The Samotnia shelter in the Karkonosze Mountains, which is iconic for many tourists, has had its first holiday under the rule of its new tenants. They are reluctant to answer questions about the background of taking over the facility from the Siemaszko family, which has managed it for over 57 years. However, they introduce changes and plan further changes. – We have finished this stage of life – says Agnieszka Siemaszko-Arcimowicz and admits that after leaving the shelter in mid-May, she never went there again.
- For several months, Samotnia has been very popular among mountain tourists. The petition against taking Samotnia away from Siemaszko was supported by over 45,000 people
- The protests achieved little. Currently, the facility is taken care of by Wysoka II, a company related to the people who manage one of the most frequently visited shelters in Poland – Murowaniec in the Tatra Mountains.
- The refreshed Samotnia has new furniture, embroidery patterns and outdoor deckchairs
Last year, the management board of Sudeckie Hotele i Schroniska, owned by PTTK and managing 23 facilities in the Lower Silesian and Opole voivodeships, announced the selection of a new tenant of the Samotnia mountain shelter on Mały Staw in the Karkonosze Mountains. There was an uproar among mountain tourists because the beloved facility had been looked after by the Siemaszko family since 1966 – Sylwia and Waldemar. After the man's tragic death, in 1994 his daughter Magda Siemaszko-Arcimowicz and her mother Sylwia Siemaszko took over the management and managed the shelter until mid-May 2024.
Three companies took part in last year's competition to run the facility. The Siemaszko family's offer was rejected. Fans of the shelter protested against the PTTK decision on social media, and Samotnia began to be talked about loudly. The Facebook community “Let's save loneliness” created a petition signed by 45,000 people. people. Then PTTK bowed to the pressure and extended the contract with the existing tenants for several months, and then announced a tender. In February 2024, PTTK representatives announced that the best offer was submitted by Wysoka II from Zakopane, which signed a lease agreement for 5 years.
READ ALSO: The Samotnia shelter will have a new tenant. The Siemaszko family passes away after almost 60 years
“We have ended this stage of life”
The long-term caretakers of the facility received an annex to the lease agreement, which was valid until May 15, 2024. – We haven't been to Samotnia since May 15, 2024, the day we left. Neither I, nor my mother, nor anyone from my family was there. We have finished this stage of our lives – says Magdalena Siemaszko-Arcimowicz in an interview with tvn24.pl.
Former tenants were asked to remove all their belongings. – The shelter was returned in the condition desired by Mr. Grzegorz Błaszczyk, president of the Sudeckie Hotele i Schroniska PTTK company. Before the date of handing over the property, we received a letter from him indicating that we were to take all our belongings. The entire equipment of the shelter was our property. So everything was taken away, he adds.
“We were hoping that someone would approach us with an offer to leave something behind.”
The previous guardians hoped that it would be possible to leave the heaviest items at the shelter for future owners, but they were not given such an opportunity. – This whole process was associated with great stress, costs and little time. Taking away the equipment, including the entire kitchen, tables, benches, bar and even the piano, was quite a challenge. We were hoping that someone would approach us with an offer to leave something behind. However, no one attempted to contact us regarding this matter – explains Siemaszko-Arcimowicz.
Media representatives and 14 other witnesses were present when Samotnia was received by PTTK. – Despite the devastating renovations carried out by its company Sudeckie Hotele i Schroniska PTTK in the years 2000-2013 and the lack of investments by the same company in the years 2013-2023, Samotnia was completed in a very good condition. The handover of Samotnia was documented by a delivery and acceptance protocol signed by President Błaszczyk. There are no reservations in this document as to the technical condition of the facility and not a single negative comment – he adds.
– After we accepted the facility, it turned out that there were a few things to do. First of all, we had to point out that it is a historic building, so any renovations must be carried out under the supervision of a conservator. What we could do at the moment was to refresh the facility and carry out minor adaptation works. It turned out that there was no lighting in the shelter, the kitchen facilities were in terrible condition, some sinks in the living rooms were removed, so these types of things had to be replaced – counters Grzegorz Błaszczyk, president of Sudeckie Hotele i Schroniska PTTK.
