Posted by DoubleTree by Hilton Lodz Hotel, 29 Łąkowa Street –an exceptional place for Polish cinematography. It’s the birthplace of the famous Polish film producing company-Łódź Feature Film Studios. Will we find any links to the movie tradition of the place, in the Hotel?
The hotel’s facade
The hotel’s facade, is the first expression we get seeing the Double Tree by Hilton Lodz Hotel, suggests it’s not an ordinary hotel. The facade is worth taking a closer look at. It’s decorated with a still from the Polish first postwar, feature length film “Forbidden songs” (Zakazane Piosenki). We can also find this frame inside on the window display of Four Colors Restaurant. The facade is mostly striking at night when it becomes alive with all rainbow colors. It’s enough to glance at the pictures of the hotel by night to prove it. Due to two rectangular openings in the elevation, which are illuminated at night, the whole block of the building gains in lightness and modernity.
LOCATION
Double Tree by Hilton, Lodz is located just near The Atlas Arena in Lodz. A well known Piotrowska Street is within 15 minutes walking distance. The hotel offers large above-ground and underground car parks, which are free for the hotel’s Deluxe and apartment category customers. The cost for all others is 50 PLN per day. The hotel also provides airport transfers in price of 25 PLN.
Check-In
Check-in was fast and effective. A very nice receptionist Magda welcomed me with a warm smile and additionally treated with a hot, nut and top quality chocolate cookie, so characteristic of Double Tree hotels. Next she informed me about the hotel facilities (localization and opening hours of Spa, fitness, restaurant, bar). In the end I was given a voucher for welcome drinks for two people. Then she handed in the key to my apartment on the seventh floor of the hotel. She also mentioned a free parking space, Wi-Fi connection and wished a great stay. The first impression was fantastic.
DoubleTree by Hilton Lodz Hotel lobby
Looking around the hotel I was stunned with the hotel’s two storey lobby. The staircase steps, inspired by those original in WFF (film producing company), and enormous chandeliers in the shape of sphere are really amazing. In the lobby, behind the pillar, we can find a genuine old movie camera. Next to it there is Business Corner with free computers and printers accessible for the hotel’s guests. On the first floor there are conference rooms decorated with a Polish artist Andrzej Foggt’s pictures.
King One Bedroom Suite IN DoubleTree by Hilton Lodz
I was upgraded with getting this apartment on the seventh floor of the hotel. The room was spacious, neat and in perfect condition. Entering the apartment I noticed a movie poster by Andrzej Pągowski (other rooms are also decorated with his works of art). The apartment consisted of a vestibule furnished with a cloths hanger and umbrella. There was also a wardrobe with internal lighting,dressing gowns, slippers, ironing set and a very big safe deposit box -however without any possibility of charging electrical devices. Next to it there was a bathroom for guests with a shower and another one with a shower and a bath tub. From my windows I could admire a beautiful view overseeing Józef Poniatowski park. As a welcome treat I was presented with a bowl of fresh fruit waiting in the living room (which I appreciated very much) and a concierge letter. I was pleasantly surprised with the welcome news on TV dedicated to my surname.
LIVING ROOM
In the living room there was a sofa and a coffee table with two complimentary bottles of mineral water on it. There was also a round table with armchairs and a big 46 inches LCD with a choice of 150 channels. In the furniture equipment there was also a Nespresso coffee maker with a wide selection of coffee and tea bags, a kettle as well as an extra paid mini bar. There was also a container for ice (the ice machine is placed by the lift on every storey) and some wine glasses. On the whole the apartment was in modern style – so typical of Double Tree by Hilton hotels.
BEDROOM
We can find there a comfortable king size bed with a soft bedhead, another LCD, a desk with an office chair and a telephone with camera allowing to hold a conferences calls. There is also a coffee table with three bottles of mineral water and armchairs. Next to the bed there are two bedside cabinets with light plugs and master type switches. This room is decorated with black and white historical photos of Łódź. Behind the door there’s another wardrobe with a safe and internal lighting. At my arrival the TV set didn’t work, but the hotel’s staff fixed the error in few minutes.
