I have to admit to not knowing much about Slovenia before heading there for the launch of the all-new Nissan X-Trail e-Power, e-4ORCE SUV, but now I do and can’t wait to go back.
To me, Slovenia is one of those places that sits somewhere in the middle of Europe, in the midst of some Alpine range, but quite frankly I couldn’t instantly find it on a map. But hugging the likes of Croatia and Austria, to the northeast of Italy, it’s a hidden gem that’s glorious all oh, so many ways.
The terrain is an idyllic mix of mountains, lakes and forests and the architecture consists of an assortment of alpine chalets and rustic churches, so many churches. The snow capped mountains were a stunning sight as we flew into Ljubljana airport and the one hour road trip to our hotel in Triglav National Park, passing the epic Lake Bled as we went..
Hotel Bohinj sits among the high Slovenian (Julian) mountain ranges and beside Lake Bohinj. It’s a large hotel that’s been created from natural materials and oozes sustainability from every angle, in fact it even holds the Ecolabel certificate, a demanding achievement as it’s only awarded to tourist accommodation providers who consider and apply high sustainability standards in all processes of their operation.
Check was pre arranged and therefore seamless, but the staff were attentive and helpful from the moment we entered the premises. My room was but a few feet from the lobby but still involved a brief walk down a mineshaft-style corridor that would freak out those on any form of medication.
The room itself had an alpine and sustainable theme, with bright wooden finishes and an Alp range embossed into the wall, and for those that like their accommodation to have character, Hotel Bohinj has it in droves.
The bed looked very inviting after a long flight there, and as it turned out, fulfilled its promise of comfort later that night, and rather than offering ‘regular’ hotel slippers, the Bohinj’s are very special and unique, funky looking, made of recycled felt, and came home with me – whereas most others don’t.
There are plenty of things on offer from the hotel should you wish, alpine treks, Yoga, Meditation and the like, or you could simply relax, enjoy the view and sample their fine array of wines and locally sourced foods.
We had a job to do while there, review the new X-Trail, a job that included navigating the tiny Slovenian townships and roads so narrow, both you and the car had to breathe in at points, but the air felt clean and did I mention the epic views?
We did make a stop at Villa Bled, a stately looking place that overlooked lake Bled. It’s one of those must see places where you have a high-tea experience and sample the local delight Bled Cake – it’s a custard, cream style cake that’s soo sweet that I could only manage two slices, and I’m a pro.
Our hosts called Slovenia ‘the green heart of Europe’ and I can see why. It’s a stunning, seemingly untouched, country that in Autumn offers such an amazing array of colours and sights. However, it’s also well-known as an epic alpine/ski location and I believe that it will look even better (if that’s possible) when covered in a blanket of snow – I guess I’ll have to go back and find out.
