Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Villa Dr. Szontagh A lovely steepled mountain manor offering what you
might expect of old-school hospitality: squeaky clean public areas, tasteful turn-of-
the-20th-century period furnishings (the first-floor apartments are especially invit-
ing), and a solicitous owner who is only too happy to guide you around the resorts.
Villa Dr. Szontagh was one of the first traditional inns to open up in the immediate
aftermath of the fall of Communism, and remains one of the best. One drawback may
be a lack of special wellness and spa facilities.
Nov; Smokovec. & 052/442-2061. Fax 052/442-2062. www.szontagh.sk. 15 units. 2,200 Sk ($75/£40) double. AE,
DC, MC, V. Electric railroad station: Nov; Smokovec. Amenities: Restaurant; limited room service; massage. In room:
TV, minibar, hair dryer.
Inexpensive
Hotel Tatry Clean if sterile dormitory-style rooms that are perfectly acceptable if the
priority is saving money or if your initial choices are fully booked. The property itself is
a charming, ramshackle sort of Alpine-style chalet, with an in-house Slovak restaurant
serving standard food. It's popular among students and young families with children
because of the prices. A small bunny slope with a tiny ski lift is just down the street.
Tatranská Lomnica. & 052/446-7930. Fax 052/446-7724. 14 units. 1,200 Sk ($40/£22) double. No credit cards. Elec-
tric railroad station: Tatranská Lomnica. Amenities: Restaurant. In room:TV.
Panoráma This used to be one of the top hotels in the High Tatras, but some-
where along the line the standards slipped. Now the owners are working hard to
update the facilities. Depending on when the work is done, you could get a pretty nice
hotel at a very good price. Be sure to request a room on one of the already remodeled
floors and away from the construction. Part of the funding to rebuild the hotel is com-
ing from the European Union, and plans are eventually to update the property's clas-
sic 1960s-style architecture. The hotel is shaped like an inverted pyramid, which in
the heady days of postwar modernism must have seemed like a fun idea.
Strbské Pleso II/20. & 052/449-1111. Fax 052/449-2810. www.hotelpanorama.sk. 91 units. 1,800 Sk ($60/£33)
double. AE, DC, MC, V. Electric railroad station: Strbské Pleso. Amenities: Restaurant; health club and spa; ski rental;
salon; massage. In room:TV, minibar.
WHERE TO DINE
The quality of the food in the Tatras has lagged behind the quality of the lodging. To
be sure, the restaurants have definitely improved, and all three main resort towns now
have a clutch of three or four decent, privately run eateries. But, sadly, there are still
no breakthrough restaurants on the scene. Most of the new places build on the tradi-
tional, folk, “koliba” theme and have broadly similar menus that are heavy on the
grilled meats, schnitzels, and stuffed chicken breasts. For something different, con-
sider taking a meal at the Grand Hotel in Star ; Smokovec or the Grandhotel Praha in
Tatranská Lomnica (see “Where to Stay,” above). While the quality is not much higher
than at the independent restaurants listed below, nothing can match that faded, old-
world opulence. The beautiful crystal chandeliers, the perfect seven-pieces-of-cutlery
place settings, and that oh-so-proper waiter will have you staring at the chicken breast
on your plate with a renewed sense of civility. In keeping with the overall informality
of the Tatra resorts, dress is casual. You might want to dress up for the two “grand”
hotel restaurants, but clean, casual attire is all that's required.
Very Expensive
Koliba Star; Smokovec SLOVAK A newer version of the “koliba” theme that
tries and largely fails to capture the treacly sweet, but pleasant kitsch of the Zbojnícka
Search WWH ::




Custom Search