Header: Courtesy of MIXD
Karpacz has come a long way from its 12th-century roots as a muddy settlement for gold prospectors. Over the centuries, it evolved into a hub for herbal medicine before finally finding its true calling as a mountain retreat. Now, the Mövenpick Resort & SPA Karpacz has arrived, marking the Swiss brand’s first foray into the Polish market with a look that trades glitz for something far more grounded.
Designed by the MIXD studio, the five-star hotel feels less like a stiff corporate building and more like a high-end take on a mountain shelter. It sits at the foot of Śnieżka, surrounded by forests and ski runs, using its architecture to mirror the rugged landscape of the Karkonosze mountains.
Refuge in the rocks
The design team wanted to make sure the building didn’t pull focus from the scenery. Instead of bright, flashy colours, they opted for a palette of deep greys, blacks, dark greens, and rich walnut wood.
“As interior designers, we focused on not distracting from the stunning mountain scenery of the Karkonosze, so that the hotel – although premium – retains the atmosphere of a mountain shelter: raw, modest interiors that, after mountain hikes, feel like a safe, cosy retreat.”
Piotr Kalinowski, CEO and Creative Director of MIXD
This approach results in spaces that feel quiet and sturdy. The walls in the restaurant and reception are finished with eco-friendly clay plaster mixed with tiny grains, applied by hand to give it a rough, rustic feel. It’s a tactile choice that makes the building feel like it grew out of the earth rather than being dropped onto it.
Lighting that sets the circadian rhythm
Inside, the light does most of the heavy lifting. During the day, huge windows flood the rooms with natural light, showing off the textures of the stone and wood. When the sun goes down, the vibe shifts entirely.
“In the lighting design, we aimed to recreate, especially in the evening, the effect of a fireplace or candles: warm light that soothes, focuses attention, and helps maintain a healthy circadian rhythm.”
Małgorzata Grzechowiak, Associate Procurement at MIXD
One of the most interesting visual threads is the use of circles. Inspired by sundials, you’ll see them everywhere: from the massive backlit Barisol screens floating above the pool to the round mirrors in the spa and the shapes of the furniture. Even the hanging rattan chairs and wall sconces follow this curved logic, giving the eye a soft place to land against the harder edges of the stone.
Local legends and metal maps
The designers didn’t just look at the mountains; they also looked at the history of the town. In the hotel bar, a massive installation of Poppa metal chains hangs from the ceiling like metallic curtains. While they look like modern art, their lengths actually represent a hypsometric map of the local area, tracing the ups and downs of the mountain terrain in gold and silver links.
The herbal history of Karpacz also gets a nod. The dressers feature custom tops made of resin with real leaves and flowers pressed inside, a collaboration with Migaloo Home. In the rooms, you’ll find compositions of dried plants by Joanna Jernajczyk, a small reminder of the “laboratories” that once made this town famous across Europe.
Space for the active
Spread across two buildings, the resort holds 126 apartments, a wellness zone, and the Polanka restaurant. It’s built for people who actually want to be outside. In winter, you are just a few steps from the ski slopes; in summer, the biking trails start almost at the front door. After a day out, guests can jump into the year-round heated outdoor pool or head to the lobby bar for the brand’s famous Swiss chocolate.
Project info
Object: Mövenpick Resort & SPA Karpacz
Location: Karpacz, Poland
Investor: Spectrum Development Group
Completion date: February 6, 2025
Design: MIXD
Design team: Piotr Kalinowski, Katarzyna Majer-Hola, Joanna Mazurek, Małgorzata Grzechowiak, Joanna Stolarczyk, Igor Demuth, Marta Jakubas, Beata Ogrodnik, Olga Grabda, Dominika Wiśniewska, Mai Nguyen, Marta Filik
