One thing I find in equal parts exciting and head bangingly frustrating when planning a trip is where to stay. With budgets, location, amenities, and aesthetic all to consider, it can seem like quite a daunting task. But, for me, the most difficult part is being confident we’ve made a good choice. I spend an ungodly amount of time on review sites like Trip Advisor, going through comments with a fine-toothed comb to spot accommodation red flags, but even then, you here about bots and fake reviews so you never truly know what you’re getting. That’s why my favourite and most trusted reviews come from fellow bloggers who I’ve found reliably give honest reviews and recommendations. That’s why I too like to review activities and accommodation we’ve experienced, so others have an idea of what they’re getting. During our recent trip to Poland, we travelled to the ski resort of Zakopane to enjoy some winter activities and while there, stayed at Hotel Gold. We loved our stay here so figured it deserved a little mention on my blog.
Hotel Gold, An Introduction…
Hotel Gold is a three-star (though from our opinion, it is much more akin to a four-star) hotel which sits on the outskirts of the main town of Zakopane. It has an onsite restaurant and bar where it provides a buffet-style breakfast to guests in addition to a small onsite spa.
A standard suite with breakfast in January 2023 cost us 638.5zl / £125 per night for two people. We booked via booking.com as found it the easiest method and the cheapest deal at the time but, Hotel Gold is available to book through various other hotel sites or directly through their own website. I would recommend checking out Hotel Gold’s own site first as they often have better rates and specific deals to take advantage of depending on the length of your stay.
Location
Hotel Gold is situated on the outskirts of Zakopane, requiring a 10 minute drive to get into the town centre. This was a slight disadvantage as it meant getting a bus or taxi each day which could get a little annoying, especially when stood in the cold hanging around for a bus to arrive. Saying that, public transport was cheap and reliable but, it’s always nice to have all you need right at your doorstep.
The nearest ski slope, Nosal is only a 5-minute walk from the hotel. However, it is one of the more expensive resorts and is catered for beginners, so is unlikely to satisfy the more advanced winter sport enthusiasts. Other dedicated private and public buses ran regularly to other ski slopes which were easy enough to navigate and took on average 30 minutes. It would definitely be advantageous to hire a car if you want to do a lot of traveling though.
Hotel Gold Food
The food in my opinion was faultless. Breakfast each day was served in the onsite restaurant which had a very cosy, Alpine aesthetic which fit with the theme of the hotel. The continental style buffet offered a vast spread of meats, salads and cheeses with accompanying bread, pancakes and puddings. To fellow brits this may not be the most familiar of starts to the day but the food was tasty, fresh and filling which set us up well for a day of exploring. There was also a plethora of tea, juice and coffee to wash it all down. The restaurant was open for business all day, and although not included in the room cost, provided a very reasonably priced option for lunch or dinner with a tasty, traditional polish menu. The well-stocked bar had a plentiful supply of Polish beer and liquor in addition to cocktails – their non-alcoholic mojito was actually addictive! If you needed a winter warm up after skiing, they also had you covered with several mulled beers and wines, teas and hot chocolates on offer.
Hotel Gold Rooms
The rooms were cosy, sensationally warm and well decorated with a pretty little balcony to admire the mountains. There was a mini-fridge, tea and coffee making station (though no milk, not even UHT for all the milky brew people out there) and plenty of storage space. The bed and pillows were soft and snuggly, though maybe bordering on too soft as I did wake up with a bad back a few days while we were there (but this could have also been my wild skiing technique… Or just the fact I’m getting old!) and I loved the wood trimmings and red colour scheme which made it feel almost Christmassy. The bathroom was kitted out with a toilet, sink and shower with ample hot water, soap and shampoo (no conditioner so something to keep in mind when packing). Though we did have a bit of a swimming pool situation in our bathroom where the shower seal had clearly seen better days. The room did have a hairdryer, but it was attached to the wall, wasn’t very powerful, and you had to hold down the button constantly if you wanted to use it, so I’d probably recommend bringing your own, but other than that the room had everything we needed. One thing to note is there is no room service, though you can go down to the bar and take drinks to your room.
HOTEL GOLD Spa
The spa was a gamechanger. Though small and it could get a bit busy at times it was equipped with towels, bottled water, a jacuzzi, two saunas and a cold plunge pool as well as salt crystal beds to relax and wind down on. We found it the perfect place to ease aching muscles after the day’s activities and access is free after 5pm to guests. Dressing gowns and slippers were provided in the rooms and there were options for massages, facials, and other treatments at an additional fee to be booked in advance.
Parting Thoughts
Overall we were really impressed with Hotel Gold; from friendly staff, cosy atmosphere, and exemplary provisions to cater to outdoor activities, we felt it provided the perfect base for our winter explorations. Though on the pricier side for Poland, we were kept warm, well-fed and looked after for our entire stay and it was a pleasure to head back to each evening.
Head over to get more tips and guides to traveling in Poland here
