HIDDEN GUEST: Hotel Nomad Bjelašnica

Hotel Nomad is nestled up against the ski arena of the Bjelašnica Do Ski Resort. Home to the highest ski resort in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bjelašnica hosted the men’s alpine skiing races during the 1984 Winter Olympics on some of the best and most challenging slopes. Babin Do, a famed tourist centre where tourists flock year-round, is located at 1250 metres and has become known as the local hotel hotspot and ski tourism centre. Plans to build new buildings, especially apartments, are always underway. Shops, bars, restaurants and souvenir shops dot the circular path passing through the town of Babin Do, connecting the entire offer. One of the hotel’s advantages is its splendid location. Architects ensured a direct skiing route from the hotel to the ski slopes. Generous investments will renovate Bjelašnica ski resort soon. Among the slated novelties are a six-seater ski cabin and a multi-purpose hall for large-scale events.

It seems almost unimaginable to go from a city’s historic centre to the tranquillity of the nearby mountains in only twenty minutes. That is only possible in Sarajevo, where the airport is halfway between the Igman and Bjelašnica mountains. Babin Do, set at the foot of the Bjelašnica Mountains, is the heart of the tourist offer. The easiest way to reach the mountainous plateau is from Ilidža or through the more picturesque route from Hadžići across Igman. Most guests arrive at Babin Do by car, but the hotel also offers shuttle transport. Given the size of Nomad Hotel, plenty of parking spots are available, and the hotel even offers electric charging stations. Opting for a taxi service from the airport to Bjelašnica is economical too. Although Sarajevo has public transport, it is quite unreliable. We must praise Sarajevo Airport’s improving accessibility, offering solid connections to the rest of the world. In fact, the airport offers the most connections to the Middle East out of all regional airports. We were particularly impressed by the hotel’s offer of electric bikes, which will help you conquer the surrounding hilltops and reach the summit of Bjelašnica at 2.067 metres.

Whenever local cosmopolitan entrepreneur Adnan Selmanagić and Bosnian architects Vedad Kasumagić and Feda Hadžibegović join forces, architectural masterpieces are bound to arise. The trio masterfully placed the hotel and apartment complex in a relatively tiny area, merging it with the mountainous background. The façade is similar to other local mountain hotel designs, reminiscent of the summits towering over the hotel. The elegant wooden façade makes the hotel’s exterior stand out from the competition. It blends almost organically with the spruce forest around the hotel. Details from polished concrete appear throughout the hotel, connecting the design with the rocky, rugged karst heart of Bjelašnica. The interior is filled with original designer pieces and follows the hotel story. Among the ingenious ornaments, the original and utterly photogenic lights, adorned with ski hats, undoubtedly turn heads and put a smile on every guest’s face in the hotel lobby. Here, guests convene on cold winter nights to enjoy the warmth of the imposing fireplace. Judging by its architecture, Hotel Nomad is a superb lifestyle mountain hotel that tells the authentic story of Bosnian mountain nomads. Guests come here not to stay the night but to explore encaptivating stories. The hotel is an architectural gem and boasts unbelievable functionality. Everything is exactly where you want and expect it to be.

When visiting newly-opened hotels, I am always amazed by the positive energy a team exudes. In Hotel Nomad, the team is youthful, admirable and, most importantly, always willing to help guests. Although a meticulous eye could find a mistake here and there, we are sure they will improve with time. We have only praise for the lobby and reception that functions as a hybrid command centre of the hotel. Quite literally. The menu seems perfect for the focus group of the hotel, modern nomads. It is a bistro-inspired menu with an excellent balance between local dishes (homemade sausages, stews and uštipci) and international classics, such as chicken katsu, wok noodles etc. In light of the grill-dominant gastronomic offer on Bjelašnica, the hotel’s cuisine is a welcome cosmopolitan refreshment. Guests can also relish alcoholic beverages in the hotel, which has become a challenge to find in Sarajevo’s hotels. The hotel breakfast is served on the second basement floor in a pleasant ambience. We deem the breakfast decent, although the hotel could improve the interaction between guests and staff. Healthy dishes, currently trending among modern nomads, could be added to the menu.

