Picolo recommends · Hotel in Krakow, Poland
Hotel Stary
A rooftop terrace looking across red tiles to the towers of St Mary’s, a minute from the corner of the Main Market Square.
Turn off the Main Market Square at its north-west corner and Hotel Stary is almost immediately on your right. The townhouse wears a renaissance front, and below ground the old vaulted cellars have been turned into a spa.
Up top, the terrace gives you a view over the rooftops to St Mary’s Basilica, where the trumpeter appears every hour. Inside, the rooms favour stone, timber and rich fabrics, and they are roomier than most in the Old Town.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose Hotel Stary
We chose Stary for a first visit to Krakow: the square, the churches and the museums are all on your doorstep, yet the rooms stay calm. The cellar spa is a welcome bonus on a grey day.
You are paying for the address and the historic building, so rooms are not the cheapest in town. At weekends the streets around the square get loud, and light sleepers should ask for a room facing away from the street.
What you get
- Rooftop terrace facing St Mary’s
- Spa in the vaulted cellars
- Renaissance townhouse
- Rooms with stone, wood and rich fabrics
- Cafés and restaurants of the square nearby
A day at Hotel Stary
- Morning
- The Main Market Square while it still belongs to the pigeons.
- Midday
- The Cloth Hall and a walk down to Wawel.
- Afternoon
- An hour in the cellar spa.
- Evening
- Drinks on the roof as the trumpeter plays from the tower.
Location
Szczepańska, Old Town, Krakow, Poland
Open in MapsQuestions about Hotel Stary
Where is Hotel Stary in Krakow?
On Szczepańska in the Old Town, just off the Main Market Square at its north-west corner.
Does Hotel Stary have a spa?
Yes, there is a spa in the vaulted cellars beneath the hotel.
Is Hotel Stary noisy?
The house is quiet inside, but the streets are lively on weekend nights. Light sleepers do best in a room on the quiet side.
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Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
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