ALTERNATIVELY THROUGH POLAND: JURATA - POLISH 'PALM BEACH'
ALTERNATIVELY THROUGH POLAND
I will start this post differently than usual, because it initiates new series on my blog, called: "Alternatively Through Poland", associated with traveling, as the name suggests, within my home country. To start with, I need to explain how I would like to develop this theme and what it will be about :) Well, this series aims to promote Polish tourism, which for several years has been surprising me positively, not only in terms of stunning, diverse landscapes and historical places, but also because of the accommodation and delicious cuisine. Modern, conscious and eco-friendly agritourism is one of the elements that inspires me the most and I intend to devote the most space on the blog to it. To be honest, I'm attracted to places surrounded by nature, isolated, but at the same time beautiful and with a hint of creativity. What can you do in such places? How to get there? What to eat and where to sleep? And especially: how much does it cost? I will try to answer all of these questions in the ATP. I intend to organize short, mainly weekend trips to various parts of the country. I will start with those closest to my home, and I live in the Greater Poland...I plan to write one ATP post a month, but I can not say yet whether I will definitely have time and funds for such frequency, especially since I do not want to give up on more exotic and longer travels. Maybe, with a bit of luck, I will be invited, as it happened this time - even though I did not sleep in agritourism accommodation, I spent a few days in probably the most peaceful resort on the Polish seaside, in a beautiful and exclusive hotel situated right on the beach...
JURATA - WHY IS IT WORTH GOING THERE?
Many people associate vacations at the Polish seaside negatively: with a crowd of people and a labyrinth of windscreens on the beach (very popular in Poland), unstable weather, cyanosis in the sea and high prices. Unsurprisingly, because when the summer in Poland kicks in with an exceptional warmth, it's hard to find any accommodation on the coast, so you should expect crowded streets and beaches and the increase in prices. In coastal towns and cities such as Mielno, Kołobrzeg or Władysławowo you can not push the pin between the summer locusts. However, there are other, less frequented places, where the stay does not have to cost the fortune. One of them is Jurata.
Jurata is located on the Hel Peninsula, bordering on one side with the Baltic Sea and on the other with the Gdańsk Bay. Jurata is actually a district of Jastarnia, not a separate town. In the 1930s, it was established as a luxury resort for Polish elites and quickly gained popularity among them. Although the years of the greatest splendor Jurata has already behind, it is still considered an exclusive and expensive place, which is not a total truth. The fact is that there are several luxury hotels, including the only one located on the beach, called Bryza (which means 'Breeze'), but you can find cheaper accommodation in Jurata or even book a camping site. The biggest advantage of the 'town' is its ubiquitous peace, wide beaches and definitely fewer tourists. There are no clubs here, not too many pubs and so-called "souvenir stalls", which try to sell shoddy decorations or cheap shiny toys. There is, however, a cultural scene displaying films, organizing cabaret performances and concerts. There are not many people on the beach, so you can easily find your own corner, play beachball or fly kites. Near the main entrances, there are usually more sunbathers, but it is enough just to go a little bit further away to have blissful peace.
PRICES - IS IT WORTH PAYING A BIT MORE FOR TRANQUILITY?
It is not cheap at the Polish seaside (at least for the Poles ;)), regardless of where you want to spend your holidays. In this respect, Jurata is no different from other places, but also does not excel in the list of the most expensive ones. Accommodation starts here from PLN 150 (35 EUR) for a room, dinner can be purchased for PLN 25 (6 EUR), and beer on the beach in an elegant bar costs PLN 12 (3 EUR) - not bad, right? The difference is that if you can afford it, you have the possibility to have more luxury in Jurata, which certainly provides for example: the Bryza hotel.
HOTEL BRYZA RESORT & SPA - RESORT FOR ELITS ONLY?
Hotel Bryza owes its uniqueness and high prices mainly to its location. As the only one in Jurata, it lays practically on the beach to give its guests the best view from rooms and apartments. The building was neatly integrated into the adjacent trees and the decor refers to the seaside's atmosphere. The interiors are dominated by whiteness, broken here and there by grenade and blue, which gives them freshness and space.
The hotel has three swimming pools: one outdoor with salty water and two indoors in wellness area. Guests can use them for free, as well as the sauna area (there are three to choose from: Finnish, steam and herbal) and from the gym. Additional fees have to be paid for spa treatments, bicycle rental and booking of tennis courts. Hotel guests can relax on the sun loungers located on the lower terrace, near the beach, by the outdoor swimming pool and on the roof, where the terrace is enclosed with glass windows, which works perfectly on colder days. Meals are served outside, under a roof and in case of bad weather protected by a transparent mat. From all these places there is a beautiful view of the sea. By the sea Bryza offers its guests sunbeds, small windscreens in the shape of semi-tents and canopy beds for additional fee. The hotel has a separate entrance leading directly to the beach, available only for its guests.
Prices for a double room start from PLN 630 (150 EUR) including breakfast (according to Booking.com), and in the summer you can also book half board in the form of a buffet.
Is Bryza a resort for elites? On the one hand, yes, because you can meet many personalities here, or wealthy people. The prices are high and the staff is well-trained to provide the highest standard to hotel guests. On the other hand, more and more people can afford these types of hotels and are happy to use the facilities they offer. A lot of just married couples come to Bryza for part of their honeymoon. Moreover, the resort holds many business conferences and organizes tennis tournaments.
Regardless of whether you fancy a luxury holiday or simple vacation under a tent, it is worth considering Jurata as your next destination. It is located 12 kilometers from Hel, which is almost at the very end of the headland, so you have to set yourself on a longer journey, especially that in the vicinity of Władysławowo there are usually heavy traffics. The most convenient way to get there is by train, which goes, for example, directly from Poznań, and the journey lasts about 7 hours.
Perhaps it is the distance, or the reputation of an expensive resort, that fewer people come to Jurata in the summer. If you value peace and do not want to get angry with the crowds during your holidays, give Jurata a chance :)
I encourage you to share your opinions and experiences in the comments - which beach do you most often spend time at in the summer? Or maybe you prefer holidays in the mountains?