Slovakia - Eastern Europe - page 639

guidance, as well as book rooms in private homes, pensions and hotels. The town's offi-
cial website (www.Ko s ice.sk) is also worth a gander.
WHERE TO STAY
The past year has brought a couple of new entries onto the lodging scene, led by the
opening of the Bristol in late 2005. At the low end of the market, several new pen-
sions have opened up, making a comfortable, in-town stay possible on any budget.
Very Expensive
Hotel Bristol Just what Ko s ice needed: a stylish, hip, and yet still
halfway affordable designer hotel, a 5-minute walk from the city's main square and 2
blocks away from the best nightlife. You'll see the difference first in the sleek, clean
modern lines of the lobby, with its hardwood floors and smart wicker chairs. The mix
of style, comfort, and technology extends to the rooms, which (still unusual for Slo-
vakia) are equipped with separate climate-control settings and dataports. Breakfast is
the usual selection of meats, cold cuts, yogurts, and cereals, but the difference is that
it's fresh and freshly squeezed.
Orlia 3. & 055/729-0077. Fax [phone]. www.hotelbristol.sk. 20 units. 3,100 Sk ($103/£57) double. AE, DC,
MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; indoor pool; health club and spa; limited room service; nonsmoking rooms. In room:
A/C, TV, dataport; minibar, hair dryer, safe.
Expensive
Hotel Ambassador This small, well-run hotel right on the main square is a
nice pick if the Bristol is booked. Ring the buzzer on the big wooden door (curiously
unmarked) and you'll be ushered into the house's inner sanctum. The rooms actually
extend behind the facade into the courtyard at the back, meaning that street noise and
commotion are not a problem. The clunky room decor, with big rounded beds, evokes
something of the schlock 1970s. In-room Wi-Fi is a nice perk.
Hlavná 101, & 055/720-3720. Fax [phone]. www.abba.sk. 14 units. 2,600 Sk ($86/£48) double. AE, DC, MC,
V. Amenities: Restaurant. In room:A/C in some rooms, TV, minibar, hair dryer.
Moderate
Penzión Krmanova One of the best of a new breed of privately owned, in-town
pensions. Despite the location, near a normally loud arterial roadway, the rooms are
generally quiet because the house has thick walls. If noise is a concern, ask for a room
overlooking the garden in the back. The modern, pastel furnishings won't win any
design competitions, but the rooms are large and clean, and the beds and chairs still
feel and smell new. The bathrooms have been completely renovated and some in the
larger apartments have tubs. Aside from the rooms, the services are modest. Breakfast
is not included in the price.
Krmanova 14, & 055/623-0565. Fax [phone]. www.krmanova.sk. 13 units. 2,200 Sk ($73/£40) double. AE,
DC, MC, V. Amenities: Nonsmoking rooms. In room:A/C in some rooms, TV, fridge.
Inexpensive
Penzión Slovakia Four cozy little rooms next to the Rosto steakhouse and across
from the Bristol. The location, just up from Ková c ska Street, where the best clubs and
cafes are located, is a major draw. You can't beat it for the price. The rooms, named
after four Slovak cities, Bratislava, Z ilina, Banska Bystrica, and, naturally, Ko s ice, are
clean and roomy, with TVs, big beds, and armchairs. The bathrooms are on the tiny
side, with showers. One drawback may be that the rooms, just below the roof, tend to
get hot in midsummer. Ask for a room away from the street.

Finds