U.S. Citizen Moving to Poland - opening business?

Location, location, location! Choose it carefully, in a known tourist area. The Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska is not too far from the area you mention.

And don't be tempted to buy a zjazd by a big main road - most of them don't make much if any money.

No surprise, looking at the rates some of them offer: on the road from Warsaw to Terespol you can get a room for 50zl a night!

And sometimes excellent food for basically small change.

Excellent responses --

I was looking at Chrzanow or Balice actually -- I will look up the other area mentioned. (there is more than location itself -- it's finding the niche ;) ). If all else fails after our visit in the spring, we will settle for extreme NE Poland where my family is from.

Poland is then the opposite of the United States -- where back roads are more often preferred over the freeway (aka A4). I'd prefer to offer package deals (no spas -- Poland has enough of those) like shopping gift certificates, dinner and movie, etc. The distance between Gliwice and Krakow is a little over an hours drive (we presently drive 2 hours each way to work), so that won't be a problem for us -- and I already know that there are NO truly American style inns in that area -- specifically offering the amenities that Americans prefer (spacious rooms, complimentary wine hour, complimentary manager's reception (free food), flat screen tv's, free internet, etc.) There are many hotels that carry an American name (Hilton, Marriott, etc) but even those fall short on the space they provide for their brands in the states.

Again, I have several years to think about it -- and to put my ducks in a row. I greatly appreciate the conversation.

Absolutely no-one in their right mind would take the back roads here.


Do you perhaps wonder why?

If it hasn't been done already in Poland, then there's probably no market for it. I can't imagine most Poles (or even foreigners) shelling out the money needed for such accommodation unless it was in somewhere like Wisla.

I really miss american style travel inns and think there might be a market for that - the quality of roadside hotels in poland is appalling and getting better only at a slow rate.

I think the main problem you will have is that in the US cheap land and cheap, good quality food allows you to provide a lot of value for the customer. Spacious rooms here will be more expensive to build.

But you could definitely win if you get your catering right - hot, relatively healthy and filling, and if you have sports on.