Bathrooms
Next to the entrance there is a bathroom for guests equipped with a heated floor, a toilet, a shower, non-evaporating mirror, a hair dryer, many towels and a full set of Crab Tree and Evelyn cosmetics (including a mouthwash). There’s also a built-in speaker thanks to which you can listen to radio or TV programmes. The other bathroom is more spacious with a rain shower, a tub a washbasin and accessories as in the previous one. On my request dental and shaving sets were delivered.
Air Condition
This appliance works quietly and effectively if only the windows are closed. You can tilt one of the windows. The temperature of each room can be regulated separately.
Internet
It was free and quick (50 MB/s) and there weren’t any problems with connection.
OTHER TYPES OF ROOMS IN DoubleTree by Hilton LODZ HOTEL
The hotel offers 200 rooms in 6 categories; the first two are Twin and King types, standard rooms, Deluxe rooms, Junior suite, King One Bedroom Suite (which I stayed in) and Presidential Apartment.
Standard ROOMS
They are furnished with a King bed or two separate beds, LCD and a bathroom with a shower a cosmetic set. The parking space is extra paid -50 PLN per day.
Deluxe ROOMS
Here we’ve got additionally slippers and dressing gowns, a bigger TV set, power cables for charging different types of phones and a Nespresso coffee maker. The parking space is included in the price.
Presidential Apartment in DoubleTree by Hilton LODZ HOTEL
This 105 square meters room is located on the seventh floor of the hotel and it consists of a vestibule, a bathroom, a kitchen, a living room, a study, a bedroom and another bathroom. The attention catching details are gold plated tiles in the bathroom.
BREAKFAST
It’s served from 6.30 a.m. till 10.00 a.m. on week days, from 7.00 a.m.till 10.30 a.m. on Saturdays and from 7.00 a.m. till 11.00 a.m. on Sundays in Four Colors Restaurant on the ground floor. Breakfast is very rich and we have menu dishes as well as buffet dishes at our disposal.
MENU DISHES
There are typical ones like porridge (also with soya milk), boiled eggs, omelettes, fried eggs or Benedictine eggs. We can also order a traditional sour soup (żurek) or fried tofu. The servings are big and very tasty. I tried some of these delicious dishes (porridge with fruit, sour soup and Benedictine eggs).
BUFFETS
In the hotel buffet we can find waffles, pancakes, sausages, roasted tomatoes, bacon, BBQ beans, mushrooms, scrambled eggs. If it comes to cold buffet we’ve got a wide choice of cheese, meat, regional products, smoked fish, pickled vegetables and a thematic corner containing cherry gazpacho, tapioca with cherry jam, mozzarella with anchois, cherry cake, white buckwheat groats with cherries. On the separate stand we can find cereals, nuts, dried fruit, yoghurt, bircher muesli, fresh and canned fruit, self-made honey (from the bee garden on the roof of the hotel) and a large assortment of bread. The juicer and all healthy necessary ingredients like apples, carrots, ginger, celery leaves for making juice were also available.
There was also a coffee maker, a wide range of juice, water and Eilles tea. The alcohol served here was Frederic Chopin Brut – a white dry sparkling wine from France. For the dessert there were hot French cookies, Polish cakes and Muffins.
Additional information about breakfast
Up to me there were some products missing for breakfast mainly freshly squeezed orange juice (it’s extra paid), smoked salmon (there was only salmon paste), lactose free milk (though there was soya milk). Unfortunately we can’t find here a separate zone for Hilton Honor programme members. There are only some tables with Hilton Honor logo identification, which means they are designed for the members of the programme. A great idea is Take Away section just by the exit door where we can take some fruit and snacks for lunch with us.
Bee garden on the roof of the DoubleTree by Hilton LODZ HOTEL
We must also mention multiflorous honey produced by the hotel. On the roof there are some bee hives so that the hotel’s guests can try the honey and watch the history of the garden and learn about its creators. We can also observe these bee hives from the swimming pool area.
