Rezydencja NOVA na Gubałówce

HOTEL OVERVIEW

Look, I’ll be straight with you about Rezydencja NOVA na Gubałówce – this place caught me off guard in the best way possible. When you’re driving up to Butorów 6, you’re already getting into that sweet spot where Zakopane starts feeling less touristy and more… well, actually Polish. The thing is, most people think they need to stay right in the town center to experience the Tatras properly, but honestly? Being up on Gubałówka gives you this whole different perspective that the crowds down below are missing.

The hotel itself has this interesting vibe – it’s got that 4-star polish (literally and figuratively) but without feeling stuffy or corporate. You know what I mean? Like, the lobby doesn’t scream “look how fancy we are” but everything just works really well. The rooms are actually thoughtfully designed, not just thrown together with generic hotel furniture. I stayed there in late September when the weather was doing that typical mountain thing – gorgeous sunshine one minute, then suddenly you need a jacket – and the heating system was spot-on. No weird radiator noises at 3 AM, which honestly is more than I can say for some places I’ve crashed in the Carpathians. The windows are proper double-glazed too, which matters more than you’d think because even though you’re away from the main drag, there’s still some road noise from folks heading up to the funicular.

Speaking of that funicular – and this is where the location really shines – you’re basically a short walk from the Gubałówka cable car, but far enough that you’re not dealing with the day-tripper chaos. I mean, watching the sunrise over the Tatras from up there without having to fight through crowds of tour groups? That’s worth the slightly longer walk into town center. Plus, the staff actually knows the hiking trails, not just the obvious tourist routes. The woman at reception (wish I’d gotten her name) gave me directions to this lesser-known trail that connects to Butorowy Wierch that I never would’ve found otherwise. And here’s a practical thing – parking is actually reasonable here, which if you’ve ever tried to find a spot near Krupówki in summer, you’ll appreciate. The breakfast spread is solid too, lots of local stuff mixed in with the standard continental options, though I’d skip the coffee and walk down to one of the cafes in town if you’re particular about that sort of thing. All in all, it’s one of those places that just gets the balance right – comfortable enough that you’re not roughing it, but still feels connected to why you came to this part of Poland in the first place.