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Down a long passageway and courtyard off touristy ul. Floriańska, Gardenhouse Hotel's 14 rooms are quiet. The location, after all, is at the heart of Old Krakow, and quiet hotel-hostel hybrids in tourist-heavy 'hoods can be few and far between.
Rooms are dorm-like, with light wood bunkbeds. There's not that much going on in these rooms. Walls tend to be naked, and duvets are utilitarian. That said, while there's no question that these rooms are barebones, they're also quite new and clean.
Six rooms are en suite doubles, while the five quads and three six-bed dorm rooms share bathroom facilities. The overall impression is more hostel than hotel, with a massive guest kitchen, a roomy lounge for hanging out, and a friendly backpacker vibe. Adhering to the Krakow hotel standard, the Internet station in the lobby is free. And the hotel's staff appeared to be uncommonly multilingual—what appeared to be flawless Italian was part of the package—in a city where excellent English on the part of hotel staff can be expected. Additional bonuses: free laundry facilities, free linen, and absence of a curfew.
The name of the hotel implies copious foliage and is, thus, a bit misleading. That said, the courtyard has some greenery to spare, and there is a fun, colorful mural of vines creeping up the stairway wall.
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