The longest hotel in Europe, the Mercure Szczyrk resort, has officially opened its doors to the public. The four star hotel is located in the southern Polish Beskid Śląski mountains, 660 meters above sea level, in the small village of Szczyrk. It is 330 meters long and was first opened in the 1970’s.
Hotel History
It originally opened as 3 separate facilities and was designed by the renowned architect Jerzy Winnicki. Investors then decided to make it one hotel, which at the time, was one of the largest hotels in Poland. It certainly was the most unique due to its curved shape and its length. Following the collapse of communism, it began hosting numerous cultural events. This includes the Polish Junior Chess Championships, and, in 2017, the finishing line of the third stage of the Tour de Pologne was held outside.
The hotel’s first name was Orle Gniazdo Convention and Leisure Center has changed owners several times. In 2019 it was purchased by Accor, which manages a chain of luxury hotels scattered around the world. The Eagle’s Nest was renamed Mercure Szczyrk Resort and slated for a major redevelopment. The hundreds of rooms offered by the hotel proved insufficient, so the Mercure Szczyrk Resort will essentially be a brand new, even larger building, with 9 floors from the previous 6.
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Features in the new hotel
According to a press release, the hotel will now feature 447 comfortable and modern rooms, two restaurants, and three bars. Additionally, it will feature an extensive wellness area, including a fitness center, water park with pools, pool bar and spa. There will also be a conference area that can accommodate up to 1,200 participants spread across 14 rooms. In addition to a road leading to the resort, there will also be a helipad for visitors unwilling to make the steep climb up the mountain.
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The Design Team
Pracownia ARC and Gronner & Rączka Architekci are the resort’s architectural team. The Accor hotel chain purchased the hotel, it’s first in Poland, in 2021. Inspiration for the resort’s design was drawn from the building’s previous life as a congress and recreation center for workers from the Katowice steelworks. Szczyrk is a tourist town, popular with both skiers and bikers. Along with 20 ski resorts, there are lots of hiking trails and cycling routes. Not far away from the hotel is the Żywieckie Lake, where visitors will have the opportunity to visit the Dam in Tresna.
The project was designed to resemble an eagle’s nest, however, it has received wide criticism for sticking out in the mountain-side scenery.
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Project Summary
Location: Szczyrk, Poland
Scope: 330 meters long
Original open date: 1960
Architectural team: Pracownia ARC, Gronner & Rączka Architekci
Number of rooms: 447
Hotel owner: Accor Hotel Chain
Entertainment features: 2 restaurants, 3 bars, wellness area, fitness center, water park with pools, pool bar and spa