For a month after the facility was handed over to the new owners, the shelter was closed. – The previous tenants left the Samotnia Shelter in a condition that made it impossible to start the facility immediately after taking over. All equipment was taken from the building, even sinks were dismantled in several rooms. After the takeover, the shelter could not operate as everyone wanted – a representative of Wysoka II tells us.
The new interior of the Samotnia shelter
From mid-June, tourists can visit Samotnia again. Now, in the shelter located on Mały Staw, you can see more benches and bar deckchairs outside, an element of interior design previously associated with beaches or hipster pubs.
– Now, to be honest, it's become a bit more bar-like and less hostel-like. The place is beautiful from the outside, but the atmosphere is lacking inside, says Sylwia, a tourist from the Poznań area.
The interior was also refreshed and the beds were replaced. Currently, the style is somewhat reminiscent of the Tatra Murowaniec. Not without reason, because the famous shelter in Hala Gąsienicowa is managed by the same company.
– We liked the shelter, although we were last here 30 years ago. I didn't notice the decor because I was thinking about the food. It's actually a good thing that the decor doesn't change in such shelters, because it's a tradition – says an elderly couple, Małgorzata and Marian from Leszno.
“The biggest changes can be seen inside. We refreshed the rooms downstairs. We equipped them with new furniture. A lot of work was also required to equip the kitchen. We serve meals from a modern bar. Changes can also be seen in other parts of the shelter. It was very important to us that Our guests could stay in clean and well-kept rooms with new beds, mattresses and bedding,” says Wysoka II.
However, these are not all the changes that await the pearl of the Karkonosze Mountains. – The facility has been thoroughly refreshed inside, the rooms have been repainted, the carpets have been changed, but all investment and renovation works will only be carried out because the technical documentation of these works is currently being prepared. We will definitely not do anything this year – adds the president of Sudeckie Hotele i Schroniska PTTK.
After a cosmetic renovation, the Samotnia Shelter will undergo major modernization. First of all, the company intends to renovate the sewage treatment plant and replace the furnaces. Wysoka II is also planning a major renovation of the premises and a change in interior planning. – If the first stage is the preparation of the shelter for full re-operation, which we have already managed to do, the second stage is work related to investments in systems that are necessary for the efficient and safe operation of the facility – explains the representative of Wysoka II.
The shelter is a historic building, therefore all work by new tenants must be performed with appropriate consents and arrangements with both the conservator of monuments and the owner of the facility. – We will know how large and how expensive the scope of work will be after conducting detailed expertise. We would definitely like to renovate the toilets, we also see what the floor in the dining room looks like and we have no doubt that it will require repair or maybe even replacement in the future – explain the new tenants.
Tourists have divided opinions
Mountain lovers who come to Samotnia can still try the shelter's bigos or dumplings. You can also stay overnight at the facility. However, tourists' opinions about the renovated place were divided.
– We were in the Samotnia shelter for the first time, we liked it very much, the shelter is actually renovated. Prices are high, although we don't buy anything in shelters, says Kamila, a tourist from Krakow.
– Last time we were there, the impressions were positive, and now we also came to see what it's like. When it comes to the kitchen, it's worse because they simply reheat things. In other shelters, they rather prepare food on an ongoing basis, so it can always be changed – says Marek from Wrocław.
– I was here in February this year, before the owners changed. I see changes in the arrangement and equipment of the rooms and the canteen, says Weronika from Gdańsk, who stayed overnight in the shelter.
– I think it's quite nice, the portions are quite large, I haven't spent the night yet, so I don't know what the quality of the bedding is, but I'm going to spend the night here – says Kasia from Kalisz.
Main photo source: Svitlana Kucherenko