Poland updates hotel categorization regulations

Poland is implementing significant updates to the categorization regulations for hotels, motels, campsites, and camping fields. Published by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, these new rules are set to take effect on September 15, 2026, following long-standing requests from the hospitality industry to modernize outdated requirements.

Key changes include a new method for calculating room surface area, where hallways and kitchenettes are now included, though bathrooms remain excluded. A 10% negative tolerance for minimum room size is now permitted across all hotel categories, providing greater flexibility for investors adapting existing buildings.

Technological and service requirements have also been modernized. The mandate for landline telephones in 3-5 star hotels may be replaced by tablets or other digital communication tools, and hotel information can now be provided electronically. Additionally, the requirement for carpeted floors has been removed, and hotels may replace bottled water with filtered water options. Other updates include the removal of requirements for fax machines and daily newspapers, the introduction of mandatory Wi-Fi in all categories, and the allowance of mobile payments and self-service kiosks.