11 min walk from Torwar – 44 min walk from PGE Narodowy
Dearest hearts,
I had my heart set up on telling you about this place for such a long time. I used to go here twice a year, at least, when going to Warsaw. I usually go for day-trips to Warsaw so I don’t have to stay over, when I have some business at the Romanian Embassy, or when I want to drop by friends. But sometimes, when there is a really good concert – a leg of a tour that does not get to Krakow – then staying over the night is a must.
The usual locations of the big concerts in Warsaw are either PGE Narodowy (eg. PINK’s “Beautiful Trauma” in 2019; Ed Sheeran’s in 2018) or in Torwar Hall (eg. Sarah Brightman’s “Hymn” Tour in 2019, Brian Adam’s “The Ultimate Tour” in 2018). It is crucial to book hotels in time, just about the same time when you get the tickets for the concerts, as everything around the venues goes as fast as warm bread!
The Elevator Selfie 
The “key” to the room The Hallway – Ground Floor
The Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum rooms are quite small but clean and well maintained. There is no separate bathroom – the sink is in the same room as the sleeping room, the shower you walk-in from the room. There is a separate small room for the toilet – obviously, there had to be a separate location for that π
Location, Location, LOCATION!
When I’m up to go to a concert I don’t need much – just a good place to lay my head after rocking the night, a good shower, and a decent breakfast in the morning after. But most important: I look for a place that would be walking distance away from the location of the concert.
Why you might ask (if you have never been to a concert)… Well, it is simple, both the PGE Narodowy and the Torwar Hall are huge venues with amazing capacities of thousands of people. Once the show is over, the same amount of people will spill outside to public transport, taxi, or their own vehicles, which usually renders the streets to be packed for 30-45 minutes. Who wants to be a sardine inside a bus, stuck in traffic?! I, for one, always love to walk and walking 11 minutes (if the concert is at Torwar) or 45 minutes (if the concert is at PGE Narodowy) is not that big of a deal!
Don’t feed the birds! – sign on the window The cute minimalistic stickers on the doors
Always book several months in advance
Let’s face it, when booking up your stay in Warsaw, if you are going to a concert, it is best you buy the tickets for the concert at the same time as you would buy the hotel tickets. This way you know you will have a chance to get a good spot. I always like to make reservations for the hotel even before buying the concert tickets π – prevention is key! You and other thousands of people will want to be close to the venue, so don’t fight! stay cool and book in time!
How do I get there?!
Getting to the hotel is not hard at all, no matter where you come from. Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum (ul. Zagorna 1) has easy access to the city center, main train station (Warszawa Centralna), and the Fryderyk Chopin Airport.
It has pretty good connections by public transport – it used to be only one bus ride but I have recently checked and now you have to switch 2. The ride roughly takes 20-30 minutes and then there is a small walk around the buildings to get to the Hotel. Buses run often – every 10 min or so. There are also parking places, so if you come with your own (or rented) car you can safely park it there.
Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum has 176 double rooms!
The Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum has 176 double rooms, equipped with air-conditioning (perfect for the summertime!). The WIFI is free of charge.
You can check-in online (I always prefer that, as I never know quite when I will get there…). Otherwise, you have to be there to check-in at 12 (or later, you can let them know when booking). The Check-out is up to 12:00 middle of the day. The nice thing about this place is that the reception is open 24h/day. The people at the reception are always very nice and informative. They will always jump in with a free map of Warsaw to show you the best places around and mark them down. They are all English speakers so there is no stress if you don’t speak Polish.
The sad part is that there is no restaurant inside the Ibis Budget Warsawa Centrum, after dark. However, just next door, there is the Ibis Styles where there is a great restaurant you could check out π and have a nightcap.
The IBIS Budget Room The IBIS Budget Room The IBIS Budget Room The IBIS Budget Room The IBIS Budget Room
The Breakfast Option
However, the Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum does provide the Bed & Breakfast option. You can choose to add to your bill the breakfast – which is always buffet style. It costs about 27 zlotych per person (August 2020). Breakfast is a free choice of dairy products, meat cuts, cereals, jams/preserves, fruits. They also serve beverages: orange and apple juice, teas, coffees, and the like.
No eggs, nor omelet, pancakes, and so on, unfortunately, and that always made me sad. There is, however, plenty of sausages (PL: kielbasa) and ham (PL: wedlina). It is a bit overpriced, as at that money you could go to Old Town and get something nicer. But, if you are too lazy… it is a perfect choice π
The rooms
Inside the Ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum, the rooms are always clean and fresh toiletry (2 soaps) provided. The rooms are not soundproof but that has never been a problem. I am a light sleeper and never have I ever been woken up by any noise here. Not even when just next door they were working still on the Ibis Styles.
Beds are quite austere, but conforming to the price of the room. Mattresses are thin, beds have no suspensions whatsoever so no jumping on them! The sink is in the same room with the bed, so the first time the experience can be quite awkward. I always prefer to take the room for myself only. I do not see myself sharing it with anyone else… next to the sink and bed, there is a small place for the shower that is walk-in. The toilet is in its own closed space, thank God!
The hotel rooms have also TV/radio and I always like to put in RMF Classic to relax. The average prices, if you book in time, are about 30-35 β¬ per night. It can get even lower nowadays, with all the #Covid19 lack of booking. People stopped visiting so the prices do go down a bit…
TIP FOR COLD WINTER NIGHTS: Coming at 12 midnight or later on from the concert, you can always make yourself a hot tea at the lobby area, for just 5 zlotych, to warm yourself up. The lady at the reception will help you out π There are also shelves with books/magazines you can take away and read for the period of your stay.
Bottom line! I am waiting for concerts to happen again and for sure I shall stay there again π
DISCLAIMER: I was not payed in any way to do this review. I thought travellers to Warsaw might like to know more about the accommodation options. There you go π
Yours truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug That Loves Live Concerts
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