Apartamenty U Zajaców

HOTEL OVERVIEW

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to Apartamenty U Zajaców on ul. Droga do Olczy, I wasn’t expecting much from a 3-star place. But you know what? Sometimes the best surprises come in unassuming packages. This little apartment hotel sits just outside Zakopane’s main tourist chaos, which honestly turned out to be exactly what I needed after spending days dodging selfie sticks on Krupówki Street.

The location is actually pretty clever if you think about it. You’re far enough from the madness to get a decent night’s sleep (trust me, the main strip gets wild during peak season), but it’s still an easy walk to everything that matters. I mean, you can hit the Tatra Museum in about fifteen minutes, and the cable car to Kasprowy Wierch is totally doable without needing a car – though they do have parking if you’re driving, which is honestly a godsend in Zakopane. The apartments themselves feel more like staying at a friend’s place than a typical hotel room. Mine had this cozy mountain vibe going on, nothing fancy but everything worked properly (you’d be surprised how rare that can be in some Polish mountain towns). The kitchen setup was decent enough that I could make coffee the way I like it and store some of those amazing oscypek cheese wheels I kept buying at the local markets.

What really sold me on this place was the staff – they actually seemed to care about helping you figure out the area rather than just checking you in and disappearing. The woman at reception gave me this insider tip about hitting the trails early morning to avoid crowds, and she was absolutely right. Plus, that 9-rating they’ve got? It’s earned. I stayed here during shoulder season in October, and while some places were already shutting down for winter, U Zajaców felt fully operational and welcoming. The heating worked perfectly (crucial when you’re dealing with mountain weather), and the whole place had this quiet, residential feel that made it easy to unwind after long days hiking around Morskie Oko or exploring the wooden architecture in the old town. Sure, it’s not going to wow you with fancy amenities or Instagram-worthy lobbies, but sometimes you just want a clean, comfortable base camp that doesn’t break the bank. And honestly, in a town where decent accommodation can get pretty pricey, especially during winter ski season, this place delivers solid value without any unpleasant surprises.