Zakopane Hotels: Where Should You Stay in Zakopane?

Areas compared

Use this table to match your plan to a base. No list publishes a travel time between areas, so check the route on a map for your exact hotel.

How to decide

Pick the town centre if you rely on buses and trains and want restaurants, museums and the funicular on foot or a short ride. Pick Kuźnice if the cable car is the reason for the trip. The ride up Kasprowy Wierch takes about 20 minutes with one change at Myślenickie Turnie, so a hotel close to the lower station saves a long transfer.

Pick a village if baths are your priority. A Szos-Mig minibus runs from the Zakopane bus station (Dworzec PKS) to Białka Tatrzańska Szkoła, the stop for Terma Bania, so a stay in town still reaches it.

Hotels in the MICHELIN Guide

The MICHELIN Guide lists 12 hotels for Zakopane and its surroundings. Among them are Aries Hotel & SPA Zakopane, Villa Milimani and Villa Nova Zakopane. No selection publishes a room rate or a walking time to the funicular or the cable car, so open the hotel's own page and match its address to the areas below before you book.

Hotel spas and public baths

Radisson Blu in Zakopane lists a gym, restaurant, wine bar and spa with mountain views. Aries Hotel & SPA Zakopane and Slow Tatry Boutique Resort&SPA also name a spa in their titles. Public baths are the alternative.

Termy Zakopiańskie are closed from 16 November to 7 December and reopen on 8 December, with dates subject to change. Chochołowskie Termy have almost 4,500 m2 of water surface and pools at 32 to 38 degrees. Termy Bukovina list 30 to 38 °C.

Luxury, Budget and All Inclusive

For luxury, start with the MICHELIN Guide's 12 Zakopane hotels, which include Aries, Villa Milimani and Villa Nova. For a budget stay, filter the area search below by price. Few places in Zakopane sell all-inclusive boards, so read the board terms on each property's page before you pay.

Pickups and early starts

The Extreme Snowmobile Ride with Bonfire and Transfers costs $22 per person and runs 3 to 4 hours. It collects you from a hotel or accommodation in Zakopane, and the pickup point may change on narrow streets. The snowmobile or quad ride costs 400 PLN per two-person vehicle, cash only, paid on site.

The Morskie Oko Trailhead Transfer and Tatra Park Ticket costs $30 per person and lasts 6 hours. It starts from a meeting point in Zakopane. The Morskie Oko trailhead at Palenica Białczańska is more than 20 km from town, and TPN recommends arriving before 8:00 to avoid traffic jams.

A hotel on the town side with an easy road out helps. Tatra National Park e-buses have been suspended since 14 November because of snow on the road, so check the current state before you plan a transfer.

Month by month

Rain or snow of 1 mm or more falls on 18.5 days in July. In January it falls on 12.1 days and the average high is -0.2°C. Snow is already on the ground on the higher slopes in mid-November, with 17 cm at the Kasprowy Wierch summit.

What it means for your hotel

In summer, book a base that suits day trips on foot. In winter, check lift and bath closures before you pay. The Gubałówka funicular is closed from 16 to 27 November for inspection, and Termy Zakopiańskie are closed from 16 November to 7 December.

Time each sight takes

Use these figures to build your own plan.

Getting there

The Pendolino from Krakow to Zakopane takes 1 hour 57 minutes, so you can arrive and start sightseeing the same day. Plan the days around your list and the closures above.