Hotel rooms

Amid a flood of generic hotel rooms, one bearing an uncanny resemblance to the other, Hotel Nomad’s rooms are delightfully original. We stayed in the hotel’s premium room, overlooking the peaks of Bjelašnica and were left amazed by the spacious room with a charming balcony and marvellous views. What caught our eye upon stepping foot in the room was the green colour of the tiles on the walls. They seem to be the common denominator found all around the hotel. We interpreted them as a designer homage to the local spruce trees. The green tiles pair beautifully with the Bosnian ćilim carpet. We must admit that the forest-green tiles and bright red carpet go hand in hand together. The second eye-catching element within the room is the furniture; the tailor-made design boasts elegant inlays. Altogether, the furniture appears massive but elegant at the same time. The grey colour details on the walls further embellish the room. Two cosy loungers where guests can read in peace elevate the entire design. They even considered installing lights for reading. Everything is carefully thought-out and placed precisely where guests expect it to be. The bathroom and bed are just as impressive. Exceptional.

Meetings centre

The smaller conference centre matches the hotel’s capacity and can accept up to 80 attendees. The management clearly understood the needs of attendees when designing the conference centre. The relatively spacious foyer of the conference hall is dedicated to meetings, coffee breaks or accompanying exhibitions. Such foyers often do not come together with conference halls. Attendees will also appreciate the panoramic views of the Babin Do. The only drawback of the hall is the relatively low ceiling, which presents a problem for demanding event production. We must praise the VIP meeting room, suitable for 25 people and the Gastro Pub, which can transform into a unique event venue.

DESSERT – The extras

We rarely encounter such a spacious wellness and spa centre in a boutique hotel (550 m2). We can imagine the beauty of enjoying the panoramic saunas and warm pool after a day of skiing.

FLOP – NEGATIVE SURPRISES

The story of Hotel Nomad is highly original. As guests, we wanted to learn more about what lies behind the story of Bosnian and global nomads. We recommend that the hotel shares the story with its guests in detail.

TOP – POSITIVE SURPRISES

The hotel offers guests electric bikes. You can thus easily traverse the routes across the mountains, see the local gems and even embark on a journey to the picturesque Lukomir nomad village.

SUSTAINABLE ENDEAVOURS

Hotel Nomad neither highlights nor advocates sustainable activities. Undoubtedly, though, the story of local architects, providers and investors is a fascinating story of adopting a sustainable approach. We advise the management to acquire certificates that will serve as a testament to the hotel’s sustainable design. Although the hotel may not seem a sustainability pioneer, it is, in essence, very environment-responsible.

Times are changing, and tumultuous changes are taking the hotel world by storm, even in Bosnia, a tourist destination considered not the most avant-garde. That is why original stories are even more impressive. It is remarkable what a compelling hotel product can be created when an investor has immense love for a region and wishes to develop it as a tourist destination. Bosnia deserves more Adnan Selmanagićes in the future, who will change the predominant apartment look of Bjelašnica with their energy and effort. Hotel Nomad is open year-round, which shows it is interested in more than just the short winter season. Thus, it is an ideal option for event organisers seeking mostly spring and autumn dates to host their events. Bjelašnica has become a competitive and attractive year-round incentive destination with Hotel Nomad.

The essence of the hotel lies in the final product. Hotel Nomad is, without a shred of doubt, one of the best Bosnian incentive mountain hotels. Once the offer is polished, it will become the first pick of event organisers who seek authentic experiences. We base our evaluation on a first-hand visit and personal experience, which gave us the feeling that the hotel team is trustworthy. Most importantly, the staff know how to manage any event and meet attendees’ expectations.

FINAL GRADE: 4.92 GOLD Boutique 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