We spent 5 nights at the Vila Preseren and could not have been made to feel more comfortable.

We were there for our wedding, but hadn't told them. As soon as the staff found out, they moved us into a suite for 2 nights with no extra charge and provided us with strawberries, sparkling wine, and chocolate without any request.

The location of this hotel is astonishing - right by the lakeside, nestled at the foot of the castle and church, and a very short walk from the town.

The hotel staff were friendly, generous, and went out of their way to make us feel welcome - we truly cannot thank them enough. We will definitely not hesitate to stay here again and are already planning our next visit!

I spent the past weekend at Vila Preseren with my boyfriend, and thoroughly enjoyed our time there. The hotel is essentially a restaurant with a large terrace, and just a few rooms - there was no reception area; you have to check-in at the bar.

The rooms were brightly decorated and were clean - we were upgraded to a room with a lake view and balcony as our room wasn't ready for us when we got there (we arrived just after midday, so that wasn't the hotel's fault!). For the price, the room was fantastic.

The manager was friendly and attentive - recommending the Vila Mangart for dinner (wonderful food!) and reserving a table for us there.

Breakfast was good : orange juice and tea or coffee, ham and eggs, cheese, bread, sausages - a good start to the day.

The best part of the hotel is its location : right on the lake with a terraced area for lunches and dinners.

As first time visitors to Slovenia we were cautioned to avoid booking any of the sterile, high rise, concrete hotels left over from the communist era. With that in mind we opted for Vila Preseren and were happy with our choice because it's a small hotel-restaurant (perhaps a converted private residence) with a stunning location in a park like setting right on Lake Bled. However, rooms not facing the lake are rather small and dark with no high-end amenities; those facing the lake appeared to be larger and brighter. It seems the emphasis at Vila Preseren is less on the lodging and more on the restaurant. The popular full service restaurant is quite good with an extensive menu and wide range of wines. Weather permitting, be sure to opt for outdoor dining on the terrace/deck with spectacular lake side views, and allow room for the kremsnita or one of the many other decadent desserts. The included breakfast was served by staff and had several cooked offerings and great coffee choices. Internet service was available only in the cafe area and was spotty at best. Strangely, check-in and check-out were handled rather casually at a table in the bar/cafe; different, but it worked. Booking on-line can be confusing and a bit tricky, in part because of possible language difficulties and because Vila Preseren is part of a larger group of hotels apparently booked through the same site. It worked fine but may require careful attention on your part.

I've stayed in many a hotel that happens to have a restaurant. Vila Preseren is a restaurant that happens to have some rooms. Realistically, there is no lobby, no front desk and you check in for your room with the waitstaff at the restaurant.

We visited Lake Bled in Oct. but the weather was great. Sat. afternoon into Sun., the whole lake was packed with families and couples enjoying the beautiful surroundings. I'm sure the area gets much more crowded but it was enjoyable even as the season was winding down. The colors in the trees, reflections on the lake, etc. made the trip from Ljubljana worthwhile. We walked the lake, hiked the Vintgar Gorge and explored the Julian Alps during the day. Outstanding!

The appeal of Vila Preseren is that it is just outside (but walking distance from) the major hub-ub of the busy town where the buses arrive. It is situated right ON the lake. We booked the 2 room suite with the deck overlooking the lake. A mix up in the reservations put our friends in a room the size of a closet facing the back parking lot. Our room was spacious, theirs definitely was not.

The room was clean and the furnishings were fashionable and modern. If you are from the US, think Z Gallery or Crate and Barrel decor. The bed was relatively comfortable as were the linens and towels...not much to write home about but acceptable. Getting the room the right temp. was a challenge as the air conditioner was noisy (both rooms) and fickle. Our room was just above the restaurant so leaving the windows open can be noisy. We were there at the end of the season so we were lucky that the dining crowd dwindled early.....mid-summer this might be more of a problem.

Service was OK. We got our needs met but sometimes it took lots of searching to do so. The staff seems to be pulled in many directions with a busy restaurant to attend to.

We chose the Romantic Package which included dinners and breakfasts. Dinners were satisfactory, not outstanding but we had heard it was still one of the best restaurants in the area so it was easy to just dine downstairs rather than venture into town. I may have preferred the choices off the regular menu however as the package had a set menu with only 1 or 2 entree options. Breakfasts were hardy as the offerings included freshly cooked dishes. The choices included ham and eggs or eggs and ham. It was tasty though as were the plentiful deserts and coffees.

Vila Preseren is a popular spot and I would probably choose it again as I think it is one of the better options in the area. Just adjust your expectations.