The Best Wellness Retreats in Slovenia
From the invigorating Julian Alps to the thermal waters of Podčetrtek, Slovenia has wellness baked into its landscape. Escape the daily grind at one of these top Slovenian wellness retreats that you can book now with Culture Trip.
Slovenia is a “selfness” destination – a place to slow down and reconnect with nature and oneself. As one of the greenest countries in the world, with more than 50 percent of the land protected, Slovenia unsurprisingly uses its natural beauty to its advantage. Thermal and mineral springs shape many of the spa offerings, as do local natural healing ingredients – be they honey, salt, herbs, flora, fauna, mud or peat. Read on to discover the best wellness hotels in Slovenia.
1. Grand Hotel Toplice – Sava Hotels & Resorts
Resort, Spa Hotel, Chain Hotel
Set on the shores of Lake Bled, this historic hotel overlooks mirrored waters, the fairytale church of Otok island and the Julian Alps. Built upon two thermal springs, the hotel features traditional thermal baths dating to the 1930s. Today the wellness offerings have been upgraded to include Spa Luisa, which has a Roman-style swimming pool framed by palatial columns and filled daily with mineral-rich thermal spring water. Wellness programmes, ritual packages, saunas and massages are also available.
2. Grand Hotel Primus – Sava Hotels & Resorts
Resort, Spa Hotel, Chain Hotel
A stay at this four-star superior hotel gives you access to a wealth of Roman-inspired wellness opportunities. Choose from one of five Vespasianus pools and many saunas (including chromotherapy, aromatherapy, mud, steam and salt). They have a Be Fit programme available, or if you’re after a more hard-hitting health package, the Grand Hotel has post-trauma and post-operative rehabilitation. Book a room with a thermal bathtub for that extra bit of pampering before bed.
4. Ortenia
Resort
Podčetrtek, a spa village with natural thermal springs, sits in the Unesco-protected Kozjansko and Obsotelje region of eastern Slovenia. Fittingly, here you’ll find Ortenia – an eco-estate nestled among nature in what’s long been locally called the Garden of Eden. Six sustainably designed apartments share a common wellness area with a Finnish and infrared sauna, an outdoor jacuzzi overlooking the local castle, and an in-house massage service (try the relaxation massage with gold). You’ll also receive discounts to local wellness centres, including the premier Slovenian spa, Wellness Orhidelia.
5. Kempinski Palace Portoroz
Casino Hotel, Chain Hotel, Love Hotel, Spa Hotel
This grand five-star hotel, the facade a relic to the art deco era, is located in Portorož – a seaside resort at the top of the Istria peninsula. The Rose Spa includes both an outdoor and indoor (saltwater) pool, a whirlpool, sauna area and fitness centre – plus an array of luxury treatments. Choose from the locally inspired Istria detox ritual or one of the many massages on offer. For outdoor sea therapy, enjoy the hotel’s stretch of private beach.
6. Hotel Vita – Terme Dobrna
Resort, Spa Hotel
The oldest thermal spa resort in Slovenia, Terme Dobrna combines the latest in modern medicinal sciences with more traditional treatments. Alongside rehabilitation and physical therapies, healing here is focused around thermal baths, fango wraps (using mud made from volcanic rock) and turf – an oestrogen-rich organic mud used in a therapeutic bath.
7. Rimske Terme
Spa Hotel
Andreja Posedel contributed additional reporting to this article.
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