Slovenia lakes - spa hotel

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Hello - we are hoping to book a holiday abroad (for the first time in 3 years ). Given covid I'm thinking a package is probably safer in case there are any changes. I would prefer Lake Bohinj, but the hotels in Bled look better. Can anyone recommend somewhere they've been to? We are a couple, no children, good budget, planning to travel in June or July

And also which company you travelled with! Thanks

Hey!

I hope to go on holiday this year too! First time in 3 years - sounds like a much deserved break.

I agree, best to go where you know you will be well cared for and your money will be safe. This worries me too!

My family have always travelled with Inghams. Can't praise their customer service enough. I haven't explored other companies yet though, so not sure what else is out there.

In terms of cheap packages, maybe TUI?!

Inghams do summer holidays to Slovenia. I've never been but I have done ski holidays with them before and they were fantastic.

Lake Bohinj and Lake Bled are listed on there. All with recommended hotels. They look stunning. I now want to go too

May take a look lol! Oh and they have a summer offer on too.

Here you go:

www.inghams.co.uk/destinations/slovenia

^ I hope I pasted that right haha! Still getting to grips with this. If not, you can copy and paste!

Thanks @charmed8 - Inghams look good, and they're the kind of company I would go with. Not so bothered about cheap, more about finally having a great holiday!

I tried skiing twice, not for me but I did love the spa hotel in Austria!

We stayed here a few years ago: www.bohinj-eco-hotel.si/

I definitely preferred Lake Bohinj to Lake Bled. Go to Ljubljana too if you can. It’s a lovely, compact city.

I've stayed at both places (though not a spa person so can't help on that side), both are really pretty but in different ways. Bohinj more unspoiled, but not as much to do, and day trips mostly take longer, as you generally have to get the bus to Bled first; Bled is gorgeous too, very charming but much busier. June will be quieter than July. I went with Inghams too, and was happy with the service, but I don't know how they will have coped with retaining staff over Covid and Brexit.

At Bohinj I stayed at the Jezero Hotel - really good pool (I don't think any spa facilities), but food was disappointing, a bit on the cheap and cheerful side, and because the village is so small not many alternatives. Close to the lake but we didn't have lake views.

Bled hotel was the Grand Toplice - looks ugly from the outside but was very nice inside, and room had fantastic lake views, plus very good food; the negative here was the pool which was like an ice bath (it's fed by natural spring water) and also very very small. I think it also had a spa.

Bled hotel was the Grand Toplice - looks ugly from the outside but was very nice inside, and room had fantastic lake views, plus very good food; the negative here was the pool which was like an ice bath (it's fed by natural spring water) and also very very small. I think it also had a spa

We stayed there and it was lovely (I thought it was quite elegant on the outside - quite wedding cakey). Yes to the cold pool though! But I had lovely couple of spa treatments there.

We also stayed at The Park years ago which has a lovely top floor pool but I don't know about spa facilities. It was comfortable but basic and has since been refurbished so I'd like to try it again.

I stayed at Vila Bled - the summer home of Tito. It was absolutely fabulous. Huge rooms, views to die for, and the lake swimming area is really special. But you have to like the fact it’s all rather retro. We stayed in July for the Festival of Light which was magical.

We also stayed at Hotel Skipass in Kranjska Gora. It’s on the outskirts of the town but it’s a fairly new build hotel with the most amazing food. We used it as a base for sightseeing in the mountains. Those were the two best places we stayed. Avoid the Antiq Palace in Ljubljana- our sheets had holes / were darned and door handles missing - in a five star hotel!!

Driving is exceptionally easy and the roads quiet even in the height of summer. We just booked separately but that was before covid.

Thanks all - those are all really helpful. I might consider being braver and booking ourselves for two or three locations. Good to hear driving is easy!

I’ve travelled in Slovenia.

Would recommend a multi-stop trip, including Ljubljana, lake bled and lake bohinj.

You could even, if you were feeling fancy, extend it down to Venice (the train route from Slovenia into Italy is very special)...

You may be more interested in pool swimming than lake swimming but be aware that Lake Bled is fed with hot springs and is much warmer to swim in than Lake Bohinj. Both are glorious in their way. Another vote for a couple of nights in Ljubljana as part of the trip

@MyGreenTutu I didn't know that - and that sounds excellent!

Thanks @vaguelyInteresting. I'm actually planning a 6 week interrailing trip for 2023 so might include that in the itinerary. I'm planning to start in Italy and then go north so would make sense.

The lake and island at Bled is magical, the small town isn't all that (don't get too excited about shopping etc). But there is enough to do in the area for a few days. There are limited places for swimming at the eastern end of the lake near to the town (apart from a pay-to-enter lido with sectioned off bits of lake). The main "beach" and the island is at the other end of the lake, a couple of miles on a lakeshore path. I think Vila Bled, about halfway between the two, would be a great compromise on where to stay and they have direct lakeshore access of their own.

The Vintgar gorge is a really pretty walk not far from the lake.