If you like old towns and new culture, Poland is for you. The language is no problem, as everyone wants to use their English but love you for trying to speak Polish. We are in our late 50's and found it easygoing.
We stayed in Hotel Monopole in Wroclaw, full of faded grandeur and creaky parquet, but clean, comfortable, and very convenient to the sights.
In Warsaw, go to the Reytan, modern but convenient to the trams and buses. Look for the steakhouse in the street on the right side of the cinema.
The Europejski in Krakow is better than the Rough Guide suggests. The rooms, with bathrooms, have been refurbished and are very comfortable, and it had the best beds we have slept in!