Chocolate Village

Chocolate Village is a cluster of lodges on the Drava river, on the edge of Maribor in northern Slovenia. Three house types give the place its structure: Forastero lodges are two-storey with large windows, Criollo lodges sit among tree canopies, and Trinitario lodges stand beside the pool with the closest view of the water. Each has heating, cooling, a kitchen, a bathroom and its own terrace. A chocolate centre anchors the village, where guests can work through a tasting of the estate's own chocolate or turn chocolatier for an afternoon in a hands-on workshop. Teta Frida's café serves desserts and ice cream a short walk from the lodges, and a separate restaurant runs an open charcoal grill and smoker for guests who want something other than cocoa. A gourmet cellar stays open through the day with local wine included and a shelf of bottled options besides. There is a pool for the warmer months and a tree-set wellness house with a Finnish sauna, a hot tub and a wide window over the water. Chocolate massages are on the treatment list, for anyone curious. Check-in is contactless, which suits a stay built as much around quiet as indulgence.