Finding a great place to stay in Ljubljana can be a bit of a challenge. Most of the options are in the city center, which is great if you want to be in the heart of everything. But if you’d like to be a bit more removed from the hustle and bustle, it can be tough to research where to stay without knowing a local. Most of the sites and Google searches will be in Slovenian. And without going there in person, you’ll never know if the lodging it too far out of the way or just right.
During my recent trip to Ljubljana, I stayed at B&B Mio Nonno Trattoria, a charming B&B tucked away in Šmartno. Šmartno is a small town just north of Ljubljana and it’s super easy to get to by bus or taxi. Here’s what surprised me, what I’d book again, and what future guests should know before hitting “reserve.”
First Impressions
When I arrived at the train station, it was around 12:30am. My local friend had already advised me to download the Taxi Metro app, which works just like Uber does in the US. (Slovenia has Uber now too!) My taxi driver’s first comment was “wow! You’re staying pretty far from the city!” Kind of concerning when you’re in a new city, but luckily that was just the European sense of distance talking. Not even 15 minutes later, I was dropped off outside of my B&B. I just moved to Denver after living in Orlando for 13 years, and growing up in upstate New York before that. Lodging 15 minutes from downtown sounds pretty close to me!
The nearest grocery store is walkable with a gorgeous scenic view. It would take about 20 minutes by foot. Alternatively, you can hop on the city bus and be there in ten minutes. You catch the bus right down the hill from the B&B and it drops you off right outside of the store. It’s impossible to get lost!
The Room
The room itself was super cute. My stay was for 2 weeks and it was perfect for just one or two people. I specifically chose the Superior Studio because I wanted the kitchenette. With the length of my stay, I wanted the ability to prepare my own food instead of eating out every day. The room included dishes and cookware, so I just needed to grocery shop.
I was staying during the first two weeks of May. I believe this is considered off-peak, so the room was about $100 USD per night. I also had to leave about $35 USD as city tax in cash, but that is based on how long you stay. If you only stay a week, you’ll pay half that amount.
The bed was queen sized and I found it to be comfortable. The nook it’s tucked into is pretty small. It was great for just me, but if you were sharing with a partner, there’d be no way for you both to get in and out without disturbing the other as one side has to be pressed to the wall. The other downside is that the room was advertised with a desk. That’s another reason I booked it, as I needed to work remotely during my stay. When I got there, there was no desk and it was replaced with two dining chairs (but no table). This made it a bit difficult to work and limited my comfortable seating options for my guests to visit.
The room is equipped with a mini split that provides heating and cooling. When I first checked in, there was no remote to the unit, so I wasn’t sure if the hosts controlled it. I was comfortable with the room temperature so I didn’t ask about it, but when we were expecting a few near-freezing days, they brought the remote to me unprompted. The hosts are super responsive via WhatsApp so if you do need the remote and it’s not there, I’m sure they’d have no problem providing it. There is one window in the room, which doesn’t let in a ton of light but it does offer a great view of the mountain peak. It looks like at one point they had a cat that could explore, as there’s a little perch in the window and a grated screen, but it was pretty dusty so I don’t think there’s been a cat there for quite some time.
The WiFi worked great, but it does limit what you can access. For example, I was able to work fine and my Zoom connection was great, but I wasn’t able to play any of my online games like Genshin Impact or Overwatch. For the most part, I found the room to be reasonably soundproof. I couldn’t hear the other guests but I knew there were others staying there. There was one night, however, where I believe there was a wedding or something in the restaurant downstairs. I could hear that through the floor. All. Night. Long. Thankfully, we’d done a long day of walking and adventuring so I was way too tired for that to keep me up. And that was the only instance of any noise during my entire stay.
The booking says the room is on the first floor, however there is a small flight of stairs you have to climb to access it. Due to this, this B&B has no wheelchair accessible rooms. You would need to be able to climb about 7 stairs to get to any of the rooms.
Breakfast
Okay, okay. I forgot to test this one. Breakfast is included in the price of your booking and it’s served from 8am-10am daily. I never actually made it downstairs to catch it. I was either out too early or I was enjoying the few days I had to sleep in. I was also less motivated to go downstairs and grab breakfast since I had the kitchenette. I didn’t feel like getting presentable when I could just make my own food.
Who This B&B Is Perfect For
Due to the compact size of this room, I’d say it’s best for:
- Couples
- Solo travelers
- Digital nomads
- First-time visitors to Ljubljana
- Budget-conscious travelers
This specific room wouldn’t be great for:
- Families with small children
- Travelers with mobility concerns
- Luxury hotel seekers
That being said, they do have larger rooms that would be a much better fit for a family, so I’d recommend looking into those instead.
Exploring Ljubljana From Here
The location is super convenient. You can easily explore Šmartno on foot or hop on the bus to reach the city center within 10-15 minutes. I’d highly recommend exploring Šmartno. It’s got the small mountain-town vibe that really allows you to unplug and relax. There’s a stunning view of the Sava River, views of the Alps all around, and low levels of street traffic.
Once you head into the city, the world really is your oyster. I recommend walking around Old Town or heading into the city center to tour the Ljubljana Castle. You can visit the castle for free, but it’s $18 to access the observation tower. I highly recommend buying the ticket. The view of the city from up there is stunning. Just be warned, the only way up is by the stairs and they are going to put you through it. Maybe not as bad as climbing the Eiffel Tower, but it’s certainly going to feel like it while you’re climbing. Even my friend who walks everywhere every day was struggling.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I would absolutely book this room again for my future Slovenia trips. This was my second choice B&B. The one I wanted originally wasn’t available for the full 2 weeks, but would have been closer to the coffee shop my friend and I visited every day and right next to the grocery store. If that one isn’t available again, I’d come right back here. It’s perfect for my needs and I grew attached to my little room.
Planning a trip to Slovenia? If sorting through hotels is already giving you decision fatigue, I’ve got you. I can help you find a cute B&B like this one, or set you up with a nice hotel in the city center. I’ll be able to walk you through how to get there and how to navigate the city too. Just reach out and we’ll get your trip planned!
