It’s safe to say that the last thing you would ever expect to find in Krakow – that most venerable and ancient of Polish cities – is a hotel styled with such a resolute mix of European and Chinese art deco.
But the move is a canny one, and aimed squarely at the 220-room Metropolo’s Chinese clientele. Which is not to say that the Warsaw-based architectural studio Tremend has taken the easy way out and loaded the walls with obvious Oriental and period tropes.
Instead, the touches are subtle, beginning with a welcome of Chinese tea at check in, and a flash of Chinese mosaic. Tremend’s light touch continues in the rooms and public spaces, which are furnished in a palette of pale creamy hues that are offset by curvaceous armchairs, rugs daubed with burnt ochre patterns, whimsical Astoria Khotan wallpaper by Muraspec, geometric screen dividers and towering gilded bird cages that have been reimagined as cozy chaises d’amour.
The east-meets-west theme is carried over into executive chef Michał Zgud’s kitchen where Polish standards are contrasted against Chinese flavours, including fluffy omelettes hit with shallots and garlic, and the classic mapo tofu scented with oyster sauce, alongside a separate menu of Chinese teas.
ADDRESS
Orzechowa 11
30-422 Kraków
Poland
-
Serious cyclists now have serious options, courtesy of two new models from CanyonWith two new bikes, the Endurace: ONfly e-bike and Endurance: AllRoad, Canyon is innovating with both price and performance
-
New members’ club Beihouse revives Beirut’s architectural heritageFollowing the devastating 2020 explosion, three 19th-century homes in Gemmayzeh become a social hub balancing cultural memory with contemporary luxury
-
Aman New York unveils exclusive US Open-themed experienceAman’s ‘Season of Champions’ pairs Grand Slam action with personalised recovery and performance treatments designed by Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova
-
Polish hotel Puro Poznań is a design-forward delightDesign studio Holloway Li’s recent makeover of Puro Poznań echoes the town’s art nouveau architecture
-
Take a seat at Milk Bar Warsaw, a charming diner with strong Ukrainian rootsMilk Bar's first location outside Kyiv has been designed by studio Yodezeen
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico -
Martim — Wroclaw, Poland -
Tattersalls Hotel — Armidale, Australia -
KLoé Hotel — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -
Casa Hoyos — San Miguel de Allende, Mexico -
Littlenap — Hangzhou, China
