Walking. Gossip. Travel.

Tag: Warsaw

  • Warsaw – Ibis Styles Warsaw Centrum

    Warsaw – Ibis Styles Warsaw Centrum

    [as a footnote, albeit at the top, I commented about the lack of beer choice in this hotel in 2020, but they now have five craft beers, so I love the hotel more now]

    Firstly, I wonder whether this is the ideal name for this hotel, as it’s not really in the centre of Warsaw and might cause a little confusion for travellers. There is an Ibis Styles which is much more central, known as Ibis Styles Warsaw City, which is nearer to the Old Town. Anyway, it was central enough for me and was in walking distance of the city centre.

    The last time I came to this site it was to an Ibis Budget (which is still there, just a few metres away) and at that time, this Ibis Styles was just the twinkle in the eye of a hotel designer. I’m actually a little confused as to the design of this hotel, it seems very clunky, with a smallish reception area leading on uncomfortably to the restaurant area, something which I’d assumed was forced by the limitations of the building.

    Until I remembered that it was a new building…. The doors here aren’t the entrance doors, this space would make more sense if they were, as they’ve got the reception desk shoved to one side and this space doesn’t really seem used. Usually, there would be free unlimited coffee here, but the health situation has meant that the machine is out of action. There are though coffee making facilities in the room.

    The corridors are bright.

    The room I was given and it’s fair to say that it’s colourful. I like this playful nature to Ibis Styles, it’s modern and on-trend. I think the theme was canoeing or something similar.

    More of the theme.

    This is bold from the hotel, which is a bathroom which is visible from the bed. The curtain to close this off is also on the bed side, so the person in the shower doesn’t have much control here. I was in the room alone, so it didn’t much matter whatever happened, but it’s an interesting concept.

    There was no welcome gift in the room, or so I thought, but then a staff member came to the door to give me cake. It was much better than this photo suggests and much appreciated. I’m easily pleased.

    I don’t really like the Winestone restaurant theme which Accor used, something I’ve complained about separately. But, Warsaw Mercure Ursus managed to get around the problems with the theme and delivered a perfectly decent experience, so I was tempted again at this hotel. I didn’t get very far, the restaurant is too formal for my liking (even with the introduction of bright lights, weird seating and swinging chairs, which is all too formulaic for me) and they had the exciting option of just lager in terms of the beer offering.

    So with no beer of interest, I abandoned any effort of eating there and I just had a Pepsi as my free welcome drink. Although that was served slightly warm in a glass with no attempt to put ice or lemon in it, so I have to admit to leaving most of that. I gave up at that point and just left…..

    The breakfast was included in the room rate and I must admit to getting a bit muddled up how the whole thing worked. Some things were served by staff, some seemed to be served by staff or help yourself and some other things were just help yourself. So, I likely got something wrong, but I did my normal thing of following other people when unsure. I don’t do that because they might be right, just because the hotel staff are likely to be less annoyed if it seems multiple people are confused. In the above photo, it’s possible to see the ham and cheeses all pre-served on plates.

    And, my little effort, which tasted fine and entirely met my requirements. The hotel wasn’t expensive, so this breakfast was a perfectly decent start to the day. And the staff were doing their best, with everything being clean. Actually, everything in the hotel seemed clean and organised, they were taking the current health issue seriously.

    I liked the lift.

    All told, this was a perfectly well run hotel and the staff were welcoming and helpful. Not that I’m going to get too concerned about the design of the building, but it was a bit cobbled together, although the modern design of the rooms made up for that. It’s quite a brave theme for a hotel to run with, but I think it suits the Ibis Styles theming well. The welcome drink was a waste of time, but I was satisfied enough with the room and the free cake, that made me feel sufficiently welcome. For those who don’t mind a little bit of walking to get to the centre, then this is ideal, although it’s by no means the closest Accor to the centre of Warsaw.

