Hotel SPA Dr Irena Eris Krynica Zdrój 12+

The breakfast was nice, and it was the only time we could get Polish food. Lunch and dinner were pleasant, but completely overpriced. The room was okay, with a nice soft bed, though the bathroom is showing its age, with scale in the corners, and the carpet is worn out. This is a hotel costing over 200€ a night, and it may have been the best in the area a few years ago, but there are better options now. It seems suited to Poles wanting to feel abroad, rather than foreigners visiting Poland. Staff don’t speak English or French. The ski slopes are only 200m away, but information about them was extremely poor. There was nothing on display, so we had to squeeze details out of staff. They could look things up online when asked, but didn’t even have slope maps or pass prices available. Such a waste of a privileged location near the slopes.

We’ve made it a family tradition to spend Christmas here almost every year for the past ten years, and I can’t imagine the holiday without this hotel. Its boutique size helps it feel uncrowded even at such a busy time. The staff are helpful, well trained, and go out of their way to meet guests’ needs. The Christmas Eve dinner is served plated, with traditional dishes given a slightly modern touch. Don’t worry, the “Barsch” or “Barszcz” is still there. Christmas carols play during dinner, and guests are invited to sing along if they want. Santa Claus also appears with gifts for the children. Dinner dress is smart. The Christmas offer’s lunch and dinner have bread, an amuse bouche, a choice of starter or soup, a main course, and dessert. The food is one of my favorite parts of staying here. Breakfast is good too, with a buffet of standard options like eggs and porridge, plus a la carte choices at no extra charge. Lunch and dinner are so delicious I want to eat everything, even when I’m already full. Having visited several Michelin-starred restaurants while living in London, I can confidently say the food quality is very high. In most years there’s been enough snow to ski or snowboard on nearby Jaworzyna Krynicka. When there isn’t, the nearby town is worth a visit, or you can spend longer relaxing at the spa. Christmas treatments book up fairly quickly. The hotel is fantastic, and it’s a tradition I’d recommend to anyone.

The spa treatments were lovely, and my wife was in heaven. We also loved the breakfast buffet and had a hard time knowing when to stop eating. The location was perfect for walking into town or heading out on a trail hike, and the hotel staff were good. Sometimes, though, it felt like they wanted to just do their job and smile rather than get into conversation. Once or twice we saw someone stiff and money-paralytic, you know the type. We had an amazing vacation, but the older part of the hotel needs a facelift as soon as possible. The bathroom walls and carpet in our room looked old, and the beds need an upgrade. If someone tells me they like this bed, they’ve never slept on a good mattress. Also, when you upgrade, please add a mosquito screen to the balcony door. We wanted fresh mountain air, but there were too many flying visitors in the room, so we had to shut the door and use the AC. Thanks for a great vacation. Oscar and Teresa Malec, room#108, Sept 19.

The spa is excellent, especially the pool overlooking the ski slopes, and there’s a very good Thai restaurant. It’s clean and well organized, and works well for a family stay with kids since everything closes around 10 pm. The service was very good, though staff were usually in a hurry to catch the last bus home. It’s also well located, within walking distance of the Jaworzyna ski area.