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THE HISTORY of accommodation at Strbské Pleso, the second biggest lake on the Slovak side of the High Tatras, began during the second half of the 19th century, when cabins started popping up along its shore. As well as tourists, the area attracted some prominent personalities, who owned private lodgings there.
In 1906, the Grand Hotel opened in Strbské Pleso. At that time, it was comparable to any hotel in Europe. It served mostly affluent guests, who found comfort in its 54 lavishly furnished rooms and hydrotherapy in the basement.
After the establishment of the first Czechoslovak Republic in 1918, the hotel was renamed The Kriváň Hotel, after the peak in the High Tatras. It was common in that period to rename sites from the monarchy with Slovak or Czech names.
This copy of a painting by Czech artist Otakar Štáfl comes from 1921. The Kriváň Hotel is on the left side of the picture.
By Branislav Chovan
