Analysis of hard data from Booking.com, conducted by Rankomat.pl, reveals a surprising market paradox.
A Cold Shower, i.e. Booking.com Data
Imagine a couple looking for an apartment for 6 nights with breakfast. In Egyptian Marsa Alam they will pay only 1165 PLN. In popular Turkish Alanya the cost is 1414 PLN, and in sunny Italian Sicily it is 1729 PLN. It sounds reasonable, especially considering that it is almost a week of rest. However, when you look at Polish Mazury, the system displays amounts that hit harder than Italian wine or Middle Eastern shisha.
In Mrągowo the same standard accommodation costs 2421 PLN, and in Mikołajki 2402 PLN. The Polish Great Lakes region turns out to be twice as expensive as the Egyptian oasis of calm on the Red Sea. Even the cheapest Polish apartment located in Polańczyk in the Bieszczady (1458 PLN) clearly loses price-wise to the Egyptian offer.
The line between cheap Poland and exclusive holidays abroad has irreversibly blurred, forcing tourists to rethink their holiday plans.
Source: Rankomat.pl
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Hotel Price Ceiling – Mikołajki vs. the Rest of the World
The real financial knockout occurs in the three-star hotel segment, especially when we analyze the family configuration 2+2. A six‑day stay in a three‑star hotel in Mikołajki is priced at an astronomical 6266 PLN. This is an absolute record in the entire comparison, making foreign alternatives look like off‑season sales.
For comparison, a family holiday in a three‑star hotel in sunny Egypt costs 3119 PLN – half as much! Turkey charges the same standard at 3467 PLN, and Greek Crete at 4629 PLN. Even the supposedly expensive Italian Sicily (4814 PLN) and whimsical Croatian Dalmacija (3992 PLN) are far kinder to a Polish family’s wallet than Mazurian hotels. Additionally, Polańczyk (5340 PLN) and Szczyrk (5184 PLN) rank high.
It is important to remember a key detail: foreign venues in the report are located directly on the beach. Meanwhile, Polish hotels and apartments were chosen within 3 km of city centers. This is a brutal lesson in valuing the price‑to‑location relationship. We pay more for worse logistical positioning. Where is the logic?
Source: Rankomat.pl
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Travel and Transport Costs, i.e. where the expensive fun begins
Accommodation alone is just the starting point, and the final verdict always considers the full holiday budget and whether it simply fits. This budget usually includes transport, meals, and daily expenses.
When travel and meal costs come into play, the situation for couples in apartments changes. A national holiday in Szczyrk (2405 PLN), Polańczyk (2451 PLN) or Szklarska Poręba (2508 PLN) in the final reckoning turns out to be cheaper than Sicily (3075 PLN), Crete (3446 PLN) or the Canary Islands (3549 PLN). The abroad still defends itself with standard, but requires more cash for travel logistics.
For 2+2 families, flight tickets dramatically shift the balance. Family holidays in Ustka will cost 3827 PLN, and in Zakopane 4251 PLN. At the same time, Sicily will already consume 5145 PLN, and Crete 5802 PLN. In the three‑star hotel segment, Zakopane (5503 PLN) and Szklarska Poręba (5218 PLN) clearly beat Sicily, where the full cost rises to about 7 500 PLN.
Magdalena Kajzer, Rankomat.pl expert, suggests that cost optimisation should start with flexible dates – a trip a few days before or after peak season can work wonders.
Source: Rankomat.pl
See also: Breach in the UK labour market. Companies are preparing for mass layoffs
Source: Rankomat
