Sleeping in Serbia

One interesting thing about visiting the Balkans is yet another opportunity to see what the legacy of Soviet influence is in the former Yugoslavia. When we were driving through Bratislava several summers ago I was terrified. The humorless concrete buildings were so oppressive that I literally couldn't wait to get out of town. It is one thing to be utilitarian and it is another to frighten people off. Not so in the Balkans. Things are more inviting--or at least you don't grip the side of your car door and beg to leave.

I spent five nights in 4 different hotels in Serbia and there is a pattern, a method to the Serbian sleep experience. First off, the exteriors of the buildings are nothing to speak of. The Balkan Hotel, where we first stayed, is in a very nice older part of town, with plenty of beautiful late nineteenth century buildings on the same block and within plain view of the hotel. But it is less than charming to look at. That is a pattern.

The next thing is that the lobbies are pretty nice--sometimes a bit oddly decorated (our hotel in Zlatibor had two gigantic plastic horses--bigger than life sized--with a small table lamp sized light positioned between their ears. It was unusual--not exactly tacky, but certainly not classic in style), but always inviting, with nice comfortable seating as well as wireless internet service. Another typical thing is original paintings and occasionally sculpture in the lobby--very nice touch, and it makes repeated visits to the lobby interesting--you can see something new in each piece of art each time you are there.

But then there are the rooms. They are stripped down basic. In some cases they are threadbare and shabby. But even when they are not, they are not the height of fashion, not even to the level that you would expect given the lobby decor. There is almost nothing charming about them, although all hotels were very clean, very neat, and very comfortable. Functional is not attractive. They were also very expensive, especially given the economy as a whole and the cost of other things associated with travel within Serbia. Not a good value. But comfortable.