Boris and Carrie Johnson spend mini-moon at £540-a-night eco resort
August 8, 2022Boris and Carrie Johnson spend mini-moon at £540-a-night Slovenian eco resort with ‘soothing energies’ where guests can dine on bear prosciutto, bathe with vegan toiletries and rooms have no WiFi
- Vila Planinka situated in valley near the village of Jezersko in the Kokra Valley some 30 minutes from Ljubljana
- Offers vegan toiletries and tap water with ‘highest magnesium content in Slovenia’ – said to be good for heart
- The five-star boutique hotel, where rooms cost from £242 to £542 a night, emphasises its ‘wellness’ offering
Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie spent their post-wedding party ‘mini-moon’ at an eco-hotel in the remote mountains of Slovenia which promises a soothing ‘balance of energies’ and where guests dine on bear prosciutto.
Vila Planinka is situated in a valley near the village of Jezersko in the Kokra Valley some 30 minutes from Ljubljana, and offers vegan toiletries and tap water with the ‘highest magnesium content in Slovenia’ – said to be good for the heart.
The five-star boutique hotel, where rooms cost from £242 to £542 a night, emphasises its ‘wellness’ offering and says visitors will ‘slow down, harmonising your rhythm with your inner balance’ thanks to ‘four energy points’ that were discovered ‘centuries ago’ in its backyard’.
None of the 23 rooms have wiring in the walls and Wi-Fi is available only in the lobby, while it is only set up in the rooms if you ask for it.
Vila Planinka is situated in a valley near the village of Jezersko in the Kokra Valley some 30 minutes from Ljubljana. None of the 23 rooms have wiring in the walls
In order to encourage guests to relax, Wi-Fi is available only in the lobby, while it is only set up in the rooms if you ask for it
The five-star boutique hotel, where rooms cost from £242 to £542 a night, emphasises its ‘wellness’ offering and says visitors will ‘slow down, harmonising your rhythm with your inner balance’
Alongside a spa with Finnish and infrared saunas inside Vila Planinka, it advertises several other activities in the surrounding mountains, including bike trips and a ‘romantic evening hike’
The Johnsons enjoyed a belated wedding party last month after their own ceremony was disrupted by Covid
Following the Johnsons departure on Saturday evening, hotel owner Katja Batajelj and her daughter Lana told the Telegraph: ‘He was one of the most pleasant guests we have had and asked for nothing.
‘He was enthusiastic about the food and drink. If all guests were like him we’d be very lucky.
Ms Batajelj described the couple as ‘very active’ and said they went hiking, swam in the local lake and visited the Postojna caves – a series of enormous natural caverns with a fairytale medieval castle at the entrance.
They were not accompanied by their children, Wilf, two, or Romy, seven months.
Alongside a spa with Finnish and infrared saunas inside Vila Planinka, it advertises several other activities in the surrounding mountains, including bike trips and a ‘romantic evening hike’.
The villa’s restaurant draws on the local wildlife for its produce, with ‘bear cheeks’ and ‘bear prosciutto’ both listed on the tasting menu, which consists of as many as seven courses costing €78 (£66).
The hotel is largely made from wood, inside and out, and features breathtaking views of the valley and the nearby mountains
Following the Johnsons departure on Saturday evening, hotel owner Katja Batajelj and her daughter Lana told the Telegraph: ‘He was one of the most pleasant guests we have had and asked for nothing’
The hotel attributes its relaxing aura to ‘four energy points’ that were discovered ‘centuries ago’ in its backyard’
The villa’s restaurant draws on the local wildlife for its produce, with ‘bear cheeks’ and ‘bear prosciutto’ both listed on the tasting menu, which consists of as many as seven courses costing €78 (£66)
Slovenia has the largest bear population in Europe and it is considered a delicacy in the country.
The Jezersko region, near the border with Austria, is described by the local tourist board as part of ‘the green pearl of Europe’ and is popular with hikers, climbers and mountain bikers.
Mr Johnson and Carrie headed out to Slovenia after a belated wedding celebration last month.
The revelation that Nadhim Zahawi, the Chancellor, was on holiday at the same time prompted some criticism given the economic difficulties currently facing Britain.
It came as the Bank of England predicted a five-quarter recession starting late this year and inflation hitting 13 per cent, up from a previous estimate of 11 per cent.
Number 10 has previously said that the PM will be keeping abreast of events while away. And this morning Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said he is in ‘regular’ contact with both men, adding: ‘I’m here, I’m in your studio, I’m in a suit, I’m not on holiday’.
He admitted he ‘doesn’t know’ where the PM is, but asked where the Chancellor is, Mr Kwarteng told Sky News: ‘The Chancellor of the Exchequer is always available.
The tasting menu includes local delicacies including bear prosciutto and bear cheeks with fermented cranberries
Other options include foie gras – an unlikely option for an animal welfare campaigner like Mrs Johnson
He added: ‘I’m in contact with him. I’ve just spoken to him … on WhatsApp this morning, he’s completely abreast of what’s going on.
‘I’m the Business Secretary, I’m here, I’m in your studio, I’m in a suit, I’m not on holiday. And we’re absolutely focused on trying to deal with this problem.’
He said he is in ‘regular contact with the Prime Minister and the Chancellor. They are completely on top of what’s happening’.
But Labour’s Angela Rayner said: ‘The Tories have crashed the economy. Now they’re missing in action.’
Some of Mr Johnson’s previous trips have proved controversial.
The Prime Minister was reported to have begun a holiday in Somerset while the Taliban was advancing on Afghanistan’s capital last summer, before swiftly returning to Westminster.
A few weeks later he came under scrutiny again when he left Downing Street for a four-day trip with his family as Britons and Afghans remained stranded after the withdrawal of forces from Kabul. At the time, No 10 declined to describe the trip as a holiday, and insisted he was ‘continuing to work’.
And a Spanish holiday in a villa owned by the family of minister Lord Goldsmith, also in 2021, drew criticism over transparency.
Labour criticised Mr Johnson for declaring a free holiday at the villa on the list of ministers’ interests but not on the parliamentary register which could require the publication of more details such as the value of the stay.
Ms Batajelj described the couple as ‘very active’ and said they went hiking, swam in the local lake and visited the Postojna caves
The cave is made up of a series of enormous natural caverns with a fairytale medieval castle at the entrance
The Jezersko region, near the border with Austria, is described by the local tourist board as part of ‘the green pearl of Europe’ and is popular with hikers, climbers and mountain bikers
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