Hotel Podewils

Hotel Podewils occupies a baroque townhouse on the Gdansk marina at Szafarnia 2, facing the old port crane across the Motlawa. It trades the glass-and-steel look of the newer waterfront hotels for a historic building with period character, right on the water and a short walk from the Main Town.

The setting is a baroque townhouse, so the appeal is a traditional, characterful interior rather than a modern design hotel. Its position on the marina puts the historic quay and the crane in view across the river. For room categories, which rooms look onto the water and current rates, check the hotel's official channels, as those details are best taken from the source.

The hotel stands on Szafarnia, the marina street on the eastern bank of the Motlawa, looking straight across at the medieval crane and the Main Town waterfront. Footbridges and the riverside walk carry you into the historic core in a few minutes. The yacht marina is right outside, and river boats along the Motlawa leave from the quays nearby.

Podewils suits travellers who want a waterside base with historic character and a marina view rather than a large modern hotel. Couples and visitors who value setting and atmosphere will feel at home. If you need a spa, a pool or extensive facilities, one of the bigger hotels along the river will suit you better.

The Main Town sights are a short walk across the river:

• Zuraw, the medieval crane, directly opposite on the far bank.
• Dlugi Targ i Dluga, the Royal Route, a few minutes inland.
• Fontanna Neptuna, the Neptune Fountain, on Dlugi Targ.

For the rest of the city, see the Gdansk guide.

The townhouse is more precisely dated than the page suggests. The building went up in 1728, the work of Gdansk mason Krzysztof Strzycki, and it now belongs to the Heritage Hotels of Europe association. It is a small operation of ten rooms and suites rather than a large hotel.

The marina setting puts it around 100 metres from the National Maritime Museum and the Polish Baltic Philharmonic, with the Zuraw crane across the water. Guest facilities run to a Finnish and Turkish sauna, and rooms come with marble bathrooms. For room categories, water views and current rates, the hotel's own channels are the place to check.