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Two Stars are BornHotel Vila Bled & Historic SloveniaBy Marguerite Jordan
President George W. Bush and President Vladimir Putin had an historic conference in the country’s capital, Ljubljana (LOO-blee-AHN-ah), to shore up the continuing defense talks between the United States and Russia. Newsmen from the BBC, CNN, The New York Times and others around the world covered the story, and some of these correspondents ended up filing both news and travel articles. They realized that they had the good luck to find a wonderful “new” place to visit.
While the two statesmen and their aides were nailing down important geopolitical details, the American First Lady was taken on a cultural tour of this small country that is about the size of Massachusetts. One person who helped show Laura Bush the beauties of the land was Janez Fajfar (YAHN-ess FAIY-farr), the manager of the country’s premier place to stay, the Hotel Vila Bled.
There are many reasons why the Hotel Vila Bled is the top draw of the area, including the fact that the building itself was once one of Marshall Josef Tito’s eleven villas. Once the most powerful man in all of Yugoslavia, Tito was also the nemesis of the USSR leadership, because, although a Communist himself, he would not bow to their directives during the Cold War.
The Hotel Vila Bled is a commanding lakeside building set on a 20-acre park, built in the old rather blocky style favored by the communists in the 1950’s. Now a Relais & Chateaux property, it has been completely updated. Relais & Chateaux have built upon the history of its prior owners and visitors and have added some very elegant touches. Landscaped beautifully, with colorfully bold red and yellow plants lining the dramatic drive up to the building, it is located on the southeastern edge of the Julian Alps. It is just 35 kilometers north of the Ljubljana/Brnik Airport, or the same distance south of the Austrian border.
The wood floors are buffed to a high gloss, and individualistic paintings and other wall hangings recall earlier times. In places it is almost austere, yet the action in the piano bar and attractive dining room is very lively. A full wine list and a continental menu are offered, as well as a delightful selection of Slovenian wines and fortified drinks, otherwise known as Schnappes. Host Fajfar has charming manners, entertaining with amusing stories and introductions. On both my visits, I met many other guests and felt very welcome. The atmosphere is almost like a house party, with a fair amount of table-hopping.
Legend dictates that newlyweds must visit this sacred rococo building. The groom is expected to carry the bride up the old granite steps to the church, and once inside, he must pull the bell chord once, making the bell ring three times. This presumably brings good luck to the marriage.
If you stay at Hotel Vila Bled, you may row out yourself, or else someone on staff will gladly take you. Staff will also assist you in hiring bikes, canoes, kayaks or planning mountain hikes, either solo or escorted. On-site is a tennis court, and nearby is the 18-hole Bled golf course. Within a range of ten to thirty miles away are countless trails, peaks and rivers waiting to be explored. Slovenia is serious about protecting their natural sites and has adopted a careful conservation code that ensures the visitor a pristine experience. Janez Fajfar is an “full-service” hotel manager. He personally escorts guests on half- or full-day tours of the region’s attractive villages, castles, rivers, waterfalls, vineyards and mountains, providing an amusing commentary as he does so. He is totally irreverent and simply full of fun. It is fair to say that if you had only had one day to spend in this country, Lake Bled would be the place, and Fajfar would be the person to guide you. Just ask Laura Bush! RESOURCESHotel Vila Bled, Janez Fajfar, Manager |
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TM
Adventurous travelers sometimes learn about new
destinations, not from guidebooks or travel magazines, but rather from
breaking news events. For instance, last year in April, the central European
country of Slovenia became an "overnight success" when a meeting between two
of the world’s top leaders took place on its soil. 
Ljubljana has been compared to Prague for its beautiful
architecture and exciting culture. Fine restaurants, a lively nightclub and
jazz scene, superb museums and an interesting arts program make a visit
interesting any time of the year. Outside the city, the largely agricultural
landscape is unspoiled. Several mountain areas, including the Julian Alps,
attract the active traveler for hiking, biking, canoeing, skiing, etc.
American tourists are beginning to discover the charming spa towns and
quaint villages that dot the countryside. Vineyards, horse farms, caves,
waterfalls, and other natural retreats have been drawing European visitors
back each year.
In his capacity as one-man ambassador for Slovenia, Fajfar
has taken it upon himself to make everyone’s stay, not just the First
Lady’s, something quite special. He offers his commanding view of the
country’s history to explain this new nation’s place in the world. Slovenia
was formerly a part of Yugoslavia, and broke away only eleven years ago. It
has the highest GNP (gross national production) of all the Eastern Europe
countries. 
A figure of some stature, he entertained many statesmen and
politicians, including Haile Selassie and Nehru, as well as his fellow
Communist leaders of the Russian republics. 
You think of some of the former famous visitors as you walk
through the public rooms, picturing the likes of Kruschev and Elizabeth
Taylor and others who came a-calling. (Yes, it’s true – Tito and Liz had a
very special, and some say unusual, friendship. She visited several times,
once even with Richard Burton.) It is easy to imagine them sitting, perhaps
over a cocktail (!), on one of the many verandas, enjoying the view of the
famous tiny offshore island. Today, visitors enjoy dining on the terrace,
watching the passing parade of people doing their daily walk around the
lake. The scene is a photographer’s dream: the interplay of the lake water,
bright blue sky and light fluffy clouds makes for an ever-changing picture.
You can visit the room that was once Tito’s library, and, in
walking in the very wide halls, you can almost sense his presence. This is a
hotel unlike any other, and it is truly a glimpse into the character of the
post-War mentality. Much of the furniture is of the overstuffed 1950’s ilk,
heavy chairs and sofas, which, amazingly, have come back into vogue. Each of
the ten bedrooms is large and airy, and the twenty suites feel enormous. Ask
for Suite # 102, if you would like to sleep in Tito’s bed.
The lake town of Bled is becoming a very fashionable
watering hole, and nearly all the hotels around the region are filled in the
summer season.You can walk down from the terrace to a beautiful footpath
that hugs the water’s edge, and continue on around the lake, a great way to
see and be seen. Parkland on the lakeside and throughout the area is a
veritable arboretum. Firs, weeping willows, flowering bushes such as giant
rhododendrons and numerous other specimens cover the shore. Surrounding the
lake are guesthouses, other hotels, parks and camp grounds, all of them
facing the old stucco church, St. Mary’s on the petite island in the middle. 
Everyone who visits the town of Lake Bled makes the
pilgrimage, to the island, even if not a newlywed. It is a short (one
half-hour) boat ride, or a decent swim. Most of the public boats depart from
the town side of the lake about a mile and a half from the villa, on the
side where the Casino is. Handsomely crafted mahogany boats run on a
frequent but irregular schedule. Whenever enough tourists fill a boat, the
boatman will row across to the island.