Hospitality studio Suited Interior Design has been appointed to reimagine a historic Kraków building, converting the PKO Bank into a luxury hotel.
Set to open in 2027, JW Marriott Kraków will retain the building’s original vault and cashier’s hall, while unveiling a four-storey dome crowned by a cupola, inspired by the Roman Pantheon.
Owned by JW Construction, a Polish real estate and hospitality developer and operator with over 30 years of experience, the building’s adaptive reuse was led by URBA Architects.
Suited Interior Design’s concept was inspired by the paradox faced by the building’s original architect, Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz, in 1925. A classically trained architect and preservationist navigating the rise of modernism, his response to this tension produced an interplay of styles where modernist and classical elements coexist.
Echoes of the Kraków Workshops and the Young Poland Movement are reinterpreted through contemporary craftsmanship, colours and materials, while references to ‘white gold’ – the salt that once fuelled Kraków’s prosperity – find expression in the hotel spa.
The hotel’s guestrooms echo the building’s architectural story, with many offering views of St. Mary’s Basilica. Traditional panel mouldings have been elongated to emphasise lofty ceiling heights, while modernist timber detailing integrates into the classical framework. This duality extends to bespoke furnishings, where classical forms meet clean modernist lines.
Among the 120 rooms are two-story suites featuring spiral staircases, alongside ‘Mindfulness Suites’ designed to inspire rest, reflection and balance. Spanning 95 square metres, the suites feature bathrooms with full height marble walls, free-standing baths and vanity units with city views. In addition, the building’s most exclusive accommodations are nestled within the cupola.
A listed historic building for both its architecture and interiors, many of the PKO Bank’s original features have been carefully preserved or restored as part of the project.
The property’s historical significance extends as a testament to the architectural and technological advancements of early 20th-century Poland, with its original design serving a dual purpose as both a workplace and a residence for its employees.
This endowed the building with a rich architectural character – wood-panelled offices and ornate boardrooms with decorative ceilings. The original cashier hall, with features such as encaustic tile flooring – once typical of industrial settings – now forms an integral part of its historic fabric.
Set within the historic vault is the hotel’s signature spa, featuring a golden soaking tub and a circular pool adorned with gold tiles that extend from the vault into the spa reception.
At the heart of the hotel, a new bar sits beneath the cupola, its design inspired by the celestial proportions of the Pantheon. Serving as a dramatic focal point, it invites guests to pause and take in the soaring height and grandeur of the architecture.
The former cashier stations – once central to the bank’s daily operations – are being reimagined as a lounge area, preserving the building’s legacy while infusing it with a new lease of life.
Offering additional privacy and comfort, the executive lounge is located within the historic portion of the building featuring original timber panelling that evokes the grandeur of Kraków’s past, providing an intimate counterpoint to the hotel’s public spaces.
“I’m thrilled to bring our design vision to JW Marriott Kraków,” says Shelley Reiner, Director of Suited Interior Design. “Rooted in the city’s story of resilience and revival, the hotel is set to become both a tribute to the building’s heritage and a vibrant stage for contemporary hospitality experiences.”
