SARAJEVO'S FOREST FAIRY
LOCATION
Tarčin is a small village located 25 kilometres from Sarajevo, set on the busy motorway connecting Mostar with Bosnia’s capital. The captivating image would be incomplete without the Hranisave hills, a part of the Bjelašnica Mountains. Unsurprisingly, affluent investors chose this picturesque, lush part of Bosnia for their hotel addition. The hotel is perched on a hill above Tarčin amid a refreshingly green pine and birch forest. We were indeed most impressed by the hotel’s location. Sarajevo is only a half-hour drive away, and the Olympic mountain plateaus around the city are close too. Organisers of corporate events will also appreciate the secludedness of the hotel. Above all, the location seems apt to host outdoor teambuilding programmes. With plenty of space, the hotel already offers a set of programs. If you seek a hotel in Sarajevo with a view and one that lives in harmony with nature, look no further.
ACCESSIBILITY
You will need approximately twenty minutes to reach Ilidža, where Sarajevo Airport is located. The Baščaršija Market in the city centre is only a half-hour drive. Luckily for guests, the hotel has a well-operating shuttle service. Alternatively, the taxi service is fast and efficient. The simplest way to reach Tarčin Forest Resort and Spa is by car, as a vast and tidy parking place awaits. Although Sarajevo has public transport, it is mostly unreliable. On the other hand, Sarajevo Airport, at the foot of the Ilidža hills, has improved its connections following the corona crisis. Among airports in former Yugoslavia, it is ranked seventh with solid traffic growth and excellent connections with the Middle East. The structure of hotel guests reflects the number of flights Sarajevo Airport operates to countries from that region. On a regular work day, eight planes from Dubai, Riyadh, Kuwait City, Doha and Abu Dhabi land in Sarajevo. Consequently, the structure of guests in the city is changing.
COLD STARTER - Architecture and aesthetics
The hotel was designed by the Bosnian architectural bureau AHAKNAP and received several awards for the design. Bedecked with a two-layered wooden facade, the two-storey hotel seamlessly blends with the surroundings. The exterior hides charming balconies that offer spectacular views of the green nature. Rock, wood and polished concrete, reminiscent of the granite in the region, dominate the interior. The reception and restaurant turn heads with their unique design resembling an amphitheatre that opens up to the hilltops of Bjelašnica. It is no wonder guests are fond of convening here. The presence of nature is omnipresent on the basement floor, where the conference centre and wellness await guests. Still, regular maintenance is imperative for any superb architectural design. Alas, the hotel has not been going the extra mile. The walls in the corridors are full of dents from housekeeping carts and travel bags. We even stumbled upon dust and cobwebs. The hotel should improve maintenance and correct the impression.
WARM ENTRÉE - The staff and the culinary experience
We first visited the hotel upon its opening in November 2017. Then, we were most impressed by the staff. Luckily, the personnel is still utterly kind and professional. That is most true of the reception team. They are undoubtedly one of the hotel’s aces. The excellent breakfast we fondly remembered from our first visit has lost its charm. The à la carte breakfast menu is long gone, and the dishes are mediocre. Considering the hotel has five stars, guests expect more than instant coffee, watery juices and a generic selection of cheese and cold cuts. The same applies to the à la carte dinner. Industrial falafels cannot elevate the culinary experience. The menu appears like an eclectic fusion of randomly selected dishes without regard for the legendary local culinary tradition. We believe the management should focus on improving gastronomy. At present, the culinary experience is not on a five-star level. International event organisers should know that the hotel does not serve alcoholic beverages.
MAIN COURSE – The meetings offering at the hotel
Hotel rooms
The inviting rooms still appear surprisingly modern and show that great design is timeless. The mountain-inspired style includes wooden flooring and ash-coloured furniture adorned with elegant grey embellishments. Authentic kilim carpets on the walls appear like works of art and pair beautifully with the patterns on the wallpaper and two cosy cushions that one would wish to purchase as a souvenir. The compact bed ensures a good night’s sleep. Most importantly, guests do not need air conditioning, as the temperatures outside are pleasantly fresh. The lighting and device management is intuitive and handy. Likewise, the bathroom is impressive, boasting eye-catching tiles, and Botanica cosmetics, an eco brand that fits the hotel’s green story. However, there were discrepancies in the room too. The wall alongside the luggage space was damaged. In addition, the hotel had recently replaced the toilet seat with one that is too small to fit the toilet bowl.
Meetings centre
The smaller conference centre is located on the first basement floor that overlooks the adjacent forest. Two halls are available for events. The larger one can host up to 250 attendees and can be divided into two parts. The foyer is spacious but transforms into a quasi-playground in the summer months. We were most impressed by the outdoor area next to the Forest Cafe, where you can host your event in nature.
DESSERT – The extras
The spa is brilliantly designed and famed for massages and treatments. Even though wellness areas are standard in five-star hotels, not all are this spacious and quality made. We warmly recommend visiting it after a long day.
FLOP – NEGATIVE SURPRISES
We pondered the significance and usefulness of a leather notebook with information that we did not consider very helpful. The menu in the restaurant is similarly out of tune. Most regional hotels have already implemented environment-friendly QR codes. Perhaps the hotel should consider modernising this part of their offer and improving labelling.
TOP – POSITIVE SURPRISES
The personnel befits a five-star hotel and deserves praise, especially the team at the reception desk. Still, there is always space for improvement.
SUSTAINABLE ENDEAVOURS
As we knew the hotel story before our visit, we were amazed by the sustainable architectural design conceived by local architects. Yet, the hotel made no further steps, barring the “Go green, skip the clean” banners. The Accor hotel chain uses such banners for environmental compensation when guests decide to skip daily room cleaning. Although Accor is among the leaders in hotel chains that strive for sustainability, it is high time individual hotels go from words to action.
FINAL IMPRESSION AND CREDIBILITY
Retain the strict five-star quality or meet the needs of new types of buyers? Has the time come for a radical revamp or a thought-out modernisation after six years? Such dilemmas likely cross the minds of the owners who try to balance mass leisure tourism, business tourism and luxury tourism in the hotel villas. We are certain the hotel would thrive as a four-star hotel, as it lacks hotel service to justify five stars.
Nonetheless, we must praise the phenomenal architecture of the hotel, which is as functional as it is stunning in design. Every time we visit the hotel, we are stunned by the style that has proven excellent for event organisation. The hotel design is perfect for smaller incentive groups who can choose among plenty of activities in the green surroundings. Tarčin Forest Resort and Spa is a quality hotel that could become excellent with some coordinated effort. Although it is among Sarajevo’s leading hotel establishments, it will need to earn five stars by improving hotel service and becoming recognised on the international market, where the Accor MGallery brand is positioned.
FINAL GRADE: 4.79 SILVER Resort Meeting Hotel
GOLD final score from 4.81 to 5.00
SILVER final score from 4.61 to 4.80
BRONZE final score from 4.41 to 4.60
