The Secret Garden Hostel

The outside of The Secret Garden Hostel is a drab cement gray that matches the surrounding buildings in its mostly residential neighborhood. But the inside is painted in candy colors and decorated with whimsical touches that almost recall an elementary school. The lobby has pale-yellow and mint-green walls, a white stone reception desk, and two bucket-style black leather chairs beside a rack of tourist brochures. The communal kitchen and dining room are painted a chipper tangerine. The TV room is dressed in pastel purple. Even the communal bathroom has canary-yellow walls. Sections of the hotel have names like "Fruit Wing" and "Garden Wing," and paintings by a young Ukranian painter decorate the hallway walls. An outdoor patio has wood picnic chairs, hanging lanterns, a few small bushes, and light-green tiles. The Secret Garden Hostel's style appeals to younger travelers and couples in search of a bargain, but this isn't a rowdy backpackers' place. Business people may feel out of place. Note that the hotel does not have an elevator and is a few stories tall. 

The Secret Garden Hostel is in a residential neighborhood about three minutes' walk from the banks of the Vistula River. Many of Krakow's tourist attractions in the city center are about 20 minutes away on foot, but it's an easy ride by car or tram. Parts of Krakow are named after the religious groups that populated each neighborhood. The Secret Garden Hostel is in the Catholic section, adjacent to the Jewish Quarter, both of which date back many centuries. Several religious landmarks are found in these neighborhoods, such as the 15th-century Old Synagogue, which is a 10-minute walk from the hotel. One of Krakow's larger attractions, the 14th-century Wawel Royal Castel, is a 15- to 20-minute walk along the Vistula River or a nine-minute drive. Krakow's Main Square (Rynek Główny) is a 12-minute drive or about five minutes away by tram. The nearest tram stop is down the street from the hostel, about a three-minute walk. Travelers arriving at the John Paul II Kraków-Balice International Airport should expect the car ride to take about 20 to 25 minutes.

Unlike most hostels, The Secret Garden doesn't arrange guests in rooms filled with bunk beds. It's more like a hotel, where guests get their own rooms: single, double, and triple rooms with shared bathrooms; or single and double rooms with private bathrooms. The bathrooms have showers only, and towels and hand soap are provided -- but no other toiletries. There are also several apartments with full, modern kitchens, private bathrooms, and flat-screen TVs. Some apartments have two floors with a separate bedroom. 

All of the spaces are clean and fresh, with charming, homey decor. Rooms have neutral wood-laminate flooring accented with brightly colored walls and themed accents such as paintings of fruit. Apartments are more sophisticated and subdued, with neutral-colored furnishings and unadorned white walls. However, rooms are fairly streamlined, each with a bed, lounge chair, and coat rack for hanging clothes. Several guests note that it's worth paying extra for the apartments. While the rooms are fine for sleeping, the apartments have a lot more space for dining and lounging. All accommodations include free Wi-Fi. 

Many of the amenities at The Secret Garden Hostel make long stays a little easier for tourists. Business people will likely find them lacking. The well-reviewed, free breakfast buffet includes deli meats, cheeses, yogurt, bread, and more cold items. Several restaurants are also in the neighborhood for other meals. The communal kitchen for guests has a refrigerator, stovetop, and microwave, but no oven. Guests can help themselves to free coffee, tea, milk, cocoa, and water in the kitchen. 

A computer station is set up in the lobby for guests to surf the web. There's also a cozy room where guests can watch TV. Bicycles can be rented from the hotel for anyone who wants to bike up the bank of the river or into town. Laundry services are also available through the hotel (for a fee). An airport shuttle can also be arranged to and from the property for a fee. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hostel.