Ljubljana has been officially proclaimed as the European Green Capital of 2016 and this is one of the greenest capitals I’ve ever visited. Is there a better place to stay in Ljubljana than a green hotel? Luckily I managed to find a hotel dedicated to the idea of sustainability just in the beating heart of Ljubljana. Here I am, excited to share my thoughts about Hotel Park – Urban & Green.
Location
Hotel Park Ljubljana is located in the middle of an actual park surrounded by lots of trees in a quiet residential area. The hotel is easy accessible and stands on just 8-10 minutes from the Train/Bus Station and only 5-10 minutes from most of Ljubljana’s historical sites like the Dragon bridge (Zmajski most) and the Three bridges (Tromostovje). The location is great if you want to stay close to the center but you don’t want to be disturbed by the city buzz.
About
Hotel Park Ljubljana offers 207 standard, comfort and superior rooms including 2 suites and 6 family rooms most of them freshly renovated. The building itself is one of the tallest in Ljubljana and this means that you could have a really nice view of the city. Besides the great location, the cozy rooms and the amazing view, there’s something that impressed me the most. The team behind Hotel Park works hard for a great cause – to run the greenest hotel in Ljubljana. And they are doing pretty well because the hotel received the prestigious Travelife Gold certificate. Sounds good, but what does it really mean? That means they care about the environment and support the idea of sustainability within the tourism industry.
The room
Hotel Park kindly offered me to stay for a night in one of their superior rooms. So here I am, staying in front of my room, holding my keycard and being curious about what I’m going to find when I enter. I’m in an eco-hotel after all. The room was spacious enough for one person and while my eyes run through it I could see only natural colors, materials and elements.
The room was equipped with everything you need for a pleasant stay – big comfortable bed, working desk with a wooden lamp, wardrobe, flat screen TV and a minibar with some of the finest Slovenian drinks. The bathroom followed the style of the room with soft colors and clean shapes. Absolutely everything in the room was carefully chosen. Stylish yet natural.
The breakfast
Hotel Park offers a rich breakfast every morning in the restaurant. And because the whole concept of the hotel is based on being eco-friendly, you can find lots of fresh fruits and other hearty food in the buffet. I just adore these small table signs that encourage you to eat more healthy.
Urban & Green
Hotel Park Ljubljana hosts cultural, entertaining and artistic events, open not only for the guests but also for the neighbors. Furthermore, the team’s eco-spirit have no limits. Park Hotel is part of a project that tries to protect and save the Slovenian bee. That’s right, there are two beehives on the rooftop as well as a small herbal garden.
One of Park Hotel’s main principles is “Reduce, reuse and recycle” and they try to spread that idea working on eco-projects in the neighborhood. How cool is that?
Get to know Slovenian parks – Urban & Green mobile app
While you wait for the elevator you may take a look at the info points and get to know more about Slovenian national parks. Every floor is dedicated to a different park so why don’t you take the stairs and check them all. As part of this campaign, Park Hotel implemented an absolutely cool feature – Urban & Green mobile app (for Android and iOS). The idea of the app is not only to offer a better connection between the guests and the reception but also to motivate them to be more physically active. When you scan QR codes using the app and read the info about the parks, you actually collect badges. At the end, there’s a big chance to be awarded for your efforts, if you have enough badges.
Final thoughts
If you are looking for a place to stay in Ljubljana I highly recommend you to check Park Hotel – Urban and Green. It easily combines perfect location, great service and affordable prices. I was pleasantly surprised by the balance the hotel team keeps between managing an eco-friendly hotel while keeping it urban and socially engaged.
My stay at Hotel Park – Urban & Green was complimentary as part of a press stay. As always, all opinions are my own!
