Hotel Eden

The three-star Hotel Eden is a medium-sized hotel idedicated to serving an observant Jewish clientele. Located in the heart of Krakow's old Jewish neighborhood, Kazimierz, on a cramped cobblestone street, Hotel Eden occupies a restored row of 15th-century buildings.

Hotel Eden's 27 rooms are quite plain. Yellow walls, in some rooms, provide a burst of color. Bedspreads are shiny and satiny, caramel-brown furniture is standard and utilitarian and floors have wall-to-wall carpets. All are equipped with satellite television, telephone, mini-fridge and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms are tiled and uneventful.

Beyond location, it's how well Hotel Eden meets the needs of its clientele—as well as some unusual features—that set it apart. When we say that Hotel Eden is dedicated to serving a highly observant clientele, for example, we are not kidding. The hotel's kitchen is kosher. All meat served in Eden's restaurant is imported from kosher butchers in Vienna. Additionally, prepared meals are flown in from London.

The hotel also operates a mikvah, or traditional communal bath. Also on the spa tip, Hotel Eden also has a salt grotto on the premises. The salt in the grotto was imported from Pakistan and the Dead Sea.