Our Tips for the Perfect Base

When we make an “Escape” this principle is key – Finding the perfect spot – RESORT TOWNS

This is an example using the hotel we’ve chosen for the Julian Alps Trippinar for 2025 

Now since running that trip we’ve learned a few things and will change what we reserve and when but still the principle held true. Great place to be!

Leod Escapes does not go for bargain hotels we go for a good value in a resort town. These hotels are often family run and provide you with genuine welcome and good service.

To travel like a local you want to go to a resort town not a tourist town. Today’s example is Slovenia. As a motorcycle rider, you want to be near great roads. You want to be in beautiful wilderness. Obviously for Slovenia, your target is somewhere in the Julian Alps. One of Slovenia’s top tourist destinations is the lake city of Bled. It’s stunning it’s beautiful. It’s expensive and it’s packed with tourists who will usually only see it for a day or two. Restaurants and hotels here only expect to see you once. They are not motivated to serve you well or give you a good deal. So that’s where you don’t wanna go. Mountainous areas are populated with ski towns that serve visitors during the winter, but often need help during the summer. They’ve learned that mountain bike riders and motorcycle riders are a good supplement during the summer months. They want your business and they want you to come back.

So for Slovenia, we did a little searching and we asked our local Slovenian motorcycle rental to confirm it. Our choice is the Slovenian mountain resort town of Kranjska Gora. Just on the border with Austria and Italy, this resort town gives you the economical benefit of Slovenia and the high standards of serving Austrian and Italian guests. Four star hotels often cater to people looking for status. Your three star hotel will give you close to the amount of comfort and amenities without a higher price. They will help you with finding good local restaurants and often provide comforting services like spas and massage services for those aching joints at the end of the day.

So our choice for the Julian Alps trip is Hotel Alpina near the center of the small town of Kranjska Gora. We always arrange to eat at the hotel restaurant for just the first night. Just in case it’s been a long day.

Rooms in a three star hotel are usually smaller but comfortable. Let’s be honest you don’t need the latest furnishings and wallpaper. You just need a comfortable bed and a good shower. You didn’t come all this way just to hang out in your room.

Three star hotels often have nice lounge areas which make for good places to meet and plan next ride. Breakfast in European hotels is surprisingly good but simple. You can count on fresh baked bread an array of seasonal fruit and usually hot dishes like omelettes and bacon served on order.

Parking can be a problem in the winter, but in the summer, there’s usually not as many people so parking is not as much an issue and there’s plenty of room for bikes. probably the only thing that might un nerve American visitors is a lack of air conditioning in three star hotels. Europeans seem to have less of a problem with just sweating. Thankfully, high mountain air cools things off at night, so the strategy is to leave your window open at night to cool off the room and then close it before you leave.

We have already tracked down a local specialty restaurant that we can’t wait to try. While Slovenian food is good, the locals have a real taste for the barbecue flavors of their Balkan neighbors. The Balkan people have a reputation of extreme kindness and a desire to make people happy with food.

So what is all this cost? How much more is the tourist town compared to the resort town in summer? Well, obviously, we get some special pricing for larger groups, but still the price is less than a half. You will pay €250 a night for a three star hotel in Bled. In Kranjska Gora you’ll pay around 100 or less and that includes breakfast.

This is an example using the hotel we’ve chosen for the Julian Alps Trippinar for 2025