Vila Planinka

Mr Smith and I booked Vila Planinka for the hiking. As it turned out, this elegant hotel in northern Slovenia was indeed the perfect base for our treks, but it offered so much more — from the incredible wine and food, to the five-star service, sense of peace and wonderful mountain views. Even better, it’s less than half an hour’s drive from Ljubljana airport, so you can be striding up mountains at 11am and on a plane home the very same night. 

Set amid the meadows and forests of the Jezersko Valley, this contemporary lodge is overlooked by the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, which provide a dramatic and ever-changing backdrop as they move in and out of sun, rain and clouds. (The only slight blot on the landscape is a petrol station opposite, but it looked like some clever planting on the terrace will soon fix this.) 

Mr Smith and I arrived slightly grubby and tired after a six-hour hike, and the staff immediately put us at ease, whisking our bags away and seating us on the terrace with cold towels and a pot of hot tea. Refreshed, we were given an orientation by one of the brilliant team, who talked us through the many activities on offer, from saunas, wine-tastings and massages to mountain hikes, bike rides and alpine stargazing.  

We stayed in a Corner Deluxe Room, which boasted a beautiful view up the valley through its floor-to-ceiling windows and from its balcony. Crisp white linen, wooden floors and rugs gave it a serene, tactile feel. I also loved some of the simple details, such as the old-school Bakelite switches (which were fantastically easy to operate for a Luddite like me), and the fact the air-conditioning amounted to a soothing ceiling fan and a glass door opened to let in the alpine breezes. There was no bath, but the spacious shower, with zero-waste bath products in dispensers, was perfect. A little cake stand on the desk, housing a traditional Slovenian pastry for us to share, was also a nice touch. 

After relaxing in the saunas (both Finnish and infrared), we headed downstairs for a drink and had a very good martini on the terrace, made with local gin and vermouth, as we watched the sun go down over the mountains. 

The food we ate at Vila Planinka was the best we had all week — it was a celebration of all things Slovenian, but with a modern twist. Highlights from the four-course set menu included starters of bright pink beetroot bread, whipped butter and seed pesto, and potato rosti with tangy homemade pickles; and mains of tender trout ceviche and a dish of slow-cooked pork cheek that was a great match for Slovenia’s flavoursome orange wines. There was also a fantastic dessert of blueberry ‘soup’ with a scoop of rye-bread ice-cream. Breakfast was also excellent, with something for all tastes, whether you like splurging on gooey pistachio cake, cured meats and smoked cheeses or detoxing with kombucha, juices, yoghurt and seeds. 

Slovenia has a vibrant wine scene and Vila Planinka’s head sommelier Vanesa Centrih is a gem. We did a lengthy tasting of local wines with her that was enormous fun. Her deputy, who is a fellow seasoned mountaineer, was also full of alpine wisdom. 

Vila Planinka’s masseuse Ivana gave me a good pummelling that restored my tired muscles no end. I’m told that more wellness programming, including yoga classes, is on the cards. 

On our second evening, the valley was hit by a spectacular lightning storm, which Mr Smith and I watched from the comfort of our bed — proof that this hotel can be a pleasure whatever the weather. By morning, the rain had cleared, so we embarked on a wonderfully testing hike up through the woods and crags, to a mountain refuge where we were served alpine-herb tea in a pine-clad room smelling comfortingly of woodsmoke and stew. 

There was a lot to love about Vila Planinka, but what really made it was the team. They were intuitive and friendly, but also knew when to leave you in peace. And they were always happy to help, whether that was making enquiries at neighbouring restaurants, proffering water and sticks for hikes, or printing out the hotel’s excellent granola recipe so I could make it for our kids. I left with the sense that they were proud not just of their hotel, but also their culture and country — they were truly great ambassadors.