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<\/p>\nA visit to the Raffles Europejski Warsaw hotel can feel like a journey through time. Here, classic 19th-century architecture meets outstanding art and modern design. From the moment you step into the lobby, it is clear that the hotel was not built solely to ensure guests a good night\u2019s sleep and comfort. Every detail, however inconspicuous, of these fascinating interiors tells its own extraordinary story. At 13 Krakowskie Przedmie\u015bcie, architects and brand ambassadors of Kontakt-Simon had the opportunity to experience this first-hand during an event combining the launch of the international Living Places Simon Architecture competition with a tour of one of the capital\u2019s most elegant addresses.<\/p>\n
Heritage and contemporary architecture<\/p>\n
The history of the Hotel Europejski, which once operated here, dates back to the 19th century. Designed by Henryk Marconi and opened in 1857, it has always been a place where Warsaw\u2019s intelligentsia and artists gathered. Among its regulars were J\u00f3zef Che\u0142mo\u0144ski and Stanis\u0142aw Witkiewicz. Today, following its regeneration, the hotel operates under the global Raffles Hotels & Resorts brand. The stunning interiors were designed by one of Poland\u2019s leading architectural studios \u2013 WWAA \u2013 in collaboration with the current Director of the Grand Theatre \u2013 National Opera, architect Borys Kudli\u010dka, and the team at APA Wojciechowski and L\u00e1zaro Rosa-Viol\u00e1n Studio. The WWAA studio is renowned, among other things, for its design of the Polish Pavilion, which was presented in Shanghai during the 2010 World Expo. The SUD Architectes studio, in turn, was responsible for the overall design of the building\u2019s redevelopment.<\/p>\n
Inspiration in every detail<\/p>\n
Guests of Kontakt-Simon began the day with a morning facial yoga session led by Marta Sawicka. They then took part in a discussion on media relations led by Olga Kisiel-Konopka from OKK! PR, a session on speaking in front of the camera with TVN journalist Katarzyna Jaroszy\u0144ska, and a meeting with WZ Studio, which demonstrated how a social media presence can strengthen a project\u2019s narrative. The most eagerly awaited part of the day was a guided tour of the hotel, led by \u0141ukasz Godlewski, Art Collection Manager at Raffles.<\/p>\n
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\t Raffles houses around 500 works of art from the 20th and 21st centuries, making this collection one of the largest private collections open to the public in Poland. Paintings, photographs, posters, sculptures and installations by many outstanding artists are not merely decorative backdrops here, but a deliberate component of the experience of the space. The first work to catch the eye was a glass sculpture by Dorota Buczkowska. The Kontakt-Simon ambassadors also admired Oskar Zi\u0119ta\u2019s steel form TAJDO in the lobby and W\u0142odzimierz Jan Zakrzewski\u2019s light installation \u2018Granice\u2019. The tour continued with the works of Leon Tarasewicz and Wilhelm Sasnal, and as they passed through the corridors, the architects discovered hidden details \u2013 Krystyna Koz\u0142owska\u2019s mosaic \u201cThe Abduction of Europa\u201d and a collection of porcelain and glass from the 1960s, 70s and 80s, which evokes the spirit of Warsaw\u2019s bygone decades. The creation of this collection was overseen by Anda Rottenberg, curator and contemporary art critic, and Barbara Piwowarska, an experienced expert in private collections. The works they selected blend into the hotel\u2019s everyday spaces and allow guests to feel that being close to art is a daily experience.<\/p>\n A space for experiences<\/p>\n During their tour, the architects also had the opportunity to visit the Royal Suite, namely the historic Pompeian Hall of the former Hotel Europejski, and the intimate Humidor; a whisky and cigar lounge where understated elegance created a superb atmosphere for conversation. It is precisely this kind of luxury, balanced and thoroughly thought-out, that demonstrated why international guests are so keen to return to Raffles.<\/p>\n For the brand ambassadors of Kontakt-Simon, the meeting served as an inspiration to reflect on space and detail; elements that are of immense importance in design work. This experience demonstrates that luxury is not merely about material form. Equally important is the way in which architecture, art and modern technologies harmonise, creating a space that engages all the senses.<\/p>\n photos: R. Ka\u017amierczak (www.radoslawkazmierczak.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n source: press materials<\/p>\n Read also: Warsaw<\/a> | Interiors<\/a> | Recommended<\/a> | Architect<\/a> | whiteMAD on Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774542140_922_artu_banner_2000x736_1.jpg\"\/)
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