Top Luxury Hotels and Restaurants in Slovenia: Villa Planinka
Villa Planinka Slovenia
At last, people are now recognizing that Slovenia exists, not only that, the high quality of the experience which is complemented by stunning scenery is also recognized. The catalyst was surely the introduction of a Slovenian Michelin Guide in 2020 that included a 3* restaurant from the start. There are now nine-starred Michelin restaurants with a total of twelve stars and a total of 59 restaurants recommended. Monaco has seven star restaurants with a total of eleven stars.
The hotels through the decades have been good, and characterful with personable staff. Of particular note have been; the Grand Vila Bled, one of President Tito’s perks, and the original Arts and Crafts style Hotel Triglav both overlooking Lake Bled. In the capital Ljubljana, the Antiq Palace Hotel has some charming suites, whilst the Relais Chateaux Kendov Dvorec has been run like a private house in the charming Soca Valley. An historic castle on a river island is a beautiful setting for a characterful hotel and Michelin-starred restaurant, it is the Relais Chateaux Grad Ocotecec. A little diversion; originally the castle was on a promontory sticking out from the river bank, legend has it that the Countess “would not keep the Count’s bed warm at night”. Easily resolved; by removing the intermediate spoil, it became an island.
The increasing number of guests who are seeking new experiences in this small but beautiful country will be well-rewarded. With a population of just over 2,000,000, they nevertheless seem to lack for nothing. One would have thought that such a small community could not afford to live at such a high standard. For many, their style of life appears to be very attractive and without undue pressure. They appear to be relaxed and well-educated including, very conveniently, English is very widely spoken. One could say that it is a softer version of the more ambitious neighbouring Austria whilst having at least as beautiful scenery. Austria has its good wines but Slovenian wines offer a wider selection and are of such a quality that they are offered exclusively in many accomplished restaurants.
From their short Mediterranean coast to the Julian Alps is under a couple of hours and to the capital Ljubljana about an hour and a quarter. A small cloud in the sky for that latter trip is parking; a nightmare.
The combination of the increased publicity now being generated and the awareness of the uncrowded beauty of the landscape has resulted in an expansion of accommodation and dining of a high standard.
There are only two international hotel brands present; Relais Chateaux with two very individual hotels and the Intercontinental in Ljubljana. It is not a large hotel so there is a bit of individuality given by the staff. Ljubljana spoils you for choice of restaurants, new to us was the Penklub (Bib Gourmand) set in a garden virtually next door to the opera house, it is a haunt for those interested in culture and excellent food - It has a Bib Gourmand. A sister restaurant is the Strelec restaurant in the spectacular castle that dominates the city, return visits are a must for us. It has a Michelin star.
Vila Planinka is a recently opened 5* hotel with only 22 rooms and suites. Its claim to fame was that Boris Johnson spent his honeymoon there. It is a converted and extended villa which blissfully sits high on a mountain near the Austrian border, it offers a very individual experience as its ethos has been to create a relaxed atmosphere that reflects that of a staffed private house. There is no reception desk for staff to hide behind, someone will come over to where you are sitting and chat through your query offering whatever guidance you need as the area is well worth exploring. Dining was a delight with most ingredients resourced locally and used imaginatively. A wine-tasting experience is offered.
Their wellness centre is small, usually booked for one party’s exclusive use has infra-red and Finnish saunas, holistic massages, etc. Going outside,
The Ambient Resort in Bled is a new, unique interpretation of house rental and beyond. A clutch of three new spacious villas have been built on an elevated site with glimpses of both the lake and castle. The quality over the whole site is very high whilst echoing the traditional style of the area but using modern design ideas and materials.
In addition to the villas which can be rented individually or as a group, there are two separate features; an atmospheric wine cellar of large proportions with a whole range of local wines. The owner offers the wines largely at wine merchants’ prices whilst some are at wholesale prices.
On a similar basis to the wine cellar, there is a large party pavilion which could obviously be used for anything from a wedding reception to a corporate event.
One of many people’s favourite historic places to visit is Radovljica, its car-free centre is stunning, all the buildings around the main, broad street blend in so perfectly, it could be a film set. One of those beautiful buildings is the Hisa Linhart Hotel, with unbelievably romantic rooms and a charming Michelin-starred restaurant. The owner/chef has cooked for us before, he has now added a cookery school.
The Hisa Franko restaurant with its three-star rating was the trigger that created interest in Slovenia for foodies. A serious challenger for the crown of restaurants is the Boutique Hotel Milka with its two stars in Kranska Gora, a ski and summer resort. Both restaurants are obsessed by setting the highest standard achievable in everything they take on whether it is the décor or the precision that each dish receives in its concept and presentation.
The Milka has a policy of not using anything plastic. Waste, left over from the kitchen’s ingredients is deemed a wasted opportunity; they gave is a couple of small bottles to take home of “Waste (D) Cordial” to be mixed with soda to create a flavourful drink. A good touch was that the bottles should be returned for a refill on our next visit so nothing is wasted.
Within some three months of opening in 2022, the Milka restaurant gained its first star and a year later, it was awarded a second star. The whole experience was astounding and certainly the equal of Hisa Franko, I would not bet against the odds of being awarded that illusive third star. We had dinner where the flow of exquisitely presented dishes seemed endless, each balanced with their individual tastes. It was a magic experience of over three hours.
Historic Hotels and Restaurants
www.hoteltriglavbled.si (Triglav Bled)
www.antiqpalace.com (Antiq Palace)
www.kendov-dvorec.com (Kendov Dvorec)
www.grad-otocec.com (Grad-Otocec)
Hotels and Restaurants
www.kaval-group.si (PenKlub)
www.vilaplaninka.com Vila Planinka)
www.ambientresort-bled.com (Ambient Resort Bled)
www.hisalinhart.si (Hisa Linhart)
www.hotelmilka.si (Hotel Milka)
Tourist Offices, Etc
