Grand Hotel Union Business, Ljubljana > Reviews (1)

***LJUBLJANA: A CITY OF CULTURE AND HISTORY***

Ljubljana (pronounced: lube lee ana) is the capital city of Slovenia. There has been a lot of discussion into the name and where it originated from some believe that it was named after the Latin name 'aluviana' which refers to a flooded river. Romantics however would prefer to believe that the name refers to the Slavic word 'Luba' which means 'beloved'.

I visited Ljubljana two years ago for a European Convention. I really could not have imagined or prepared for the outstanding beauty of the city. Unlike many cities I have visited this one is surrounded by greenery and is a really gorgeous sight to wake up to everyday.

Walking through the city I was drawn immediately to the ornate carvings and beautiful artwork. The buildings have a lot of character and are beautiful. It is impossible to look out over Ljubljana without catching a glimpse of the gorgeous castle perched prominently on the hill. The Ljubljanica River flows elegantly down through the city, passing the cobbled streets and many cafes and restaurants. During my time in Slovenia I stayed at the beautiful, elegant Grand Union Hotel. I believe that my holiday was made a lot better due to my stay at the hotel.

***GRAND UNION HOTEL***

The Grand Union Hotel is a four start hotel situated in the centre of Slovenia. The hotel is split into two parts the business part and executive part. There are over 300 rooms in total so it is fairly small and quiet. I was never kept up by late night parties or noisy neighbours. We stayed at the hotel on its 100 year anniversary in 2005 and were very impressed with the service we received. Famous people such as Bill Clinton, David Coulthard, Mika Hakkinen and even the King of Spain (Juan Carlos I) have stayed in the hotel. They have all been very happy and pleased with the service so if that does not convince you to stay here then I am not sure what will ;-)

*RECEPTION*

The reception area was very welcoming with a small foundation at the foot of the stairs. The lobby is very spacious with comfortable sofas. We had to check in after 2pm unfortunately however we arrived early. The staff managed to keep our bags behind the reception and then sent someone up straight away to clean the room and get it ready. The staff couldn't have done enough to help us.

We then gave our passports and debit cards to be photocopied in case of damage or any problems then were taken to our rooms by a porter who carried our bags. As we were in Slovenia for a conference we were unsure of where to go and what to do as we were very early. The member of staff on the reception gave us some vouchers and leaflets and directed us down the road towards the shops and restaurants. The reception staff were able to exchange money, we found this very useful. Some places in the centre of Slovenia were 'rip of merchants' and others could not speak English so getting it changed in the hotel was the safest option.

*MY ROOM*

When I first entered my room I was so excited.

I spent 5 minutes resting on the soft, comfortable, bouncy bed. I usually struggle to sleep in an unfamiliar bed, but within a few minutes was dozing. The journey had been long and tiring so it was great that I could just relax.

Waking up I decided to open the balcony doors. Looking outside I was disappointed at the rainy weather but the amazing view of the castle upon the hill was amazing. We could see the bar below and I thought this would be quite noisy at night but amazingly we managed to go bed after it closed every night.

The bathroom was spacious with a commode, toilet, shower, sink and bath. There was a little confusion on one of the nights over the commode when I seemed to think it was a toilet for children. We had a few arguments over this until I realised that it was not a toilet at all and was for washing your bottom.

We had a mini-bar which was filled every morning with a huge selection of alcohol. The prices were very reasonable, although we didn't really spend much time in the room as the bar was brilliant. We had a large wardrobe, trouser press and chest of drawers for keeping all of our stuff in. The beds were high enough to fit a suitcase under which is always a great for me as I hate being on holiday with a constant reminder of going home. The rooms also had a safety deposit box and internet access.

*OTHER FACILITIES*

Underneath the hotel there was a garage for people with cars, as we had traveled via plane and had no intention of hiring a car this was not useful to us. Some people may find this facility very useful. The lifts go down to the car park, we discovered this facility one night when we pressed the wrong button to our room, possibly caused by alcohol ;-)

There is a room with computers these printers have internet access and are connected to printers. I believe there is a small charge for this, however if on business you can buy a special rate with your room. The hotel also had a small souvenir shop where you could buy gifts, newspapers and other necessities. The prices were very reasonable and the shop was very convenient. The hotel also had a fashion boutique, hairdressing salon and jewelry shop. I did not get chance to use any of these facilities as I was very busy but realised that the prices were very reasonable.

The swimming pool was situated on the top floor of the hotel. The swimming pool was reasonably sized. It was heated so was warm enough for very cold days. There was also a sauna and fitness centre. I was a bit too lazy to try out the fitness centre but the sauna was pleasant with plenty of room.

*FOOD*

Breakfast was served in the Restaurant Union cellar. The great beams were beautiful and the lighting was pleasant for that early morning hangover. Breakfast was a mixture of the Full English and a continental breakfast. The buffet style service was great as we could go up for as many helpings as we liked. I ended up going up for fruit, then a Danish pastry then a cooked breakfast. The juices were nice and as we had to be up early for excursions the hotel staff would allow us to take some food out with us wrapped up in napkins.

We stayed for dinner on one of the nights and this was OK. We had soup and bread for starters which was lovely but the dinner was slightly small and left us wanting a lot more. As the food was served at the table and we could not help ourselves to more food we found ourselves going down the local kebab shop a lot.

*THE STAFF*

The staff are lovely and helpful. We lost our key cards a few times and the staff were great at replacing them. We had to checkout at 12pm and the reception staff were great at helping us take our bags downstairs and they even stored them behind the reception for us whilst we went out to get a meal and went shopping. The bar staff were real party animals and were so fun to be around. The restaurant staff were polite and helpful. Most staff spoke excellent English so were great to ask about local events and attractions.

*PRICES*

A single room with breakfast will cost you about 129 euros (£89 I have used exchange rate 1.45) which is expensive but I believe it is worth it. A double room will cost about 164 euros (£113 I have used exchange rate 1.45). These prices are likely to change during peak times (summer, Christmas, public holidays).

The dinner menu is placed on the wall and if you like the look of it you can book it that day. I would not recommend this however as you can get a much better value for money by walking down the town and finding another restaurant.

*FURTHER INFORMATION*

For more information visit: http://www.gh-union.si/

***SUMMARY***

I would definitely recommend this hotel especially if you plan to go for a romantic holiday especially a short weekend. The prices are expensive and some may be put off by this but they are worth it for the excellent service, great facilities and central location. I know that when I go back to Slovenia I will stay in the Grand Union hotel again.