Golden Bar
The hotel’s bar offers a large choice of alcoholic drinks and sweet or salty snacks. The place is decorated with photos and posters with autographs of famous foreign actors like Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie, Brigitte Bardot, Sofia Loren, Brad Pitt or Leonardo DiCaprio. There is a variety of posters from movie hits like “Some like it hot” or “Gone with the wind”. In the bar there is also displayed an original model of camera from 1932 which was used up to the fifties of the twentieth century.
Reference to the history of WFF – film producing company
The hotel refers to the place where the famous producing company operated. Many shooting frames from Polish films created by WWF in 29. Łąkowa Street are exhibited in the halls next to the entrance of every room. All of them are signed so we can learn what films they come from. It’s worth mentioning that at the same address there is The National Archives of Film, which means 100.000 of film tape rolls being the effect of WWF many years. Achievements. There is also the headquarters of Opus Film Production Company famous for making awarded with Oscar in 2017 film “Ida”.
Wytwórnia CLUB IN DoubleTree by Hilton LODZ HOTEL
The WFF where film were produced in the past are now used to present the best Polish and foreign artists like Chis Botti, Kayah, Brodka, Kult or Możdżer. One of the main attractions of this place is original goods lift as well as genuine old elements in the hall’s walls. In the bar section the authentic staircase and cinematograph are preserved.
3D Cinema
The hall which was formerly used as a film final acceptation place (colaudation hall) was designed by Jakub Kirszensztajn after the Second World War has been restored and equipped with modern devices. Due to that it’s now an up to date cinema hall with some accents of tradition. The cinema doesn’t work regularly, but it can be hired for private shows.
Fitness and SPA centre
The hotel’s Fitness Centre and Spa are located on the tenth floor. Here we’ve got lots of different options. We can choose a swimming pool with jacuzzi and a panoramic view on the centre of Łódź and nearby park, well equipped gym with sports devices (orbiters, bikes, treadmills, free weights, balls, sport mats, multifunctional appliances) and two saunas (dry and steam). The gym works 24 hours a day. The swimming pool is open from 6 a.m. till 10 p.m. The saunas function from 4 p.m. till 10 p.m. (we can ask the service to open it earlier). The Spa which works from 9 a.m. till 9 p.m. offers extra paid treatments with the use of Ericson Laboratoire cosmetics.
While on the swimming pool put attention to the next film accent – a mosaic with a shooting frame of Roman Polanski etude “Dwaj ludzie z szafą”
Other services offered by the hotel
In the underground car park there is a car wash. You can also rent a car from AVIS.
SERVICE
The service is one of the strongest points of the hotel. All the staff people are very nice, cultural and willing to communicate. During my stay in the hotel there was a shortage of running water one night because of some serious damage. After my call to the reception I was offered delivering water in bottles to my room and amends for the inconvenience. I highly appreciate this proactive activity of the hotel. All the service workers were very professional, but I’d especially like to distinguish Darek – a shift manager at the reception desk, Magda and Ania from reception, bar service people – Tomek and Gosia, Kasia – a restaurant supervisor as well as give thanks to Agnieszka from the marketing section for showing me around the hotel and giving additional information about it.
Check-Out
The check- out was fast and efficient. Without any problem I got a prolongation of my stay till 3 p.m. (normally checking-out time is 12 at noon) and got two cookies for goodbye.
PRICES
I paid 247.50 PLN for a standard room. Upgrade and privileges resulted from The Hilton Honors Programme status. Upgrade is possible within rooms availability.
SUMMARY
Double Tree by Hilton, Łódź impressed me greatly not only because of beautiful facade- especially at night. My apartment was spacious and well maintained. The Fitness Centre overlooks the centre of the city and the nearby park. The connection with the past by preserving historical details (for example the original goods elevator or the staircase in The Wytwórnia Club) is very important from my point of view. The breakfast was very rich and tasty. The service was friendly, helpful, willing to interact with guests and immediately solving their problems. The only deficiency is the lack of an executive lounge for status guests. I definitely recommend Double Tree by Hilton Hotel and I’m going to come back during my next stays in Łódź.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The above link is affiliative. If you approve of my work, please make your bookings in this or another Hilton Hotels hotel through that link. All funds gained this way will be allocated for the development of my blog.
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This entry is by no means sponsored by Hilton Hotels. I paid for the stay from my own financial resources.
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