Amy and the Great World

During our week in Slovenia, our favorite place we stayed, hands-down, was a rural homestay in the Soča Valley, a region of the Julian Alps that lies on the Italian and Austrian borders of Slovenia.

When I first learned about the Herbal Rooms Homestay, I had to look up where exactly in the country it was–it’s somewhat off the beaten tourist path of Lake Bled and Ljubljana. Since we had already decided to rent a car, though, I knew it wouldn’t be a problem to drive less than two hours, from Ljubljana, to a lesser-known part of the country.

We drove to the Herbal Rooms from Piran, through small villages and gorgeous vineyards, which we would visit the next day (more on that later!).

The sun happened to be setting just as we drove through, and let me tell you, it was picturesque!

We arrived at the lovely little house that is the Herbal Rooms after dark, but were immediately welcomed into the warmth–with a pair of slippers each, how cozy!–by Vesna and her family.

^^don’t you just love wood stoves? This one heats their whole house!

After meeting the family, we went to the guest floor to drop off our bags and check out our rooms for the evening. I was immediately charmed by the thoughtful details, the retro flair, and, as it is the Herbal Rooms, after all–the homemade potpourri and soap.

Soon, we were invited to join Vesna for a cup of her specially homemade tea, using local herbs, such as chamomile, peppermint, rose, citronella and wild thyme.

^^oh and did I forget to mention the HOMEMADE CAKE?!?

For anyone who is concerned about a homestay being awkward, you don’t have to worry about that with Vesna and her family. It immediately felt like we had known Vesna for years, as we chatted about our respective lives and learned more about her business and home. We finished our tea (I am not lying when I tell you E had four cups all by himself), ate (too much) cake, and headed up to test out our herbal pillows. I sometimes sleep with a little satchel of lavender, so I wasn’t too skeptical about these herbal pillows–until I felt one! It seemed so strange and crunchy, like a pile of leaves, that I couldn’t imagine it would be a comfortable pillow.

^^checking out the pillows

However, Vesna’s assurance that the sound of the pillows was natural and would not impede sleep turned out to be true. After about a two-second adjustment, I fell into a deep sleep and slept over 9 hours–which is  a record for an insomniac like me! I’m kicking myself for not buying one of those pillows while I had the chance–they are only 15 Euros, after all.

The next morning, we were scheduled to leave early for a tour with Vesna to the nearby Brda wine region, but not before I checked out the peaceful view:

And not before homemade bread, jam, coffee and more tea!

And, of course, not before quick tour of the pretty little garden.

If you can’t tell already, I highly recommend a stay with Vesna and her family–but stay longer than we did! One night was not enough, although we left feeling very rejuvenated. Could it have been the herbal pillows…?

Thank you so much for the hospitality! We can’t wait to come back :).

If you’re interested in home charm, getting a view of Slovenia through a local’s eyes, visiting the incredible Soča Valley, and experiencing the relaxing sleep of a true herbal room, you can find the Herbal Rooms homestay on their website, on Facebook, on TripAdvisor, and on Twitter.

STAY TUNED for a review of our tour experience in the Brda wine country with Vesna! Oh Slovenia, I miss you already.

Disclaimer: I was invited to stay with Vesna and her family in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are, always, my own!