Ibis is a well-known and universally recognized in Europe brand with French roots, which are most clearly evident in the interior décor and the restaurant's menu. This chain's hotels, intentionally nearly identical, offer the same services and the same standard in all locations, which should satisfy tourists and business travelers seeking a trustworthy hotel at a good price.
Lodz's Ibis has been built only several years ago, so guests can enjoy a modern décor and a pristine cleanliness of well-kept rooms and bathrooms. Rooms (singles and doubles) are of basic standard; all are air-conditioned and equipped with TV SAT, telephone and Internet connection via a modem.
Near the hotel there's the high-class "Galeria £ódzka" shopping centre, the Silver Screen multiplex cinema and - what's most important in Lodz - the elegant, vibrant promenade and at the same time one of Europe's longest shopping streets - Piotrkowska Street.
The Ibis Centrum offers modest, but very well-kept and functional rooms for a very low price in a great location.
Rooms
The Ibis puts the emphasis on simplicity and offers rooms for every wallet. Among the 208 rooms there are only singles and doubles; the latter ones can be had with either a marital bed or two separate beds. Décor of the rooms and their equipment is basic: wardrobe, desk (or more precisely a kind of a large tabletop), chairs, night lamps and clothing cabinets. In every room there's a telephone, radio, satellite TV and internet connection via a modem. Wireless internet (Hot Spot) is available to guests at extra charge. Rooms are air-conditioned, which is important, because we don't have to open the windows facing Pi³sudskiego Street - quite busy and with several lanes of traffic. Bathrooms are quite decent in size and have showers.
The Ibis has 5 rooms adapted to the needs of handicapped persons. That's quite a few, bearing in mind that relatively many of Poland's hotels still don't have any facilities of that type.
Three fourths of the rooms are for non-smoking guests.
Restaurant
Whichever Ibis we happen to be staying in, we'll always see the same restaurant name - "L'Estaminet". The hotel's restaurant, decorated in the style of a French bistro, as well as the attached bar, is quite charming. The menu, which changes seasonably, is also colorful.
L'Estaminet serves a wide selection of French cuisine, as well as several typical Polish and Italian dishes. A two course dinner here costs about 35-45 PLN. The menu features such delicacies as pike in caper sauce, salmon and spinach roulade, boletus with vegetables or wrapped sole in white wine.
Breakfast at the Ibis is available at the break of dawn (even at 4 AM); a buffet awaits late risers until noon.
The restaurant is air-conditioned and divided into smoking and non-smoking sections.
Conference
Even though the hotel is popular among guests visiting Lodz on business, unfortunately it's not possible to organize meetings of several groups at the same time at this Ibis.
The hotel has one conference room equipped with professional gear, which seats 20-40 persons, depending on the configuration.
Additional Services
Guests traveling by car can leave it at a car park in front of the hotel or in an underground garage. 24 hours of parking at the latter costs about 20 PLN.
The hotel accepts pets for an additional fee of about 20 PLN.
An interesting idea of the Ibis chain is introduction of the "Contact - 15 minutes" service, which guarantees that any problem a guest may have related to the stay at the hotel will be resolved within 15 minutes.
