the house

HOTEL OVERVIEW

You know what? I almost walked right past The House on Hviezdoslavova street – and honestly, that would’ve been a huge mistake. The name’s pretty understated for what turns out to be one of those gems that makes you feel like you’ve stumbled onto something locals have been keeping to themselves. It’s tucked into this tree-lined stretch that’s actually perfect if you want to be close to Poprad’s center without dealing with the tourist crowds that pile up around the main square.

The moment you step inside, there’s this immediate sense that someone actually thought about how people live when they’re away from home. The lobby smells faintly of coffee and something warm – maybe vanilla? – and the whole place has this lived-in elegance that feels authentic rather than trying too hard. I mean, it’s clearly a 4-star place, but it doesn’t hit you over the head with it. The staff genuinely seems to know the area too, which is rarer than you’d think. When I asked about hiking routes up toward the Tatras, the guy at reception pulled out an actual hand-drawn map with shortcuts and viewpoints marked on it. Not something you get from a chain hotel, you know?

What really got me was how quiet it stays, even though you’re literally a five-minute walk from the train station (super handy if you’re doing the High Tatras circuit). The rooms face away from the main street, so you get these lovely morning sounds – birds, maybe some distant church bells – instead of traffic. The beds are honestly some of the most comfortable I’ve encountered in this part of Slovakia, and I’ve stayed in my share of places around here. There’s this attention to small details that makes a difference – good water pressure, blackout curtains that actually work, and they’ve got proper hooks in the bathroom instead of those useless towel bars that everything slides off of. Plus, parking’s included, which saves you the headache of figuring out Poprad’s somewhat confusing street parking situation. The breakfast (though I only tried it twice) was this nice mix of local and international stuff, with proper Slovak pastries alongside the usual continental spread. It’s the kind of place where you might end up extending your stay just because it feels so much like a home base rather than just somewhere to crash between adventures.