Apartamenty Royal Resort Spa

HOTEL OVERVIEW

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much when I first pulled up to Apartamenty Royal Resort Spa on Goszczyńskiego Street – I mean, it’s tucked away in this quiet residential area about a 10-minute walk from Zakopane’s main Krupówki strip, and from the outside it looks pretty unassuming. But you know what? Sometimes the best places are the ones that don’t need to show off.

The moment you step inside, there’s this immediate sense of calm that’s hard to find in the busier hotels closer to the center. The lobby has this warm, woody smell – probably from all the traditional highland carpentry they’ve incorporated into the design – and the staff actually remembers your name after the first day, which is refreshing. What really won me over was the apartment setup; these aren’t your typical cramped hotel rooms but proper living spaces with full kitchens (the dishwasher was a godsend after picking up groceries at the Tesco down the hill). The spa facilities are honestly the star here – not huge or flashy, but beautifully maintained with this gorgeous mountain stone work that feels authentically Tatra rather than generic luxury resort. I spent way too many evenings in their sauna after hiking days, and the small pool area never felt crowded, even during the busy summer season.

What I really appreciated was how they’ve managed to stay connected to Zakopane’s character without falling into the tourist trap nonsense. You’re close enough to walk to the wooden church of Our Lady of Częstochowa when you want that quintessential Zakopane experience, but far enough from Krupówki that you’re not dealing with the late-night party crowds – though if you want that energy, it’s just a pleasant stroll through the tree-lined streets. The parking situation is actually sorted (which, let me tell you, is not a given in this town), and they’ve got this little breakfast area where you can grab local mountain cheese and bread before heading out to Kasprowy Wierch or wherever your day takes you. Sure, it’s a 3-star place, so don’t expect marble everything, but honestly? The 9-rating makes perfect sense when you realize they’ve focused on getting the essentials absolutely right rather than cramming in unnecessary bells and whistles that just jack up the price.