Sofitel Grand Sopot

“Grand Ole Lady Still Knows How to Flirt!”

If you’re looking for a hotel with real soul, the Sofitel Grand Sopot has it in spades. Walking up to this Grand Old Lady, you can feel the history settle around you right away. She’s elegant, she’s storied, and she’s definitely earned a few character lines, and I mean that in the best way. The fun… more

If you’re looking for a hotel with real soul, the Sofitel Grand Sopot has it in spades. Walking up to this Grand Old Lady, you can feel the history settle around you right away. She’s elegant, she’s storied, and she’s definitely earned a few character lines, and I mean that in the best way. The fun part is knowing she’s about to get a serious facelift, inside and out, and you can almost feel the anticipation. What absolutely made the stay unforgettable was the staff. Everyone I met seemed genuinely proud to be part of the place, and it shows. I have to call out Lukas, who was just exceptional. He brings so much warmth and professionalism that you instantly feel welcome. If the hotel itself has heart, he’s part of the reason. Being there feels like stepping into a little pocket of Sopot’s history. The building, the atmosphere, the details, it all draws you in. There’s also a historical tour that isn’t widely advertised. If you’re lucky enough to catch it, especially if you love history, don’t miss it. The hotel has seen some extraordinary moments, including visits from figures connected to the lead-up to WWII. Standing in the same spaces gives the whole stay another layer of meaning. As for what I didn’t like? Honestly, nothing. Any small imperfections felt like they belonged to the story of the place, not flaws. If you appreciate history, character, and truly excellent service, this hotel really delivers.

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“Perfect location - serene yet an easy walk/drive from downtown Sopot/Gdansk!”

A grand old hotel in a prime location right on the water. The property exudes historic charm, though the reception area and expansive hallways are in need of some attention — the carpet, for instance, is visibly buckled in several areas and detracts from the otherwise elegant atmosphere. There’s a… more

A grand old hotel in a prime location right on the water. The property exudes historic charm, though the reception area and expansive hallways are in need of some attention — the carpet, for instance, is visibly buckled in several areas and detracts from the otherwise elegant atmosphere. There’s a small bar just off the lobby leading into the grand dining room. We especially enjoyed relaxing with spritzes on the beautiful grounds that border the beach — a lovely setting for an afternoon break. We arrived around noon, and reception kindly offered to notify us when our two rooms were ready, which she believed would be ahead of the standard check-in time. Unfortunately, we never received any update, and when we returned later, our keys were simply waiting on the counter. We had booked Luxury Rooms (seaside view, two single beds combined as a king, no balcony). One room matched the representative photo from our confirmation, but the second was an attic-style room — quite possibly the least appealing room we’ve ever been offered. Thankfully, the staff quickly resolved the issue, upgrading us to a stunning oceanfront room and upgrading our traveling companion as well (also a perk - when available - of using our Travel Advisor). There is a "strand" that parallels the ocean between the hotel and the beach, that was wonderful with restaurants scattered along the way in and around the various beach clubs. The charming Sopot downtown is also a short walk from the hotel, it was a great location for us. The breakfast buffet was abundant and delicious, offering a wide variety of options. One disappointment, however, was the handling of the $100 credit per room we received through our Travel Advisor. At most hotels, this credit can be applied toward spa services, restaurant, bar, or even the final bill. At the Grand Hotel Sopot, it could only be used in the restaurant or bar — and all at once. Since breakfast was included, we didn’t dine in for lunch, and we preferred to explore local restaurants for dinner. Unfortunately, they had no way to debit the balance gradually (for example, with cocktails), so we ended up using the credit to purchase a $25 USD bottle of vodka for $200 USD — an unnecessarily restrictive policy that left a poor final impression.

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“Nice hotel but old and the swimming pool was a big disappointment”

I got a nice welcome from Klaudia who said she had upgraded my suite to one with a balcony, however the balcony was so tiny you could only stand on it. The suite was not at all luxurious unlike the suites in the Sofitel Victoria in Warsaw and in Dubai. There was a wooden floor, a couch against the … more

I got a nice welcome from Klaudia who said she had upgraded my suite to one with a balcony, however the balcony was so tiny you could only stand on it. The suite was not at all luxurious unlike the suites in the Sofitel Victoria in Warsaw and in Dubai. There was a wooden floor, a couch against the wall with no footstool or ottoman to put your feet up and it was behind the TV which was facing the bed. The minibar needed to be defrosted. There was a desk against another wall near the bed which was on a rug and it was the only place that had any sockets, there were none by the bed or the couch. There was a large empty space with a built-in wardrobe, a table and 3 chairs. I was pleased to find a welcome note with some macarons and chocolates on a small tray. The bathroom off this space had a walk-in shower and a bathtub. The whole suite seemed very sparse and basic. Even worse was the swimming pool which was nothing like what you see in the photo on their site and that was a major disappointment. It was in a dark corner and only about 15 metres long, I could barely do 4 full strokes of crawl. The gym wasn't much better. You would think in a place this size that they would have a 25 metre pool and a decent gym. In the evening I went to the huge bar next to reception. The restaurant was on the other side by the window. The furniture was very old and not that comfortable. I sat on a couch and got a Pornstar Martini from the barman Stefan with my free drink voucher that I got as a Platinum Accor member. After that I ordered a bottle of wine with some deep-fried cheese sticks and then a slice of cheesecake which was good. A female violinist and male guitarist/singer arrived and I enjoyed listening to some Polish music. Stefan and the waiter Lukasz identified some of the songs for me. Thanks to them, I had a nice evening despite the cold air coming in every time someone came in the front entrance. On Sunday night I sat in the same place and there was a male pianist but the music wasn't very interesting. Stefan made me a Pornstar Martini and Lukasz brought it over with lots of the crackers he knew I liked. I was a bit surprised when three men arrived in bathrobes and sat at the bar. They came back later in the evening with their clothes on. I ordered a bottle of wine and got a Caesar's salad with prawns from a friendly waiter called Mikolaj. I had a chat with Natalia at reception. Her colleague Anna had kindly given me a late checkout earlier on. I had a nice stay mainly because of the evenings spent in the bar but the hotel is in urgent need of renovation. I would be more than happy to stay here again if they manage to transform it into a true 5 star hotel.

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