None of the park's state-run, communist-era hotels is much to write home about—and they were damaged extensively by Serb forces during the early 1990s. However, the main advantage of staying in a park hotel is that you'll be right in the center of all the hiking action. The hotels are particularly convenient if you arrive without your own car.
As an alternative, there are lots of private rooms in the immediate vicinity, where doubles go for around 240 Kn, a bargain compared to the hotels. We recommend checking out the tiny village of Mukinje, about a 15-minute hike south of Entrance 2. A bit farther south is the village of Jezerce, which also has rooms. (Note that the bus does not stop at either Mukinje or Jezerce, but it's a pleasant walk to both.) You can also get a private room in the rather faceless, one-road village of Rastova?a, just off the main road a few hundred yards north of Entrance 1 (where the bus stops). Practically every one of the village's newish-looking houses has rooms for rent, and they're generally bright, clean, and modern.
A bit farther afield, the village of Rakovica, 12 km (7½ miles) north of the park, usually has more vacancies in high season and is a good option if you have a car. The tourist office in Rakovica (047/784–450) can help with bookings. Last but not least, bear in mind that there's no place to store your bags in the park during the day if you arrive by bus and plan to head on to the coast or to Zagreb later in the day—so unless you're ready to cart your bags for hours along the park's steep trails or are traveling light, plan on an overnight stay.