I feel like an arctic explorer as I step out of the gondola lift at the base
of Krvavec ski area. The mountain is deserted, the sun has long since
retreated behind the peaks and the wind whips sharp snow crystals against my
skin.
I’ve come to Slovenia’s coolest "hotel". Situated 30
minutes from Ljubljana, Slovenia’s handsome capital, Krvavec (pronounced:
Kra-VAH-vetz), is the winter weekend haunt for the city’s snow sports
fraternity and the home of Igloo Village.
The snowfall was exceptionally heavy last year and it's hoped this year will
be the same. Igloo Village’s warren of domed snow chambers and tunnels blend
perfectly into the mountainside, and were it not for the large wooden door
that marks the entrance, it would be completely hidden.
“Dober večer! Good Evening!” shouts Sasha, our Slovenian host who speaks
fluent English (not to mention Croatian and Italian) as she hands us a
warming cup of Apfel Strudel – Igloo’s signature drink – a blend of sweet,
mulled cider and Malibu, spiced with cinnamon.
We sit in the bar, the central chamber furnished with cow-hide stools and lit
with candles. Guests sleep in separate chambers on giant snow beds, each one
covered with a thin mattress, a layer of animal furs and the all important
sleeping bag that will apparently keep you warm in temperatures of -30C.
After a fondue meal, we are invited to try tubing – tobogganing on giant
inflated inner tubes. As we trudge up the slope with our tubes in tow, Sasha
points out a radio mast on a nearby peak, one of the few targets bombed by
the Yugoslav People’s Army during the 10-day war that helped Slovenia win
its independence in 1991. Now the only danger is the grooming machines that
are busy preparing the pistes for tomorrow’s skiers.
We come back inside to several more warming Apfel Strudels, before turning in
for the night. The bed chambers are lit with candles, which help keep the
temperature at around 5 degrees C; it’s not what you’d call cosy, but we
sleep well enough and at one point I actually get too hot and have to remove
a layer.
Now entering its third season, the Igloo Village concept is proving popular
and they are expanding into other resorts around the country.
“About 90 per cent of our clients are Slovenians; the remaining 10 per cent
are Croatians and a few Brits”, Sasha tells us.
“We build the village at the start of each winter by piling and compacting
snow on top of giant inflatable balloons to create the chambers. Then we
deflate the balloons and build tunnels to connect them together. Every year
it gets bigger.”
There are toilets and a sauna just outside the main complex, but no showers,
so you wouldn’t want to stay more than one night (according to Sasha nobody
ever has). This is a novelty experience, but there's another advantage - you
can catch the first lift up the mountain before the crowd from Ljubljana
arrives.
Like the majority of ski resorts in Slovenia, Krvavec is small by alpine
standards and intermediate skiers can easily cover it in a day. However, the
terrain is varied with both steep and gentle runs and a mixture of modern
chair lifts and more dated one-man lifts.
There are numerous cafes and bars and plenty of deckchairs for enjoying the
Slovenian sun whilst supping on a Lasko (the local beer), which seems to
start early here and be just as important as the skiing.
Many skiers combine a night at Igloo Village with a couple of days on the
slopes of Krvavec and even a city break in Ljubljana, making it an
alternative winter weekend for skiers looking for something different.
Need to know
Getting there
Fly to Ljubljana from London Stansted with easyJet.
Krvavec is 15 minutes drive from Ljubljana airport.
Igloo Village prices start at €89
for a shared chamber, or €250 Euro (for 2 people) for a ‘Romantic Igloo’.
Includes expedition sleeping bag, fondue dinner and breakfast.
Get more information about Krvavec ski resort at www.rtc-krvavec.si
Sam Baldwin is travel editor for Skyscanner
and founder of SnowSphere.com
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