  • Warsaw – Solidarity Exhibition

    Warsaw – Solidarity Exhibition

    I liked this, which is a large outdoor display on the history of Solidarity (Solidarność) throughout Poland. The posters are in Polish and English, which is handy, and they cover a wide variety of regions of the country and with plenty of photos on them.

    The installation was unveiled at Piłsudski Square, an important location in Warsaw, on 28 August 2020. On that day, numerous awards, known as Crosses of Freedom and Solidarity, were granted to some of those who had opposed communism between 1956 and 1989.

    If I understand the Government press release correctly, there are also similar activities across Poland to mark the 40th anniversary of the founding of Solidarity. Andrzej Duda, the country’s President, has been supportive of this installation as part of the “Centenary of Regaining Independence” series of events.

  • Warsaw – National Museum in Warsaw (Superhuman Pope Holding a Meteorite)

    Warsaw – National Museum in Warsaw (Superhuman Pope Holding a Meteorite)

    This art installation at the National Museum in Warsaw has attracted international attention over the last week, so I thought I’d meander along to see it. I spent some time at the museum in January and it’s an impressive place, with over 830,000 items in its collection, a remarkable effort given the challenges of the Second World War when certain people pinched great chunks of its works.

    Anyway, this sculpture has been created by Jerzy Kalina and is entitled “Poisoned Source”, depicting Pope John Paul II holding a meteorite. The water has been turned red and it’s in response to an artwork by Maurizio Cattelan from 1999 which showed the Pope being hit by a meteor which had knocked him out.

    I read in the Guardian (yes, sorry, I like the Guardian) that this was akin to someone trying to put luggage into the overhead compartment of an aircraft. And now, looking at the photos again, I can’t quite get that imagery out of my mind.

    The installation was attracting some interest, I took the photos to avoid including people where I could, but there was a constant flow of those who were intrigued by the work. I suppose that if any artwork can interest people then it has performed a role of some sorts. It’s being interpreted by some of the media as a sculpture which is designed to be pro-Government and pro-Church, but the artist has completed many works over the decades which are interesting talking points and this seems as good a way as any to mark 100 years since Pope John Paul II was born.

  • Warsaw – Trams and Protecting the Drivers

    Warsaw – Trams and Protecting the Drivers

    I very much like the Warsaw tram system and I’m also a fan of the intricate and careful way that they protect the driver given these uncertain health times. It does look like I’ve done it…. But, like many things, cheap and cheerful can be just as good.

  • Warsaw – Photos in the Evening

    Warsaw – Photos in the Evening

    Just photos in this post and there weren’t very good lighting conditions and it also started to rain. But, anyway, it’s still a beautiful city.

  • Warsaw – Restauracja Ceska

    Warsaw – Restauracja Ceska

    I hadn’t visited this restaurant in central Warsaw before, but they have another outlet in Wrocław which I know is well reviewed. They specialise in reasonably priced Czech food and beer and it’s something a little different for Warsaw.

    They have their own beer tanks and the environment is all rather clean and comfortable.

    Hmmm, I’m a little non-plussed by this. That middle one seems like a way to drink beer that isn’t perhaps entirely usual, but it’s the bottom one that most surprised me. I checked on-line and this is a thing in the Czech Republic, but I really can’t see it catching on in the UK. Although I hope Greene King don’t see it, they’ll likely produce something similar for their Greene King IPA, sounds right up their street. Anyway, for anyone who loves froth, this is a dream come true.

    I didn’t order the froth, I went for the half litre of Kozel Cerny, a dark lager. It was a bit bland, with no richness and the caramel edge promised was evident, but not with much strength. There wasn’t much of an aftertaste, although I’d add it settled a little after it was served, meaning there was a little less froth. It was cheap though, so it did the job of being refreshing and going well with the food.

