Štrbské Pleso - on the road to five-star skiing
The High Tatras are among the most popular ski areas in Slovakia, and the lakeside resort of Štrbské Pleso is a favourite with Polish skiers, who come here for its interesting slopes in an “Alpine” setting. The opening of a new lift, with the “Porsche” brand as partner, is meant to underline Štrbské Pleso's readiness to become a resort that caters for the most demanding guests. It is also worth noting that the event's partner was the champagne house “Moët & Chandon”, which opened its own viewing terrace at the FIS hotel, right next to the ski area.
The new lift, built for 11 million euros and opened in December 2025, is set to introduce completely new transport solutions and significantly speed up and simplify skiers' movement around the resort. Its construction used state-of-the-art solutions, both technological and environmentally friendly.
A new chairlift bearing the Porsche brand
The new lift, supplied by “Leitner”, completely replaces the historic “Poma” installation from 1976, which has been dismantled. The bottom station of the new lift stands where the old drag lift used to start, while the top station sits slightly higher. This is the largest investment in the resort's technical infrastructure in the last 15 years.
Travelling on the 8-seater chairlift will suit skiers of all ages and abilities. This was not always the case with the drag lift, because of the steepness of the first section and the sharp turn skiers had to negotiate halfway up.
The lift will relieve the busiest part of the resort and ensure a more even spread of skiers, which will ultimately also improve their safety. Great emphasis was placed on protecting the natural environment. The new lift will reduce noise levels in the area (by an estimated 15 dB), and the DirectDrive system not only minimises maintenance requirements, but also needs no oil top-ups. It is also worth adding that the previous solution required additional snowmaking on the track under the lift, whereas overhead transport has no such need.
The heated chairs are fitted with sway stabilisers that improve the ride and comfort in windy conditions, while the bottom station has a loading platform with LED signals that makes boarding smoother.
The five-star Hotel Kempinski and après-ski
Štrbské Pleso is consistently aiming to attract people for whom an active “après-ski” is becoming as important as the skiing itself. Having suitable hotels close by matters here, and the Slovak resort has plenty to boast about. The five-star “Hotel Kempinski” is located right on the shore of the Štrbské Pleso lake. Kempinski Hotels is one of the most luxurious hotel chains in the world, founded in Berlin in 1897, which makes it Europe's oldest hotel group.
The chain is known for the exceptional elegance, high-quality service and luxurious character of its properties, and there are only 16 hotels of this exclusive brand in Europe. The Slovak hotel has a large “ZION” wellness area, where you can look out at a romantic tarn and the mountains while swimming in the pool. The restaurant is renowned for its outstanding cuisine, and there are 60 kinds of cognac and whisky to sample. As if that were not enough, the wine list runs to more than 500 wines. Kempinski properties often have unique architecture and decor inspired by local culture. The Slovak Tatras are no exception: the hotel was created by combining three restored historic buildings into one coherent whole. And all this at an altitude of 1351 metres above sea level.
It is worth adding that, because of the large number of Polish visitors, many people working in local tourism have picked up basic Polish. Whether you are in a hotel, an aquapark, a restaurant or a rental shop, you can easily communicate in Polish. This matters especially if you visit the Slovak Tatras with children: they will feel at ease being able to speak their mother tongue.
Technical data of the new chairlift
- passenger, monocable detachable chairlift with covered 8-seater chairs
- Bottom station: 1,378.15 m above sea level
- Top station: 1,567.15 m above sea level
- Horizontal length: 987.50 m
- Inclined length: 1,009.65 m
- Vertical rise: 190 m
- Number of towers: 9
- Speed: 5 m/s
- Capacity: 2400 people/hour
