Don't even consider it: Terme Catez is a dump of an ex-socialist spa in the north east of Slovenia, mostly populated by Austrians in shell-suits. If you and yours are used to all-in Caribbean hols - you'll be in for a very nasty surprise.

However, you have in fact chosen the right country - just the wrong place. Ljubljana would be a great place to stay, if you want to see either the Postojna (40min) or Skocjan (2h) caves: try the Slon, Mons, or if you're on a tight budget, Pension Lieber, just outside town. There's also a big 'water-park', if the kids like that sort of thing.

Alternatively, go to the very best part of Slovenia: the Soca valley (Posocje). Great places to stay (Pristava Lepena, Dobra Vila, Hvala), great places to eat (Hisa Franko, Topli Val, Kotlar) tons of things to do: horse riding, river sports etc etc and the most amazing views in Europe.

Hi,

so you are interested in spas. Spa (toplice in Slovenian) is a considered a place where they use hot springs in tourist and/or hospital purposes. Mother nature set these places only in the eastern and north-eastern parts of Slovenia. Too bad for Magnifiko, who sees doesn't like these regions and calls them bad names. I would say don't listen to him. Maybe some places are really short of money, but some places have been making a huge progress in the last ten years when this wellness word was invented.

The most prominent spas in Slovenia are Radenska Slatina, Radenci, Moravske toplice - Terme 3000 (as the place is called now), Čateške toplice, Terme Olimia (Olimje), etc.

People go there to enjoy the water and all that wellness luxury. If they have any time left, they walk around in the nature or take short trips (some are also organized) in the near surroundings.

I cannot tell much of any spa particulary as I haven't been anywhere for quite a few years. But I read that the last acquisition in Terme 3000 is a hotel with 5 stars: www.terme3000.si/vsebina.php?n=nast&ln=eng.

If you'd like to go to Bled or caves in the western part of the country, you'd need a whole day or even more. You must pass Ljubljana in any case.

I personally think you can find accomodation which suits your requirements, don't worry.

Btw, Austrians? Yes, they are here, as there are also Italians (they are slowly moving from west towards east), Croatians, rich Russians, Israelis. Don't know much about Brittons. I guess there are not many. According to this subforum they prefer the western part.

Cheers,

Beni

PS. To Magnifiko: of course you may express your feelings and thoughts, but the way how you do this, shows your character. I must say I haven't got a good opinion about you. But this is just my impression, so don't worry about it. B.

Good grief - now I have a bad character!

Let's cut to the chase: I do not call regions 'bad names'. Both Prekmurje and Starjerska are comparatively poor, but none the worse for that. Not only do they look gorgeous, but they are populated with (mostly) warm-hearted, friendly people.

However, I stand by what I said - I know these spas, I have stayed at the Radenci, Terme 3000 (Ajda) and have visited every spa in Slovenia within the last six months. Most of those mentioned by Beni are certanly not where you will find 'wellness luxury'. Indeed, the ones I just mentioned are truly awful - including the so-called five star Livada at Terme 3000 (I didn't read it somewhere - I stayed there).

Having said that, Hotel Sotelia at the Olimia spa is a very nice place and the treatments on offer are very good.

Other good ones: the Riviera and Grand Hotel Palace in Portoroz, Vitarium in Dolenjska.

Ok thanks for your opinions! I have decided to book it and then see how it goes. It will be a new experience and we are looking forward to seeing a new country. I'll let you know when we get back. Thanks for the responses.

Golfchic46 - let us know of your opinion afterwards. We'll see if you also find it "a dump of an ex-socialist spa". Just BTW - Terme Catez is not in the northeast of Slovenia. Perhaps Magnifiko mistook it for Moravci.

Hotel Livada, there for a week with three boys, amazingly they really liked it, not because of the prospect of an awful hotel, but they are at an age where they hate much. Nice hotel, friendly staff, nice pools, nice rooms, food nice but fussy boys weren't keen. Nice area around to practice marathon running. How anyone can be scathing of the place puzzles me. Expensive without a doubt.

Can someone tell me proximate cost for 1 day in a SPA?

I am curious about price range and can you use SPA just for one day or you have to book week or more.

Thanks.

Just got back from a trip to Slovenia that included a couple of hours in Terme Olimia. We paid 14 Euros each for a 3 hour session in the Sauna World which is very reasonable.

Our thoughts:

- They need to turn the lights on - it was dark and gloomy inside.

- Not a lot of variety in the saunas - just different colours and slightly different temperatures. None of them were particularly warm.

- Good plunge pool. Cold enough to cool down. Not so cold that the brave couldn't do a few lengths.

- Big problem however - they seem to spay the sauna coals with the thermal water. We found that the steam stung our eyes and made our throats dry. We couldn't stay in any of the saunas for more than 10 minutes.

- Finally, just in case you haven't been to a Slovenian spa before, nudity is mandatory. (This is in common with Germany, Austria, Netherlands etc..)

My husband and I found out about the nudity rather abruptly in Hamburg, Germany. We had no clue. We ended up being the amusement to many of the German spa visitors. We laugh about it now but as an American going to a German spa for the first time in our swimming suits, well, lets just say that it was a learning experience to us and one that we won't forget. No one was ever rude at all. They just kind of chuckled at us.

May I ask is nudity commonly accepted by the Europian spas? We probably looked really silly.. Do you think that anyone guessed that we were Americans? HA HA