Zakopane, Poland Hotels
 

My husband and I will have only one night in Zakopane on a Friday night in June. Do we need to reserve in advance? Can anyone suggest a hotel? I'm considering Villa Marilor , Hotel Litwor, or Sabala. Also is the BUS the best transportation to Zakopane? Where is the BUS station? We will be arriving from Prague on an overnight train arriving at Krakow Glowny and want to just continue on to Zakopane by BUS. Is Zakopane worth the trip? Thanks much,everyone!!! Nannibray

Hi Nannibray
I think i answered to this in my previous response. But here it goes again: Yes, reserve in advance. Both Sabala and Litwor are nice hotels but right on the main throughfare and especially on a Friday night you will feel like you are at a party, even though you will be in your room. Villa Marilor is really nice, although rather out of the way, but a very elegant, classy place. My favorite is still Hotel Belvedere: location, class, ambience, service - I have stayed there several times and loved it. They have 2 nice restaurants with great views but there are better places to eat in Zakopane than that. Try Bakowo-Zohylina

Try Bakowo-Zohylina with live folk singing and dancing or Czarci Jar Restaurant. Do not bother with funicular to Gubalowka, it's a trap, but instead really try to see lake Morskie Oko - you can take a taxi to the parking lot next to the entrance to the National Park, from there take the horse drawn carriage up to the mountains, then walk about a mile to the lake - I promise it's worth it. Go in the afternoon after most people have left and it is less crowded. Hopefully by the time you are in Krakow, the bus station will be back where it is supposed to be. For the last year it has been a mess but I hear they are doing the finishing touches on the new bus station in krakow - it will be right next to the train station, close to the center, so you will be fine arriving from Prague. You will love Zakopane, it is definetely worth it! Enjoy your trip!
Yolanta

I would not agree with Gubalowka being a trap - esspacially if you do not want to trail walk a lot to see a really nice view of the tatry mtn... Lift to Kasprowy Wierch it's probably another great attraction if you would like to go up high (that is for tatry high) without walking a trail for few hours... Morskie Oko is nice as well but it will take you a good walk to get there - you could use a horse carriege for the most part of the way (highly recommanded) but you still need to walk rest of the way ... Also Litwor Hotel - some of the room face a park next to which this hotel is located - I've stayed in of their apartments facing a park and it was very nice and quiet. Similar with Kasprowy Hotel where not all of the rooms are plain - but here you would need to pay extra not only for the room with the view but also type of the room ... which maybe only worth durring any promotions they have since location of this hotel is away from the center.

BUS / Train station is all in one place - and walking distance from Zakopane Center.

Next to it there is always a taxi stand or a horse carriege to take you to your hotel - also from here you can pick up a minibus to take you to some of the local areas or trail points (ie. Kasprowy Wierch / Morskie Oko etc.)

some of the links unfortunatly many in Polish - but also have links to other sites where other languages can be picked.
Hotels: (btw giewont hotel and Gromada are on your way from a train/bus station to city center - Gromada is very basic Giewont better - with Giewont having a nice restaurant - both can be noisy since next to main street krupowki).
http://www.zakopane.pl/bazakwater.ph...mp;pozostale=1

http://www.zakopane.pl/bazakwater.ph...mp;pozostale=1

PrivateRooms:
http://www.zakopane.pl/bazakwater.ph...&id_typu=4

http://www.zakopane.pl/portalzdj/mapy/zakopane.html

http://www.zakopane.pl/articles.php?topic=30

nannibray - have you found bus timetables for Krakow-Zakopane? I'm arriving by train from Lviv, early afternoon, & was planning to rest up in beautiful Krakow before heading on to Zakopane, but I'm having so much trouble finding a room in Krakow it might make sense to keep going. Which Friday in June will you be there?

Hi, Our plans have changed by a few days. Now we will arrive either Sunday June 11 or Monday June 12 and we have decided to stay 2 nights. About the bus. I was e-mailed by someone that buses leave every 40n minutes or so beginning a 6:00a.m. throughout the day. They said the bus station is right by the Krakow train station GLOWNY. We will be arriving Krakow on a night train from Budapest about 5:45 a.m. and hope to just hop on a bus after getting a bite of breakfast. If you receive more info PLEASE let me know. When are you going?

About a hotel in Krakow :
We are staying a La Fontaine B&B www.bblafontaine.com . I found it in Rick Steves travel book BEST OF EASTERN EUROPE. It is located 1 block off the Old Town Square. Try it. I love Rick Steves!!

Hi nannibray - looks like we'll coincide! I did get a room in Krakow for June 9 & 10 (although La Fontaine was one of several that had no singles for those nights). I intend to head up to Zakopane late morning June 11 - have to laze over breakfast on the square! Two nights in Zakopane then I'm planning to cross over to Slovakia - looks like bus to the border, walk across, take another bus. I'd suggest meeting for breakfast in Krakow, but 5:45 am is a bit early for me... Maybe in Zakopane?

