellent first impression. The cocktail bar is nice, the spa both elegant and relaxing with candles, and the location is one of the best in Warsaw with nearly everything of interest within walking distance.
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