Intercontinental Ljubljana officially inaugurated
Ljubljana, 28 September - Intercontinental Ljubljana, the capital's only five-star hotel, hosted on Wednesday the opening ceremony. The event, coming about a month after the hotel welcomed its first guests, took place in the absence of owner Miroslav Mišković, who was forbidden to leave Serbia due to ongoing court procedures in a tax evasion case.
Ljubljana
Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković addressing the opening of Intercontinental Ljubljana.
Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA
Ljubljana
Intercontinental Ljubljana opening.
Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA
Ljubljana
Intercontinental Ljubljana opening.
Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA
Ljubljana
Intercontinental Ljubljana opening.
Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA
Ljubljana
Singer and songwriter Mignifico performing at the opening of Intercontinental Ljubljana.
Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA
Ljubljana
Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković and Intercontinental Chief Executive Europe Angela Brav addressing the opening of Intercontinental Ljubljana.
Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA
Ljubljana
Intercontinental Ljubljana opening.
Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA
The 21-storey hotel has 165 rooms, including a 160 square metre presidential suite with a fireplace. The highest building in Ljubljana has 23,400 square metres of space and cost EUR 50m to build in 18 months.
Marija Desivojević Cvetković, the vice president of the investor Delta Holding, thanked the Slovenian government and Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković, praising the conditions the investor worked in.
Janković on the other hand said he was proud that Ljubljana finally had a five-star hotel and urged the audience to honour with applause the absent Mišković.
The latter could not attend because the relevant Serbian court would not allow him on Tuesday to leave the country.
However, yesterday morning a second-instance court granted his appeal and dismissed a guilty verdict that found him guilty of helping his son evade EUR 3m in taxes.
The public radio station Radio Slovenija meanwhile reported that the hotel was 50% occupied already the first week it was operational.
Intercontinental Hotels Group chief executive for Europe Angela Brav said in her address yesterday that the hotel already received top ratings from guests despite only opening its doors a few weeks ago.
Delta Holding expects the EUR 50m investment to return in eight to ten years. But has also said recently that due to bookings over the past weeks exceeding expectations this could happen much sooner.