seven hotel finds in slovenia
Slovenia is still rather new for the tourist market and the hotel offering isn’t that extensive yet. If you are looking for a farm or rural family accommodation, you have quite a lot to choose from, but the hotel selection isn’t as extensive as in many other European countries.
I’ve been to Slovenia twice now and visited accommodations from farms to high-end hotels, and thought it would be good to give a little summary of the places I know and options available. The main attraction for me is the location of these accommodations – often surrounded by clean nature offering beautiful views without the constant background noise and light pollution at night.
Gold Club hotel and casino in Ajdovščina
Gold Club is a three-star hotel and casino (soon to be four-star) in Ajdovščina, the Vipava Valley wine region. Don’t be fooled by the rating here, this hotel has a very nice with fresh contemporary decor of gold and brown tones, it’s own micro brewery, pizza restaurant as well as a la carte restaurant – and of course the casino. The price is certainly right here and you’ll have a good night sleep followed by a delicious breakfast.
Converted coastal convent hotel Adria Ankaran
This converted monastery really is a seaside resort with accommodation varying from the four-star hotel to camping. The location is convenient for exploring the coastal area – just a few kilometres from the town of Koper.
The biggest pro for Hotel Adria Ankaran is the large indoor spa, outdoor pool by the sea (note that there is no beach though but a pier for swimming in the sea) and other sporting facilities. The area in general could benefit from a little revamp, but the general standard is good, and price is just right in this resort – and it’s perfect for families.
Hotel Cerkno in the deep countryside of Cerkno valley
If you are looking to experience the countryside (hiking, biking, skiing…) but are looking for a hotel to stay at instead of a chalet or similar, then Hotel Cerkno is the place to stay at. They are the owners of the nearby ski centre Ski Cerkno also.
The rooms are of good quality standard with lovely views over the village and surrounding mountains. The food is good and the restaurant offers local specialties, and they even have their own signature drink, a walnut-liquer sweetened with honey, called Laufar.
The facilities in the hotel are great from saunas and warn indoor pool to tennis courts and free mountain bikes outside. A true sporting paradise!
Chalets in Ski Centre Cerkno in the mountains
Skiing holidays is Slovenia are another emerging area for tourists: the slopes are great, they aren’t crowded yet and the price is right both for equipment rentals and lift tickets. Ski Cerkno has family-friendly slopes, cross-country tracks, indoor and outdoor play areas for the children and fresh, spacious apartments suitable for families and small groups. Summertime of course is great for biking and hiking again along well marked routes.
Mountain-top guest house in Sinji vrh
Another little gem with breathtaking views: little mountain-top guest houses in Sinji vrh give you almost 360 view over the the Vipava valley, and all the way to the coast. This little inn has only 25 beds in a traditional setting. This is basic, yet very clean and rooms are newly renovated.
The owner, Mr Hieronim Vidmar offers guests home-made herbal liquer and his restaurant is a perfect post-hike stop for delicious cheese and ham platters served with freshly baked bread and delicious local wines. This is the perfect location for hiking and relaxation (I observed a group doing tai ji in the meadows) and I absolutely loved this guest house!
Medieval palazzo Antiq Palace Hotel & Spa in Ljubljana
My second visit to Slovenia was centered around the Slovenian capital Ljubljana and I stayed with my children in the medieval palace Antiq Palace Hotel & Spa, which is located in the heart of the old town centre. This small luzurious 4-star hotels offers both spacious rooms and apartment suites, which are tastefully, sometimes even opulently decorated to reflect their medieval heritage and grandeur of the time.
Besides the great location and lovely rooms, the amazing breakfast, free gym and spa area with a hot tub and four saunas, as well as the beauty spa are worth mentioning. The concierge is eager to help with every request and ensure that your stay will be memorable.
If you want to find more about this lovely hotel, read my full review on Skimbaco Lifestyle here: Hotel Review: History Comes Alive in Antiq Palace Hotel & Spa in Ljubljana
Mediterranean luxury in Kempinski Palace Portorož
[image courtesy of Kempinski Palace Portorož]
There are true luxury hotels in Slovenia also, for example in the coastal Portorož, on the seafront is the Kempinski Palace Portorož – and I might have said before Kempinski is one of my favourite luxury hotel groups. I’ve yet to stay here, but I am hoping to do so this summer…
Hotel tip: All hotels I’ve visited also offer free wi-fi, which is one of the most sough-after amenities in hotels for foreign travellers – as roaming charges can add up otherwise quite quickly to your home plan. If Internet connection is important it’s good to check in advance before making bookings – even some smaller, private accommodations provide wi-fi connections.
Disclosure: Although my stays have been compensated, I am free to express my opinions based on my personal experiences.