Vienna House Andel’s Lodz: upscale hotel in a former textile factory

I checked off a main item on my bucket list: I did a road trip from Belgium to Belarus and back. Getting into Belarus without visa and with my personal car was a difficult procedure but I can gladly say I succeeded! The road trip involved hours of driving through the beautiful countryside of Poland. That’s how my journey led me to Lodz, Poland, where I stayed in the superb Andel’s by Vienna House.

The first thing I noticed upon arrival is how beautiful this hotel looks! Vienna House Andel’s is located in a former weaving factory on the well-known vibrant Manufaktura site in Lodz. The result is a successful combination of historic elements such as the red-brick façade mixed with modern designs and art pieces.

My room, more like my mansion!

I was traveling solo and I was under the impression that my booking confirmation said ‘Single Room’. So when I opened the door to this ‘Maisonette’ I was left completely speechless! The hotel employees who brought my luggage to the room probably thought I got a screw loose, haha! Maisonettes are the true pearls of Andel’s Lodz. Bigger than any suite, the maisonettes have an airy design spread over two floors, each with high ceilings. My maisonette had a writing desk, seating area, kitchen and toilet on the first floor. Oh and you have your own personal library with lots of interesting travel books! The second floor consists of 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a dressing room. I didn’t even have time to try out each bed! The respect for historical elements not only shows in the public spaces of this hotel but also in this maisonette. This 100sqm apartment is definitely your best option in Vienna House Andel’s! But I can guarantee you the other room options are equally stunning in their own manner.

Images can tell you a lot more than words so here’s a video I made from the ‘maisonette’ at Andel’s Lodz:

The top floor is the place to be

Vienna House Andel’s features an impressive glass-enclosed rooftop pool. No matter from which way you look at it, it looks majestic. Standing on the square at Manufaktura, you see the swimming pool overlooking the square from high up on the roof of the old weaving factory. From inside the pool, you’ll enjoy views of Lodz in every direction. Needless to say I spent a lot of time in that pool. The rest of the city suddenly didn’t seem so interesting anymore to me! For the less sporty types, the SkyFLY bar offers the same views, but with drinks and more clothing.

Food options

Breakfast is incredible. It’s literally one of the best hotel breakfasts I’ve had so far: Lots of varieties in bread, fruit, fruit juice. They have everything you want, from healthy to English breakfast. The only stress you’ll be getting during you stay in Vienna House Andel’s will be from not knowing what to choose first! Even more, the breakfast area is beautifully decorated.

Dinner was held in a different restaurant across the hallway. I’m definitely not a food critic, but I got used to hotel restaurants after a while so I can compare. I have nothing bad to say about dinner. Waiters were friendly, and the restaurant was large enough to leave enough room between the different groups that were present that night, something I highly appreciate. Food itself was very delicious and the doneness of the meat was perfect. My waiter did an excellent job pairing my dish with a fitting wine.

Apart from these breakfast and restaurant areas, Oscar’s bar located next to the reception also serves lighter lunch and dinner options, along with snacks and drinks.

Andel’s Lodz is huge!

One thing you’ll notice is that Vienna House Andel’s is absolutely massive! Andel’s even have more restaurants available on the ground floor than the ones I’ve mentioned above, and those are rented to groups that hold an event. Dare I say the hotel can be a bit too large for some. Personally it didn’t bother me at all. Service remains personal and I could appreciate the large hallways that contribute to the overall airy feel in Andel’s. Although there are lots of conferences going on on the ground floor, the hotel never seems crowded. It reminded me a bit of the layout of a luxurious cruise ship (in a good way!) with restaurants on the ground floor, rooms in the middle and the pool and bar on the top deck, haha!

Verdict

When I first visited Poland, I’d only seen Warsaw and after that I actually had no desire to go back. Now that I’ve seen other cities and more of the countryside, I’m starting to really love Poland and I think Vienna House Andel’s is definitely one of the reasons why I enjoyed it so much! I know one of the hotels I’ve stayed in recently, NEW Hotel in Athens, became my all-time favourite since January. I have a hard time choosing between that one and Andel’s. Let’s consider it a tie between NEW Hotel and Vienna House Andel’s! That’s why I rate Andel’s Lodz a well-deserved 9/10. Seriously, go visit!