    I’m not really into lard dishes, so I avoided all those traditional Czech options and went for what I considered to be a safer option, chicken in beer batter served with potatoes and a salad. And this was perfectly decent, the batter had a rich flavour to it and the chicken was tender, with the roasted potatoes being suitably salty. I’m not sure how authentic this dish is, but it met my requirements of not being too difficult to eat and not having too much fat.

    The service was warm and friendly, with the environment being organised and well managed. The location seemed popular with families, solo diners and couples, with the prices being on the lower end of the scale for this part of the city. Most of all though, I’ve learned that selling froth is a thing and it was worth coming just for that.

  • Warsaw – Piw Paw Beer Heaven

    Warsaw – Piw Paw Beer Heaven

    I’m not quite sure how I haven’t got to this place of beer heaven on previous trips to Warsaw, I probably just got distracted elsewhere…. But, it’s a location that I should have been to as it has a reputation for being one of the best bars in the city.

    And above are a lot of photos of the interior, as it is quite mesmerising with all of the bottle tops on the walls. The staff member was friendly and welcoming, explaining (in excellent English, which was handy) the three darker beers that they had. I didn’t actually realise at the time, but there’s a full list of drinks at http://piw-paw.ontap.pl/, which shows just what a broad selection they have. This place is beautifully on-trend, but it’s been on-trend for many years, another one of those places which is effortlessly brilliant.

    I went for the Smoky Joe from AleBrowar Brewery, although I forgot that I’d had this before, at one of the brewery’s own outlets in Gdynia. I checked this on Untappd, luckily I rated the beer as highly as I did in January 2020, which goes to show who needs a spreadsheet? It’s a very decent beer, with the flavour of whisky and this is the best use of that drink as far as I’m concerned.

    Anyway, I very much like this bar and it was quiet, although I was there at lunch-time. It’s a large venue, although reviews suggest that it can get busy at weekends, but I’m glad that quality outlets like this do see that sort of volume of people. I didn’t order food during this visit, but they do seem to sell pizzas and they look decent in the photos on reviews. It was all relaxed and comfortable when I was there, with the bar being clean and organised. It’s one of those places I feel that I’ll need to go back to, just one visit wasn’t quite enough.

  • Warsaw – Charles de Gaulle Statue

    Warsaw – Charles de Gaulle Statue

    Wikipedia notes that there are four statues of Charles de Gaulle outside France, located in Warsaw, Moscow, Bucharest and Quebec City. I’m sure that there are more, but that’s not a bad start and I saw the one in Bucharest a few months ago. This statue in Warsaw is apparently similar (well, it’s the same statue, so very similar) to that of the former French President on Champs Elysées in Paris.

    The statue was given to the city of Warsaw by the French Government, which is an interesting strategy as I’m not what sure what the city would do if the UK presented the Poles with a statue of Boris Johnson. There is support for Charles de Gaulle in Poland, but it’s more to do with his contribution to the Second Polish Republic in 1920, following the end of the First World War. Actually, with reference to Boris Johnson, the statue was unveiled in 2005 by Michel Barnier in his then role as the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, but now better known for his role with Brexit.

  • Warsaw – Mercure Warsaw Ursus

    Warsaw – Mercure Warsaw Ursus

    I’ve worked my way around most Accor hotels in Poland and nearly all of them in Warsaw, but this appears to be a relatively new opening. Although it’s not in the city centre, it’s located opposite Warsaw Ursus Station and so doesn’t take long to get to by public transport.

    The reception area, all clean and modern. The staff member at check-in was personable, welcoming and engaging, all rather lovely first impressions. There were sanitisers conveniently located as well, it felt like a safe environment.

    I was fortunate enough to get a room upgrade, which got me a top floor room with a view over the railway station. There’s no getting away from the reality that this is a beautiful suite, well-appointed, clean and functional. The air conditioning worked and so the temperature was easy to get right, always handy as I like hotel rooms to be on the colder side.

