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Have an upcoming visit to Warsaw and no idea where to stay? Don’t worry, you’ll soon have everything you need to figure out where to stay in Warsaw and make sense of the different neighbourhoods in Poland’s capital.
I’ve visited Warsaw a few times now, and each time I’ve stayed in a different part of the city and explored new areas. So I know what it feels like finding your feet in Warsaw’s inner city. You can read my reasons for visiting Warsaw to see why I appreciate this underrated city, but for now, let’s show you where to stay in Warsaw for your trip.
Best place to stay in Warsaw at a glance
Short on time and just want hotels to look at? These are the areas of Warsaw I’d suggest for certain traveller types and a couple of reliable accommodation picks for each:
- For the first-time visitor – Staying in the Old Town of Warsaw is hard to resist.
- For the budget traveller – Downtown, North or South, is where you’ll find many budget options.
- For the business traveller – Mirow is conveniently central and uncomplicated.
- For the nightlife lover – Praga makes it easy to find places for drinking/partying.
Old Town
Like so many cities in Europe, you’re going to be spending time sightseeing in the Warsaw Old Town.
From Castle Square to the Old Town Square Market, Stare Miasto as it’s known, is probably the most scenic part of the city. Surrounded by what remains of the old city walls, most of the Old Town is now pedestrian streets and quite a few restaurants, cafes and bars.
Now, while you might expect this to be the most common place for visitors to stay, there’s a rather limited number of places to stay within the Old Town itself. Besides one or two hostels and mid-range hotels, the rest of the accommodation here is solely apartments.
But there’s no need to feel disappointed or disheartened as it’s still easy to visit Warsaw’s Old Town no matter where you’re staying thanks to the city’s extensive public transport network. There’s a major bus and tram stop just below Castle Square which sits right off the city’s Old Town.
Summary – Although it may be one of the main areas for tourists when sightseeing in Warsaw, the Old Town only has a selective offering of apartments, with choices also on Airbnb.
Downtown North
You might be wondering where the majority of the accommodation in Warsaw is at this point.
Well, the answer is in the city’s big northern downtown area which is the real heart of modern Warsaw. Called Srodmiescie Północne, this large district stretches from the southern edge of the Old Town down to the Warsaw Central Station.
Bordered by the Vistula River, it has popular spots like the Palace of Culture and Science, the Presidential Palace and the major street of Nowy Swiat. Staying in Warsaw’s downtown area is just hard to beat.
Featuring so many major transit points, restaurants and attractions, downtown is ideal if you’re looking for convenience. You can walk there if you arrive in Warsaw by train or bus and are spoilt for choice with metro, bus and tram stops. I mean, it’s hardly surprising that the bulk of the city’s hotels and hostels are found here. Accommodation here ranges from the most budget of places right up to half of Warsaw’s 5-star hotels.
If there’s a downside to staying in Srodmiescie, it’s that you’re staying in the busiest part of Warsaw. Those seeking quiet, or a place to park, may want to look further out. For a personal recommendation, I’ve stayed at Moon Hostel here and found it a comfortable and well-located hostel stay.
Summary – Honestly, downtown is the most likely place for you to find accommodation in Warsaw as it places you in the middle of the city.
Downtown South
It may seem like I’m splitting hairs, but Śródmieście Południowe or downtown south as it translates, is worth mentioning.
Essentially the downtown area below Jerozolimskie Avenue, this part of the city has a different feel than the northern neighbourhood mentioned above. Squeezed between two big parks and the technical university, southern downtown feels far more relaxed than the bustling city centre.
Part of its more chilled-out feel is that this area is home to some of the best cafes in Warsaw. Throw in some more grand buildings in the form of Lazienki Palace and nearby embassies and you have yourself a relatively pretty part of the city. This part of town is also home to various restaurants, including one of the more popular milkbars in Prasowy, and good tram connections back to downtown.
All of this combined makes it my favourite spot and preference of where to stay in Warsaw. While I stayed in this neighbourhood of Warsaw using Airbnb, the area has a great mix of accommodations across all budgets.
Summary – To experience a more fun and laidback part of Warsaw’s centre, look to the great range of accommodation in the southern side of downtown Warsaw.
Warsaw New Town
Going in the other direction, if you head just north of Warsaw Old Town you find yourself in Warsaw New Town.
Despite its name, this part of Warsaw still dates from the 14th century, it’s just new, relative to the Old Town. Walking around New Town you still feel the area’s heritage despite the devastation that befell it during World War II. In many ways, it’s just like the Old Town, although with the notable difference of cars driving down its streets.
Much like the Old Town, nearly all of the accommodation found in this part of the city is apartments, aside from a token hostel and 5-star hotel. With a great deal of restaurants and a very easy stroll into the Old Town, the New Town serves as a useful alternative if you can’t stay in the Old Town.
Perhaps its biggest detractor is that it has far less convenient public transport options.
Summary – If you want to stay close to the Old Town in a historic area, but not in the Old Town, Warsaw New Town is the way to go. You’ll also find plenty of Airbnb choices should you prefer something different.
Mirow
While only a neighbourhood of the Wola district, Mirow borders downtown and boasts a majority of the region’s accommodation.
Situated partly on where the Warsaw Ghetto once stood, it’s just one place in Warsaw where this awful history can be felt. Beyond that, Mirow isn’t flush with sights or spots that tourists would be focused on.
What makes Mirow an appealing neighbourhood to stay in is its proximity to downtown Warsaw. There are few places in the city as well connected to public transport as Mirow and it’s possible to walk to Warsaw Central Station without too much problem.
It makes sense that it’s here that you find many of Warsaw’s business hotels from all the major chains – Westin, Hilton and Ibis among them. I had a brief overnight stay at the Hotel Campanile Warszawa here and it was exactly what I’d want from an affordable business hotel.
Summary – Close to the action, Mirow is home to plenty of business hotels and enjoys great public transport access.
Praga
When I saw that there was accommodation in Praga, I was a little surprised.
After all, it has had a reputation in the past for being Warsaw’s “dangerous district”. Often people are warned about walking around the area at night, particularly the northern part of Praga. However, dig even a little into this and you find that the district’s reputation is a little dated. Most accounts simply recommend following the usual safety precautions that are recommended in any big city.
Given all of this, why would you take the risk and stay in Praga? Well, the neighbourhoods here certainly have an interesting, alternative character to them and many tours take tourists here specifically.
It also happens to be close to the PGE Narodowy Stadium, where many sports matches and concerts are held. If that’s why you’re visiting Warsaw, staying close by makes sense to me. Most options in Praga are apartments, but also many hostels, which are extremely well-rated ones at that.
Summary – The rough reputation of Praga seems to be one it can’t shake regardless of its current state. Great for sports fans or concertgoers.
If you’ve been before, what would be your recommendation for where to stay in Warsaw? If not, which of these areas seems to suit you best? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
1 comment
This will certainly come in handy when I finally make it to Warsaw! I would definitely be happy with any of the historic locations, though would prefer not to stay near the new, modern buildings. Not exactly my thing! Great post David!