Hotel Maribor, City Apartments

Wonderful hotel in the heart of Maribor. Many of the rooms are in a building a short walk from the checkin building on the main square, which results in a more quiet stay. Rooms are modern and very clean. Excellent included breakfast in the main building.

This boutique hotel has two locations but only one place where you can check-in (called the City Apartments near the main plaza). I checked in then had to walk about 2-3 minutes on a one-way cobble stone alley to get to my room in the Garden Rooms about 1.5 blocks away from the front desk. This area of town is mostly for pedestrians. You have to make special arrangements, in advance, with the hotel if you need to bring your car near the hotel. Called the Garden Rooms, I assume, because there is a charming small garden past the front entrance. Small but very tranquil. A good place to sit and read a book or have coffee or tea while listening to the nice water fountain at its center. Since it only opened in 2018, things are still new and in good working order. It is only a stone throw from the white swan filled River Drava, you can access it in just one minute from your room. The entrance had clear glass doors that should open when you swipe your room card over the sensor but it didn’t work for any of the people who tried it the same time I did. Someone had to go back to the main office, while we kept an eye on luggage, to alert them of the problem. Meanwhile, somebody forced the doors open so all could go in (I would’ve been afraid of breaking the glass doing what that person did to force the doors open). Since it seemed to be a recurring problem, these doors were eventually left open (not so secure anymore) for a while. The rooms are the smallest I’ve seen in my three weeks of traveling in Slovenia but very comfortable. The ceiling is partly slanted. Good thing I am short. A bottle of complimentary wine awaits you. Not staffed after check-in hours but has an easy way to send code/information via phone for a late check-ins. You have to walk back to the main part of the hotel for breakfast where the food and coffee were some of the best I had, this whole three week trip in Slovenia. Omelet with veggies, chocolate croissants, yogurts, fruits, overnight oats, all sublime, fresh, tasty. Being a bit further, it seemed the Garden Rooms were quieter than the City Apartments, away from the central plaza where all the action is. When I was there, police were everywhere because of some race as well as a drag queen festival that, unfortunately, attracted a lot of skinheads. Portions of the city were closed off for security reason but where the hotel is located wasn’t affected by that. The staff was super welcoming and kind. The food brilliant. Highly recommended if you don’t mind small rooms. A note that Maribor is considered the sunniest city in Slovenia, the weather, while there, didn’t disappoint at all.