My partner and I stayed at the Hotel Jelovica for two weeks in July 2011 as part of a package holiday. We'd researched hotels and the area before booking and decided that the Jelovica was the best in both value for money and location for our needs. In this we weren't disappointed.

Bled is less than an hour's transfer from Ljubljana airport and our hotel was right by the lake, separated only by a pretty park in which there was a small children's playground and, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the summer, a small craft market selling mostly jewellery, glassware and traditional handicrafts. You can also get a pletna boat to the island from here too.

Our first floor lake side room had all that we needed: a small furnished balcony, TV, safe and ensuite bathroom with hairdryer. There were no hot drink making facilities in the room but we always take our own travel kettle and tea/coffee wherever we go abroad. The room and hotel were clean and tidy and the lift always worked. Our room was cleaned daily, our sheets changed weekly and our towels changed every day. The lake was not visible from our balcony due to the trees in the park but we had a wonderful view of the church and the castle and mountains beyond, including the locally named Hag's Tooth Rock. I'm a light sleeper so the church bells did wake me earlier than I would have liked in the morning but they didn't disturb my partner. As it was quite hot during our stay we had the balcony doors open at night. Perhaps with them closed it would be quieter. During the first week our bathroom flooded and we were promptly moved to another room.

On the ground floor you'll find the reception area, guest toilets, a small bar and a lounge area, plus the dining room. There's an internet terminal too but we used our own laptop so don't know if there's a charge for using this. We didn't pay for our connection but found the signal in the bedroom sometimes weak so brought our laptop down to the lounge area. In the basement is a tiny but spotlessly clean pool with changing area and showers. We used it a few times but not the spa facilities or garden as we were always out.

As a vegetarian I'm used to having a limited diet when holidaying abroad but this wasn't the case in Bled or Slovenia in general. At the Jelovica the food was great if a little different at times, but isn't that why you go abroad, to experience something different? Breakfast was a buffet of breads, cold meats, cheese, salad, fruit and yoghurts but there were also mini pastries, cereals, sausages, eggs and bacon and sometimes veggie rissoles. In other words, something for everyone. Since I usually only have cereal at home it was a veritable feast, even for a veggie. The tea and coffee was included as was the fruit juice though it was more like squash. Dinner consisted of buffet starters and desserts and a waiter served main course, chosen the night before. There were always four choices for main course - two meat dishes, one fish and one veggie. The staff were more than happy to cook something different for me if there was nothing I fancied on the menu and I did take advantage of the offer on several occasions. There was always a salad bar in the evenings, two soups and several starters. Desserts always included fruit, ice cream, little cakes and mousses. Drinks are not included in the evening meal so you can pay for them each night or add them to your room bill. I think you would have to be a very finnicky eater not to eat well at the Jelovica. The meals were always piping hot and the service was good, friendly and helpful. Some of the waiters were real characters and the senior, elderly waiter was a charming gentleman. We found all the staff very helpful and friendly and although they mostly all spoke good English and German they appreciated my attempts to speak Slovenian. Oh, and several times during our stay there was entertainment during the evening meal, zither music traditional dancing and a singer/pianist.

Just next to the Jelovica is the tiny bus station where you'll also find a small fruit and veg stall and a news stand. From here you can travel to Ljubljana, Bohinj, Vintgar Gorge, Bled castle and one of Bled's railway stations - Lesce. Bled Jezero railway station is at the far end of the lake and a fair walk uphill. We didn't use it so don't know if buses go there. Lesce is served by frequent buses from early to late in the day. It's best to buy single tickets on the buses as it's not cheaper to buy a return and if you come back on a different company's bus the tickets are not transferable. Minibus taxis also frequent the bus station and one day we went to Ljubljana in one along with a group of people. It was quicker than the bus and only cost about 50 cents each more. It was wonderful after a busy day out to fall off the bus and be in your hotel room in two minutes flat.

A small road uphill behind the hotel leads to a main road and a small branch of Mercator supermarket, handy for picnic food, stamps and postcards. It takes about four minutes to walk there and you pass the best cake shop in Bled on the left hand side of the road - the Brown Bear Cafe. There's a very picturesque old pub behind the hotel too with a traditional Slovenian restaurant downstairs and a fantastic pizzeria upstairs where we had the best (and largest) pizzas we've ever tasted.

A few minutes walk anticlockwise round the lake brings you to the castle lido (entrance fee) and several cafes of which we liked the contemporary Vila Preseren the best. Walk the other way and in five minutes you reach the shopping centre and most of the other hotels. plus a much larger branch of Mercator. This is also where the banks and tourist information centre will be found and also travel companies that can organise activities and trips. There are more pletna boats here too. A road leading away and upwards from the lake here leads to the post office and the Hotel Krim. Continue around the lake and you pass more shops and several cafes (the Panorama Cafe has good views of the lake and castle), the chairlift and summer tobaggan run and a small Mercator. Take the road left that the store is on the corner of and you begin a nice walk through the country and traditional villages. Continue round the lake and you come to some small shops, cafes and more pletnas, which are nearer the island here. Further on is the boardwalk by the lake and at the far end a free lido and cafes. A small road train travels round the lake in about 45 minutes, making several stops. A complete circuit costs 3 euros.

We thoroughly enjoyed our two weeks in picturesque Bled and in Slovenia, so much so that we're returning next year and staying at the Jelovica again. This time we'll have a mountain view room as it's cheaper and we don't intend to spend much time in it anyway:)