Bus schedules from Krakow ... can be found at Krakow PKS site ...

I've searched June 11th for morning buses from Krakow Glowny to Zakopane D.A. (D.A. Dworzec Autobusowy = Main Bus Station)

http://www.pks.krakow.pl/polacz_en.php

KRAKÓW DWORZEC G£ÓWNY to ZAKOPANE D.A. 05:35 arriving 07:35
06:50 arriving 08:50
07:10 arriving 09:15
07:30 arriving 09:30

nannibray:
Not sure what you be able to get as breakfest so early in Krakow Glowny - so maybe best to prep with some food/drink from either Budapest or from Train's restaurant car ... to hold you over - then pick up something in Zakopane...

thursdaysd: Not sure which hotels you been checking on - but see if this one has room for your dates:
http://www.hotel-wyspianski.pl/

it's a tourist class hotel - but nice clean and with good location 5min walk from main square - it is esspecailly good with someone driving to Krakow since it has it's own guarded cheap parking...

PeterB - thanks so very much for the bus service link!!! Unfortunately, there's no bus between 7:30 and 13:15, maybe because it's Sunday? Anyway, looks like I'll be on the 13:15 - do you know if I need to buy a ticket the day before?

Also, thanks for the hotel link - but 90 euros is a bit out of my price range. I posted on a different thread that I now have a room at http://www.sherp.com.pl/ - 120 zl for a single with bath. No parking necessary, I'm also planning to arrive by train - from Lviv.

You said that I could get a ride to my Zakopane hotel/room from the station, right? I'm looking at a couple of chalets (also from your links - thanks!) that seem to be a bit out of the center.

thursdaysd:
I checked Monday and Sunday and looks like no bus between 7:30 and 13:15 :-( but you do have a Train which takes bit longer basically is from same station to same station ... at 11:09 and 12:02...
http://rozklad.pkp.pl/bin/query.exe/en?
... You can buy tickets for both on same day - also for busses - many times you be allowed to buy tickets from driver (but then you are taking bit of a chance - since most of the time ticket holders go in first ... when you reach Zakopane - you can walk (5min walk to City Center) or pick up a taxi or carriage right at the station to take you to your hotel if it's out of the way - if you hotel is bit outside of City of zakopane - then there are ton of privatly operated mini busses at that same station where one of them will be going to your destination or near your destination / hotel ... best be to ask at hotel...

thursdaysd: you've mentioned ...
"I'm looking at a couple of chalets (also from your links - thanks!) that seem to be a bit out of the center."
Then definitly let them know you are coming in by train/bus - and ask if they maybe could pick you up... or what be best way to get to location ... may times they ill pick you up saving you couple of $ for the trip...

Thanks PeterB - great info! Do you live in Krakow? Also, I'm planning to cross into Slovakia from Zakopane (bus-walk-bus, I gather) - any reason that won't work?

thursdaysd: I'm Polish/American living in USA... I do visit Poland alot, still have relatives there ;-) and just to visit.

For crossing to Slovakia - you have several crossings available to you (Chyzne, Lysa Polana, etc)... also some direct bus connections ...
doing a quick check on PKS Zakopane site :
http://www.pks.zakopane.pl/inside.php?numer=3
I see Poprad as one of the destinations - also feel that from Chyzne or Lysa Polana you may also have some connecting buses - OR as you've mentioned walk to other side and pick up Slavic Local bus for rest of your way... Fare prices should be cheaper on Slovak side ... I've always drove over to Slovakia when visiting - so can't halp you with details ... but I'm sure if you ask at hotel or at Zakopane someone will give you ton of options, where many cross to slovakia daily to just do shopping...

thursdaysd: Just some more info...
Lysa Polana On Polish side is Tatranska Javorina on Slovak side ...
Looks like you have buses every 2 hrs from Tatranska Javorina to Poprad - did not check anything closer but you may want to check for what you are looking for on this Slavic site -> http://jizdnirady.atlas.cz/JRCis.asp with second link on left for busses ( or this direct -> http://jizdnirady.atlas.cz/connform.asp?tt=J&cl=C )
first tab seems to be from to and second "Odjezdy" sounds like departures where you can just specify departure city (ie.Tatranska Javorina ...)

Enjoy :-)

one mo' comment and link ;-)
http://www.tanap.sk/
Although bit outdated it has a lot of good info... Also note that your place to stay and food etc. be much cheaper on Slovakian side ... Many of the Poles will skip Zakopane and travel to Slovakia for their skiing and vacations ...

PeterB - thanks so much for the wonderful info - looks like there's a through bus to Starý Smokovec! The less walking I do with my pack the happier I am - LOL.
nannibray - sorry for hijacking your thread - I'm new here and not sure what the etiquette is.

thursdaysd: My pleasure ;-) Enjoy - and remember less $ on Slavic side - so probably be best to buy return fare there ;-)

Have a great trip! Enjoy :-)