    The room also came with a microwave grill, a fridge, coffee maker, kettle, cutlery, plates and far more things than I probably needed. I was pleased that I could understand the coffee maker, that was a nice treat compared to the sachets I’d expected. Although the hotel had put those in the room as well in case they were needed, along with numerous flavours of tea.

    A welcome gift selection, with white wine, biscuits and fruit. I very much appreciated this.

    The fruit was fresh and wasn’t just a cut-up apple.

    And the wine, how rather lovely.

    I was given this card giving me 10% off in the restaurant, so I felt it impolite not to take advantage. I didn’t have breakfast in the hotel, so this was a chance to see the large restaurant and bar area. Which, like every other part of the hotel, was spotless. Actually, on that note, I suspect that many hotels aren’t really cleaning any more than they normally did, they just pretend to. Not here, I noticed a three-man cleaning team going around ruthlessly sanitising rooms. This hotel is impeccably clean.

    The menu options, a reduced standard menu as well as their burger offer. Reasonably priced and a well-balanced selection of choices. The restaurant wasn’t particularly busy, but there were a few guests and the atmosphere was laid-back and welcoming.

    I’m never quite sure whether Zywiec Porter, one of my favourite drinks, is available or not with the welcome drink offer (we’ve had this debacle before). It should be given the text on the card, but some Accor hotels allow it, some don’t. I just asked what dark beers I could get with the welcome drink and the staff member in the restaurant suggested this, so I didn’t intend to turn it down. And, the staff member was also genuinely personable and welcoming.

    This was beautifully presented with a selection of cheeses and meats. The portion was larger than it looks in the photo, with the quality of the meats and cheeses being high. And I always like some pickled treats, so they were welcome. All of the ingredients seemed fresh and of a decent quality, so this was reasonable value for money for the £7 or so that I paid.

    I don’t like lard and I dread getting it with bread, as is some Polish tradition. But, not here, I got butter.

    So, in conclusion (this sounds like a write up after a science practical), this hotel was the best Accor location that I’ve stayed in. I don’t know who the manager is, but he or she is doing a fantastic job, this hotel was clean, the room beautiful and the staff endlessly friendly. Accor should be delighted at this Mercure hotel, it reflects their brand impeccably. And I’ll probably go back next week and just have to hope it’s just as good, although I’m confident that it will be.

    For anyone wanting to book the hotel, it’s here.

  • Warsaw – 1976 Protest in Ursus

    Warsaw – 1976 Protest in Ursus

    The ‘Factory’ on the right of the above photo is now a shopping centre, but this was once an industrial area linked to the Ursus Tractor Company. Poland, which it’s fair to say wasn’t the economic miracle that it is today, was lurching from one crisis to another in the 1970s and the beleaguered Prime Minister Piotr Jaroszewicz needed a solution. The obvious one to him was to increase prices and to try and hide that from the Polish people as best as he could.

    This wasn’t the greatest plan, as it led to a revolt in Radom which then started to spread. The workers at the tractor factory at Ursus decided that they would smash the railway line which ran to Warsaw, a major line which connected the country to France in one direction and to the then Soviet Union in the other direction. The Prime Minister wasn’t impressed with the 1,000 demonstrators and their little rearrangement of the railway line and the protest was soon broken up.

    There was a balance in punishing some people without leading to an uproar and although there were 131 arrests, only seven people were given prison sentences. The political situation in Poland was already tense and the Soviet Union had to intervene to order the cancellation of the proposed price increases across the country. This was likely a wise move, as a revolution in Poland would have caused substantial disruption across the Warsaw Pact countries.

    Although the Government seized back control after the the troubles in 1976, the economy remained in crisis and shrank in 1979. Revolution was perhaps inevitable and Solidarność, or Solidarity, was established in Gdansk (where there’s a rather lovely museum on this) in late 1980 and this spread throughout Poland. This monument marks the bravery of the workers in 1976 and also its indirect connection to the creation of Solidarity.