THE PTTK (POLISH TOURISM AND SIGHTSEEING SOCIETY) MOUNTAIN HOSTEL IN THE VALLEY OF THE FIVE POLISH LAKES
We are able to accommodate 67 guests in double rooms or dorms with 4, 6, 7, 8 or 10 beds. The hostel has a spacious yet very cosy dining room. Here you may savour the unmistakable taste of our homemade dishes, as well as enjoy your own packed lunch. The dining room also serves as a venue for evening meetings.
Our kitchen offering a full board of delicious dishes and our deli counter selling a wide selection of soft drinks, beer, sweets and crisps, together with the reception, where you can not only book your room, but also buy souvenirs, maps and guide books, are all open from 8 am to 9 pm, with a brunch break from 10 am to 11 am.
The Hostel also has a gas range which is at the disposal of those tourists who come with their own food supplies. Another important facility is the equipment rental offering a wide range of winter tourism and recreation gear, including ski-touring skis.
Additional attractions on offer include different types of courses and guided tours organised by our „5+“ Mountain Tourism Office. We would also like to recommend the Hostel’s library and films & games rental. For those who prefer to hike and trek light, we
offer a free service of luggage storage.
The Hostel owes its unique alpine atmosphere mainly to its extraordinary and breathtaking location in the very heart of High Tatras. A great many mountain trails lead here, but none of them are motorised, so you can only reach us on foot. Hence, the guests of our Hostel may be undoubtedly called bona fide tourists. It is they themselves who create the truly exceptional and unique atmosphere of this place.
The construction of PTTK (Polish Tourism & Sightseeing Society) Mountain Hostel in the Valley of the Five Polish Lakes was completed in 1954. It is the fifth chalet-style hostel to have been built in the valley and the first one to be situated by the Front Lake (Przedni Staw). The previous ones were located by the Small Lake (Mały Staw). The new location guaranteed higher avalanche safety, whereas the exposure of this site became a real challenge for the Hostel’s developers and architects. Their task was to design a building on a relatively large scale, which would blend in with the surrounding wild nature. In the project, this aspect was taken into account, both in the elaboration of the architectural composition and the selection of building materials. The choice of local stone as a material for the external walls and the spacious terrace, determined the organic feel of the Hostel. The building seems to naturally "grow" from the ground, conveying the impression that its construction was limited to a mere layering of ready-made stones. Additionally, in view of the harsh climate, a wall of one of the wings was designed to hold very small windows, which from afar look like natural rock clefts. Blending of the Hostel in with its surroundings is intensified by its "isrithmic" location against the ground elevations. The designers of the hostel team were acknowledged in 1957 when they received a state award of the 2nd degree.
