Domek pod Antałówką

HOTEL OVERVIEW

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to Domek pod Antałówką on Salwatoriańska Street, I wasn’t expecting much from a 3-star place. But you know what? Sometimes the best surprises come in humble packages. This little guesthouse sits in one of those quieter pockets of Zakopane where you can actually hear yourself think, which is saying something during peak season when the main drags are absolutely crawling with tourists.

The thing about this place is that it gets the fundamentals right in a way that a lot of fancier hotels somehow miss. The rooms are clean – I mean genuinely clean, not just “looks clean until you peek behind the curtains” clean. And the beds? Actually comfortable, which you’d be surprised how rare that is in mountain towns where some places seem to think a thin mattress builds character. The owners clearly know their guests are coming back from long hikes around Antałówka Hill (hence the name, obviously), so they’ve set things up with that in mind. There’s always somewhere to dry your boots, and the common areas have this lived-in feel where you can spread out your maps and plan the next day’s adventure without feeling like you’re messing up some pristine lobby.

What really sets this place apart though is the location – it’s close enough to walk into town when you want pierogi and oscypek, but far enough from Krupówki Street that you won’t be dealing with the late-night party crowds. I mean, you’re literally a stone’s throw from some of the best hiking trails, and in winter, the ski areas are easily accessible without having to navigate the tourist chaos every single time. The family running the place actually knows the area – like, really knows it – so when they give you directions or recommendations, they’re not just reading from some generic guidebook. They’ll tell you which trails get muddy first after rain, or where to grab the best regional food without paying tourist prices. Parking’s included too, which might not sound like a big deal until you’ve spent twenty minutes circling Zakopane’s center looking for a spot that costs less than your dinner. Sure, it’s not going to win any design awards, and the WiFi can be a bit spotty in some rooms, but honestly? That 9/10 rating makes perfect sense once you’ve stayed there. It’s the kind of place where everything just works, and you leave feeling like you got more than you paid for.