Review: Stradom House, Autograph Collection Krakow

Before embarking on our road trip through the Baltics, we kicked off our vacation with a few nights in Krakow. Beginning in Poland’s second-largest city, we would work our way up through Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, before ending our trip in Finland. 

After an excellent flight on Condor A330neo business class and a brief connection in Frankfurt, Stradom House was our first stop. From the outside the hotel looks rather unassuming; however, Stradom House exceeded all expectations. Every aspect, from the rooms to the staff and facilities, was exceptional. This 14th-century building, which once served as a monastery and church, was a wonderful surprise.

Here’s everything you can expect during a stay at Stradom House, Autograph Collection Krakow.

Booking & Check-in

For my stay, I redeemed a Marriott Bonvoy 35,000-point Free Night Award with a 4,000-point top-up. You can earn Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Awards by holding cards such as the American Express Marriott Bonvoy card. This card provides the cardholder with a Free Night Award every year on their card anniversary as an ongoing benefit. Members can hold both personal and business Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, so it’s possible to earn several Free Night Awards every year.

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American Express Marriott Bonvoy Card

The American Express Marriott Bonvoy card earns Bonvoy points and offers cardholders benefits including an annual free night and 15 qualifying nights towards elite status.

Check out our American Express Marriott Bonvoy card review for more details.

BONUS
50,000 Marriott Bonvoy

MINSPEND
$1,500

NET VALUE
$330+

ANNUAL FEE
$120

FOREX FEES
Yes

EXPIRY
–

Nightly rates at Stradom House range between zł850 – zł1,200 ($290 CAD – $410 CAD) per night. Under most circumstances, this makes Stradom House an excellent option for redeeming a Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Award. 

In an early sign of the excellent elite treatment I’d receive at the hotel, I noticed in the Marriott app that I had been proactively upgraded from the base-level Modern King Room to a Heritage King Room a few days before my stay. This significantly increased the value of my Free Night Award, which resulted in a very satisfying return on the credit card’s $120 annual fee.

As is the case with most Autograph Collection properties, the front entrance is modest with minimal signage.

With just over 100 rooms, the lobby has a boutique feel to it, featuring a small check-in area and a cozy sitting area adjacent to the entrance.

Check-in was completed in the blink-of-an-eye. A few formalities, such as going over the pool, spa, and breakfast hours and I was handed the room key.

Location

There are many options to get to Stradom House from John Paul II International Airport (KRK). Taxi, rideshare, and public transit are all readily accessible from the airport’s main terminal. I chose to take an Uber which cost $18 CAD for the 20-minute ride.  

The location of Stradom House is ideal for those wanting to explore Krakow on foot. Situated between two of Krakow’s most popular tourist destinations—the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Krakow’s Old Town, and Kazimierz, the city’s historic Jewish Quarter.

Many other city landmarks, including the 13th-century Wawel Royal Castle, are also just a short walk from the hotel.

Plenty of green space is also nearby with the many parks and walking paths that run along the Vistula River, which is just a short stroll from the hotel. Additionally, a conveniently located tram stop is right in front of the hotel. The tram system covers the entire city and provides easy access to Krakow’s main train terminal.

Parking

On-site parking is available at zł15 ($5 CAD) per hour, zł160 ($54 CAD) per day, and zł500 ($170 CAD) per week.

Room – Heritage King Guest Room

Situated in a building over 500 years old, this smaller boutique hotel doesn’t boast the most spacious rooms. However, the restoration of the property and guest rooms was performed wonderfully. Despite their smaller size, the guest rooms are elegant and equipped with all the necessary amenities.

In the room’s entryway, you’ll find a closet and mini-bar area to one side, and the bathroom door directly opposite.

Inside the closet are two robes, the room safe, an ironing board with an iron, and a few other items like a shoehorn and a sewing kit.

At the mini-bar was some bottled water and spirits along with some glassware. A coffee maker and kettle are provided along with a selection of coffee pods and teas.

While the room is indeed quite small, a king-sized bed still fits comfortably, with enough room for a nightstand on each side of the bed.

Directly across from the bed is a wall-mounted flatscreen TV and a desk. Beside the desk is a handy luggage rack for a suitcase.

An armchair and a small side table are placed near one of the windows overlooking the main road at the front of the hotel.

The bathroom is finished floor-to-ceiling in a contrasting light and dark marble tile. It features a single vanity setup and a heated floor.

The walk-in shower includes both a rainfall fixture and a handheld shower head. The recessed lighting and gold-accented fixtures contributed to a modern and striking appearance.

I thought the Heritage King Room was excellent. While it could have been larger, it was more than sufficient for just myself. Moreover, I found the hardwood flooring and intricate crown moldings gave the room an authentic and timeless antique charm.

Overall, the hotel does a nice job of blending in and retaining the historical nature of this property while still providing all the modern amenities and finishes one would expect at a contemporary hotel.

Room – Modern King Guest Room

My brother and his wife, who were also staying at the hotel, were kind enough to take some pictures of their room for me.

Their room was located towards the back of the property on the ground level, which had a courtyard view that included a small outdoor patio.

The bathroom was identical to the one in my Heritage King Room, except that this bathroom had a bathtub instead of a walk-in shower.

The outdoor patio is a nice amenity to offer for guests who enjoy having access to an outdoor space directly from their hotel room.

Restaurants & Bars

For such a small hotel, Stradom House has a surprising amount of food and beverage outlets. There are two restaurants, a bar, a wine cellar, and a juice & smoothie bar.

