Warsaw's "skeleton" to become hotel with 364 rooms, restaurant, and relaxation zone

Warsaw's notorious "skeleton" building, an unfinished eight-story structure at ul. Sobieskiego 87, is finally getting a new life as a hotel. The building, which has stood incomplete for nearly two decades, is undergoing a significant transformation.

Plans for the site, which received its building permit in 2000, have shifted multiple times, initially envisioned as a hotel, then an office building, and finally returning to its hotel concept. Although the structure was completed in 2008, it remained without windows, doors, or interior finishing, becoming a prominent, albeit unsightly, landmark.

Intensive construction is now underway, with the general contractor, UNIBEP, reporting that the project is on schedule. Preparations for installing a new glass facade are complete, and the glazing and exterior work, expected to drastically alter the building's appearance, are set to begin between August and September 2026.

The new Holiday Inn Express & Suites will offer 364 rooms, a 397-square-meter lobby with a bar, a spacious restaurant, and conference areas. The top floor will feature a relaxation zone with a jacuzzi and panoramic views of Warsaw's city center. The hotel is scheduled to open by the end of 2027, positioning it as the third-largest hotel of its brand in Europe, following establishments in Amsterdam and Düsseldorf.