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For years, business travelers in Eastern Europe have griped about the lack of first-class accommodation in the region. Now travelers to Poland can finally stop complaining and check into the Hotel Rialto, Warsaw's first boutique luxury hotel. Housed in a 100-year-old building on quiet, tree-lined Wilcza Street, the Rialto's 44 rooms are done up in the Art Deco style of the 1920s and 1930s; owner Iza Smolokowska spent two years traveling the world to pick the 300 pieces of original period furniture that grace the hotel. One design highlight is the lone elevator, which mimics an Orient Express compartment, complete with Cristal mirror and leather-covered seat. The Art Deco restaurant can seat up to 50 people and offers sophisticated international cuisine. There's also a cigar divan, where guests can puff on Cuban and Costa Rican cigars. That kind of luxury comes at a price: rooms range from about $210 to $390. Contact: +48 22 58 48 700/ reservations@hotelrialto.com.pl

• Tadeusz L. Kucharski
• Swank new digs for travelers to Poland