Raffles Europejski Warsaw 5 stars

My sister and I stayed at Raffles Europejski Warsaw for one night during a short stop in Warsaw before continuing our main trip to Kraków. We chose the hotel to create some special memories for my birthday, and given the reputation of the Raffles brand, I arrived with very high expectations. Unfortunately, while parts of our stay were genuinely wonderful, the overall experience was let down by inconsistent service that left a disappointing impression. Our experience began when we arrived by Uber from Warsaw Central station. I expected someone to assist us with our luggage immediately upon arrival, but instead we got out of the car and began taking our own luggage out before a member of staff noticed us and offered to help. He did assist us, which I appreciated, but at a five-star luxury hotel I expected a more proactive and seamless welcome from the moment we arrived. Once inside, the reception experience initially improved. We were offered refreshing wet towels to cleanse our hands and glasses of water, which was a lovely touch. However, I personally felt uncomfortable with the atmosphere from some members of the reception team. Although everyone appeared polite and smiley on the surface, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being judged because perhaps we didn't look "ultra-rich" enough. This is obviously my personal perception, but it was a feeling that stayed with me throughout several interactions. We explained that we had massages booked at 11:00, followed by the Art Afternoon Tea at 13:00. The gentleman assisting us kindly arranged for our room to be ready by 12:30 so we could quickly change, which we genuinely appreciated. The spa was one of the highlights of our stay. Our massages were amazing, and the team had beautifully prepared the balloons, drinks, cake and flowers we had requested for my birthday. We used the VIP couples room and later the private relaxation room, where we enjoyed our drinks and cake. It was all lovely and created some beautiful memories for my sister and me. Our room was also beautiful and exactly what I would expect from a hotel of this standard. We quickly got ready and thankfully made it to the Art Afternoon Tea just as the art tour was beginning. I thoroughly enjoyed the art experience. The art collection manager took us on a fascinating tour, explained the history and stories behind the different pieces and answered our questions. It was genuinely interesting and one of the most memorable aspects of our stay. The afternoon tea that followed was also wonderful. The lady serving us was lovely and kind, and the chef was incredibly thoughtful. He personally came to ask for our feedback because he wanted to make sure we had enjoyed everything. We absolutely did! Everything was delicious; we were simply so full by the end that we couldn't finish the final scone. Unfortunately, things went considerably downhill at breakfast the following morning. Firstly, I was surprised by how small and limited the breakfast selection was. Having stayed at other five-star hotels, including Four Seasons properties, I am accustomed to much larger breakfast buffets. I also found it strange that basic drinks such as juice and water were not readily available at the buffet and instead had to be ordered from a menu card. Normally, in my experience, the buffet includes a broad selection of food and drinks, with an additional à la carte menu for cooked dishes. More disappointing was the service. The lady serving us did not seem to properly listen to or understand what we were saying. I ordered the Eggs Benedict and specifically asked for the ham to be removed and substituted with avocado because I do not eat ham for religious reasons. This was the only modification I requested. When my breakfast arrived, instead of poached eggs, I had been given two hard-boiled eggs. I was genuinely confused. Eggs Benedict is prepared with poached eggs, and my request to substitute the ham with avocado had absolutely nothing to do with changing how the eggs were cooked. The server later came over and asked whether my eggs were okay, and my sister explained that they were supposed to be poached. The entire situation felt bizarre. I had made one very simple substitution, yet an entirely unrelated part of the dish had been changed. At a hotel of this standard, I would expect staff to listen carefully to dietary and religious requirements and ensure orders are prepared correctly. There was also an issue with something as basic as water. At the beginning of breakfast, another member of staff asked which water we would like. We requested still water, but it never arrived. We waited throughout our entire breakfast and had finished eating, yet the water we had specifically been asked to choose was never brought to us. What made the experience particularly uncomfortable was seeing what felt like a noticeable difference in the way other guests were treated. I observed staff happily and attentively serving other Western male guests nearby, while my sister and I repeatedly felt overlooked. I cannot know anyone's intentions, and I do not make accusations of discrimination lightly. However, as two visibly Muslim women wearing hijab, the difference in treatment we felt left us genuinely wondering whether our appearance played a role. No guest should ever leave a luxury hotel questioning whether they received a lower standard of service because of their religion, appearance or perceived social status. Every paying guest deserves the same warmth, respect and attentiveness, regardless of whether they look "ultra-rich" or fit the hotel's typical clientele. Unfortunately, at several points during our stay, I did not feel that this was the case. Our departure then reinforced our disappointment. We were waiting for our Uber and needed assistance with our luggage. We understood that the butler was unavailable because he had become occupied with something else, but there appeared to be several other staff members around who were not particularly busy, yet nobody stepped forward to assist us. Our Uber was waiting outside, and we did not want to keep the driver waiting, so my sister and I ended up taking our own luggage out ourselves. Of course, we are perfectly capable of carrying our own luggage. That is not the point. At a five-star luxury hotel with the reputation and price point of Raffles, luggage assistance on arrival and departure is one of the most basic service expectations. You should not need to locate a specific butler when other staff members are present and can clearly see guests leaving with luggage. Luxury service should be proactive. This was my first stay at a Raffles property, and unfortunately it has left me with a poor first impression of the brand. What is most frustrating is that the hotel itself is beautiful and some parts of our experience were genuinely exceptional. However, true five-star hospitality is not simply about beautiful interiors, luxury branding, impressive facilities or clever marketing. It is about consistent service from the moment a guest arrives until the moment they leave. That consistency was unfortunately missing. Perhaps our experience was an exception, but I can only review what my sister and I personally experienced. I left feeling that the reality did not consistently live up to the reputation surrounding the Raffles name. At times, it felt as though the warmth and attentiveness of the service depended on who the guest was perceived to be, and no luxury hotel should ever leave a guest feeling that way. Sadly, my first Raffles experience left me feeling that the brand's reputation and marketing created an expectation that the actual service did not consistently meet. For a hotel of this calibre, that was deeply disappointing.

Definitely the finest property in Poland, even in all of Eastern Europe, that I been rediscovering by myself after some time. Everything was great from the check in experience to the end, I really much appreciated the sweet touches in the room along as the upgrade to a suite and the attentiveness of the staff regarding my requests, I only wish there were more Raffles properties around Europe but the Warsaw one sure did not disappoint and is on point with the brand’s standing. The suite, an executive one I believe offered a spacious and tastefully decorated living room featuring a dining table by the window, a great detail. The hotel offered a full amnesty kit in the bathroom including oral hygiene and shaving kids which is also much appreciated and I like the fact it is given by default without the need to specifically ask for it, as I was there during a stop in my trip this was very helpful for me and avoided me to open my suitcases to get my own items and on top of that the razor especially was good quality not just a disposable single use as found find in most hotels. On the checkout as I simply needed to go to the train station I did not expect the staff to assist me as much as if I had planned a classic transfer in a private car but yet they been doing their utmost to find me a taxi and have it ready for the exact time I stepped down the elevator, another example of the quality of service in this place, I will be sure to return there in my future trips to Poland. The restaurant offered great food at a very fair price especially for the category of place in a perfectly clean and elegant setting, the bar on it’s side also offered a wide selection of whiskeys and cognacs and while I not smoke I believe their cigars menu must be just as amazing. The staff’s professionalism and knowledge is just as much a strong point in this property and despite the fact that most the employees were pretty young, they still shown such great professionalism and this overall contributes to the positive image this place can bring. If I can name two specific employees it would be Jan from the reception, along as the young lady in the morning there that I sadly couldn’t remember her name but both brought be in good humor in the first and last seconds of my stay.