Glance at the old synagogues and abundance of crumbling brick façades and the past feels rather alive in Kraków’s Kazimierz District, the Polish city’s historic Jewish Quarter. Destroyed during World War II, Kazimierz is now a thriving home to a slew of art galleries, antique shops, and ambient bars. Embracing this bustling modern-day city, as well as a long, proud heritage, is Puro Kraków Kazimierz, which transforms a one-time industrial site into a hotel that is equal parts witty and warm.
The 228-room property—the Polish hospitality brand’s second to open in Kraków—was designed by Poznań, Poland-based ASW Architekci and Conran + Partners. Puro desired an edgy, experimental hotel, says Simon Kincaid, partner at the London architecture and design studio, yet one that was also open and welcoming.
This duality led to a design narrative spun around the concept of “bohemian modern,” melding the legacy and culture of the property’s location with Puro’s penchant for contemporary sensibility. “We were playful and bold with finishes, patterns, and colors, but restrained and ordered with the design of the spaces,” explains Kincaid, who turned to such materials as timber, terracotta, and glass.
Inspired by Krakow’s robust street art scene, a large graffiti art installation behind the front desk was painted by Polish artist Nawer on a freestanding wall. It complements other works on display throughout the hotel, including Javier Martin’s neon installation, Mateusz Szczypiński’s urban collages, and pieces commissioned from five different Polish illustrators for the guestrooms.
Adorned with handknotted rugs and woven headboards, these private lairs have a residential feel, featuring bathrooms with a “strong monochromatic palette and an industrial aesthetic,” which are balanced by glazed tiles in hues of soft pink or saturated turquoise, Kincaid says. More of these tiles, this time in a deep emerald green, are found in the Prisma Spa. Wrapped in European oak and accentuated by terrazzo, it offers further respite from the energetic blue and white tiled bar at the restaurant, Halicka.
In fact, the vibrant ground floor is the heart of the hotel, defined by a “fluid landscape,” he points out, that is strewn with intimate pockets of space. One example is the atrium, flaunting a theatrical lighting feature that nods to the area’s overgrown courtyards. Meanwhile, an intimate sunken lounge with a cozy fireplace is nestled between the lobby and MAK Bread&Coffee. “It’s somewhere to relax and watch the world go by,” says Kincaid.
