Must-see hotels in Southwestern Slovenia

This 19th-century grande dame is a 181-room, five-star masterpiece in the Kempinski stable, with a new and an old wing masterfully combining traditional…

This attractive, 45-room property faces Tartinijev trg and manages to catch a few sea or square views from the upper floors. A 2018 overhaul has turned…

In a relaxing rural setting 9km northwest of Postojna Cave, a Welsh-Finnish couple have established this very hospitable, affordable guesthouse. They…

This renovated old school is home to 17 bright, modern rooms with two to four beds (with shared or private bathrooms), plus a couple of two-bedroom…

Halfway between the Vipava Valley and Škocjan Caves (about 25km from both), this hostel is worth the trip. It's in a 400-year-old house in the idyllic…

This huge, concrete, socialist-era hotel is part of the Postojna Cave complex and has undergone a stunning renovation, reopening in 2016 with slick,…

This is a high-quality hostel, with bright, fresh features and cool design. Rooms sleep four to eight (with a 24-bed room for groups). All bathrooms are…

Built by travellers for travellers, this excellent guesthouse sits just off Tartinijev trg and offers 12 fresh rooms, decorated with timber and lots of…

Four kilometres from Vipava in the hamlet of Slap, Majerija has a fun, unique offering: 10 rooms built underground – under the herb garden, in fact. These…

The town's flagship hotel has a commanding waterside position, great service and a century of history. There are 74 modern rooms and 15 suites – sea view…

To stay in the area, atmospheric Šmartno is a top choice. This hotel is close to the entrance to the fortified village and has polished service, bright,…

Piran’s most romantic accommodation has just six handsome, compact rooms, each bearing a woman’s name rather than a number, in a delightful, coral…

This charming old inn lies within the fortified walls of Šmartno and offers four excellent, spacious rooms. Also here is a wine bar (Wednesday to Monday)…

A small, chilled-out and eco-friendly retreat tucked into the woods outside Lucija, on the outskirts of Portorož. Tents with air mattresses can be hired –…

Don't be fooled by the institutional exterior – inside, this place is a riot of colour. It's surrounded by parkland and is a fun, chilled-out space, with…

This might just be the coast's best hostel. Tucked away off a winding alley, it's small and modern with fresh decor – beds are in dorms sleeping four to…

On the southern fringe of the old city, this well-regarded hostel has simple but modern dorms and doubles or twins that put most hotels in the area to…

In the hamlet of Markovec, Miha and his family run a comfy five-room guesthouse and a restaurant beloved of locals, serving homemade regional specialities…

Behind its somewhat incongruous chocolate-brown exterior, this super-central, 52-room hotel offers friendly service, a popular seafood restaurant and…

This large, attractive forested site is about 4km past the Postojna Cave complex, near the entrance to Pivka Cave. Some of the cosy, family-sized, stone…