Gaia – Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Complimentary Breakfast

Gaia is the hotel’s main restaurant, which features a Mediterranean-inspired menu. Each morning, Gaia serves breakfast with an extensive buffet and made-to-order dishes from the kitchen.

Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite members or higher who select free breakfast as one of their welcome amenities can enjoy daily access to the buffet and may also order any item from the menu. 

The restaurant offers a variety of seating options, including open table and booth seating indoors, as well as outdoor seating in the shaded courtyard.

This is among the more impressive complimentary breakfasts we’ve experienced in Europe. While a buffet breakfast is common, including made-to-order dishes from the kitchen without any extra charge is quite generous.

The breakfast menu reads as follows:

The buffet offered a wide array of food options. Among the cold selections were fresh pastries, cheese, meats, fresh fruit, yogurt, and more. For hot dishes, there were scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausages, to name a few.

After a few trips to the buffet, we would order a few items from the menu for the table to share. We tried most of the items on the menu and were impressed not only by the quality of the food but also by the generous breakfast offering for elite members.

The breakfast at Stradom House perfectly demonstrates why navigating the complexities of the Marriott Bonvoy Elite breakfast benefit is still well worth the effort.

For lunch and dinner, Gaia serves a mix of Mediterranean-inspired and Western dishes.

Stradomska 12

Stradomska 12 is the hotel’s signature restaurant open for lunch and dinner. The menu features a modern take on traditional Polish cuisine.

Hedwig’s Bar

Hedwig’s Bar, located just off the main lobby, is the quintessential hotel bar and lounge. It occupies a space that was once a chapel built in the 14th century. In the center of the room is a large circular bar with stool seating. Around the perimeter of the room are some comfortable armchair-style seats. Hanging from the lofty ceiling is an attention-grabbing chandelier.

The menu has a wide variety of both signature and classic cocktails, and a page for light bites:

The Cellar

The Cellar is located on the lower level of the repurposed chapel, now a social space offering a diverse range of wines, shareable plates, and cigars.

SÓL Bar

SÓL Bar is located within the spa and wellness facility, offering guests a spot to refresh with a cold-pressed juice or protein smoothie after swimming, working out, or relaxing in the sauna.

SÓL Bar’s menu features a variety of health-conscious options, including smoothie bowls, protein shakes, revitalizing shots, juices, coffee, tea, and more.

Somewhat confusingly, wine and cocktails are also available, which struck me as a bit ironic given that the hotel advertises this as a vitamin bar.

Facilities

Where Stradom House really shines is with its facilities. The indoor swimming pool and spa area were an incredible surprise, far exceeding our expectations for this seemingly understated hotel. The fitness center, in particular, is the most well-equipped and impressive gym I have ever seen in any hotel.

Fitness Center

I can’t even begin to imagine the cost of equipping the fitness center. The entire gym is furnished with state-of-the-art Technogym equipment. 

Each strength machine is equipped with a large LCD screen and features Technogym’s Biodrive system, powered by AI. This technology dynamically adjusts the weight throughout different phases of each rep, which supposedly enhances results. As someone who finds this sort of tech fascinating, it’s very cool to see how it functions in practice.

You will also find a wide variety of free weights and equipment, including a Smith machine, bench press, and preacher curl bench.

Finally, there’s a dedicated corner for body-weight exercises, featuring equipment like medicine balls, slam balls, pull-up bars, dip stations, balance trainers, and boxing gear.

The fitness center is genuinely impressive—the best I’ve encountered in any hotel, and especially surprising to come across such a gym in a small boutique hotel. 

Connected to the fitness center and pool area is a locker room that has both showers and bathroom facilities.

The fitness center staff also host a variety of classes each week, including introductory training, stretching, yoga, and more.

Pool

The trend of very impressive facilities continued into the indoor swimming pool area. In here there is a 20-meter lap pool, several saunas, and a cryotherapy pool. 

The chlorine-free swimming pool is lined with a row of loungers along one side and is neatly illuminated with underwater and recessed lighting running the length of the pool.

Following an intense workout at the fitness center, you can rejuvenate with a variety of recovery therapies, including sessions in the steam room or the cryotherapy pool.

If you’re simply looking to relax, Stradom House offers two sauna options: a traditional high-humidity sauna and a zero-humidity infrared salt sauna.

Finally, there is a soundproof relaxation room where guests can unwind after using the pool facilities or enjoying a spa treatment.

Needless to say, the pool area and fitness center are two massive highlights at Stradom House. After a busy day of exploring Krakow, a dip in the pool followed by a relaxing sauna was a perfect way to end the day.

Spa

SÓL Spa provides a variety of treatments and therapies, including skin treatments, massages, and body scrubs, all featuring a selection of bespoke essential oils. Prices for treatments start at approximately $100 CAD and can go up to $300 CAD.

Conclusion

Stradom House is one of the best city hotels I’ve ever stayed at. It may not be the most luxurious or provide the most personalized service, but it absolutely excels at what it does offer. The rooms are a bit small, but they admirably balance the historic charm of this property while incorporating the modern elements travelers expect nowadays.

What makes this property stand out for me is its prime location, the fantastic complimentary breakfast each morning, and the excellent facilities. Additionally, Stradom House offers very reasonable redemption rates, making it an ideal choice for using a Marriott Bonvoy 35,000-point free night award.

Discovering hidden gems like this property is one of the joys of traveling, and it’s reassuring to know that great value can still be found among Marriott’s mid-range properties.