It may not be as popular as some other countries around, but Slovenia does have an ace up its sleeve, and that is Lake Bled, a fairytale-like lake that fascinates almost any traveler and appears on bucket lists and travel magazine covers alike. Lake Bled is Slovenia’s most impressive natural objective.

But it’s not the lake alone with its turquoise water that mesmerizes us, it’s the tiny island in the middle of it that makes the entire landscape breathtaking. This picture perfect place is one of the most amazing we’ve ever visited and we don’t regret anything.

There are a lot of options for spending your time around Lake Bled, from superb hiking trails in the surrounding nature to relaxing by the lake and admiring the superb views the place has to offer.

While there, we’ve had the chance to stay for a few nights in the wonderful Rikli Balance Hotel, set right in the heart of Bled. The hotel’s location couldn’t have been better, surrounded by a splendid park and offering panoramic views of Lake Bled and the Castle and the Julian Alps.

First Impression

The new and modern Rikli Balance Hotel, former Hotel Golf, is a conference hotel with a long lasting tradition of hosting all kinds of conferences, events and business meetings. Actually it’s the largest convention centre in Bled, with a capacity of holding up to 350 guests.

Business meetings and conferences aside, the hotel features a total of 130 rooms and 20 luxurious suites that were fully renovated in the last two years. Rikli Balance Hotel isn’t just a hotel with the usual features that other similar hotels offer. It’s a story, one about well-being and health, about sustainability and local traditions.

The hotel’s concept was inspired by the real story of the Swiss natural healer Arnold Rikli who discovered the wonderful Lake Bled and started a natural health resort in Bled back in the 19th century.

The hotel’s rooms bring back a little bit of his story and of those of the traditional Gorenjska embroideries, Carniolan honey bee, the Pkljuka plain spruce and of honey dough hearts. Everything inside this hotel speaks of nature and sustainability.

Accommodation

While there, we’ve had the chance to stay in one of the corner suites which overlooks Lake Bled and we can say we couldn’t unstick our eyes from the marvelous view. The suite was amazing, offering a lot of space (50 square meters) and a design to envy. If it wasn’t for the myriad activities to do around, we would have probably spent all of our time inside the suite.

The interior design is modern and inspiring and combines local natural materials with features and touches that impress. The bedroom features a full bed, 180 cm wide, a bathroom complete with shower and toilet, a living room with a TV set, dining table and sofas, free WiFi and an electric tea or coffee kettle. Simple, elegant and practical.

Eating & Drinking

The hotel’s restaurant is called Panorama and for a good reason. The restaurant offers a wide variety of delicious traditional Slovenian dishes with a view to match their menu. But that’s not all. They’ve got wines as good.

Dining there was a wonderful experience considering the large glass windows that help the surroundings steal your view while savoring their tasteful food choices. Everything is perfected by the staff’s admirable service.

The dishes we tried were very good and we could tell that the cooks have put a lot of work and creativity into preparing and making them look that amazing.

What’s more, the food was seasoned with elderflower, cherries and tarragon, making everything that much more enjoyable. The dishes were also wonderfully served by their skilled waiters. Would we recommend the Panoramic Restaurant? For sure we will.

Spa & Wellness

No hotel of this level could ever miss something like a spa and wellness centre. Especially one like the Rikli Balance Hotel, which promotes a healthy lifestyle inspired by the Swiss natural healer Arnold Rikli, who laid the foundation of a natural spa in Bled in the year 1854, after which the spa tourism flourished in Slovenia.

The ingredients are the clean mountain air, the wonderful nature and an overall favourable climate with plenty of sunny days during any given year. All these combined have a huge benefit on the health and well being of the human body.

Živa Wellness Centre has everything you’ve ever dreamed of – a total of six thermal pools, four indoor, one outdoor and one for children, plus a massage pool, a fun waterslide, three Turkish saunas, three Finnish saunas and two cold pools. Oh, and let’s not forget about the bar with plenty of snacks and refreshing drinks to offer.

The numerous indoor and outdoor pools all have those stunning views of the lake and are perfect after a full day’s hiking around , so make sure you don’t leave your bathing suit at home.

What’s more, the Živa Wellness Centre offers a wide range of therapies and treatments, from massages to Alpine treatments, baths and facial care or beauty treatments with some of the most renowned cosmetic brands on the market. The services they offer are at their best and relaxation is at home in the hotel’s Živa Wellness Centre.

Final Thoughts

After three nights in Bled’s Rikli Balance Hotel, we didn’t want to leave back home. The hotel’s amazing panorama combined with the staff’s professionalism made us feel at home from the moment we did the check-in. The wrap around terrace was one of the best spots in the hotel, with wonderful views of the lake and the castle.

With only five minutes walking distance to the blissful Lake Bled, the hotel’s location is just perfect. The modern and well thought out interior design of the suite we’ve stayed in, the delicious food and the amazing views made our days there something never to forget. We would definitely come back there and recommend it to others.