Let Mojca take the footwork out of finding accommodation

 Sep 27th, 2009 (Sep 29th, 2009)

Advantages:
Great service, fast response, good choice, makes things easy

Disadvantages:
Cannot see availability at a glance

Recommendable: Yes 

fizzytom

About me: "The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see." (GK Chesterton)

Member since:21.07.2003

Reviews:432

Members who trust:176

Review rated by 61 Ciao members on average: very helpful

A note - in spite of informing Ciao that Laguna is an accommodation AGENCY and not an apartment complex, this was still added to the website as a hotel. I had to rate on the basis of the apartment we stayed in, only to be able to post the review. The photo Ciao have used may well be one of the properties Mojca advertises...

Run by the irrepressible Mojca, Laguna is a private holiday letting agency based in the centre of the Slovenian coastal town of Izola. We found Laguna while searching online for a private room or small apartment for a few nights in September 2008; we didn't want to spend much money and Laguna's website categorized properties by price so we were able to identify a few properties that suited us and made an email enquiry.

Mojca replied promptly and told us the room was available. We paid a deposit by credit card (30%) and arranged that we would meet at the office when we arrived in Izola. The office is easy to find, not far from where the buses drop off and pick up (Izola does not have a bus station as such). An A-board pointed out the narrow pedestrian lane where we would find the office just off the road in front of the marina. It's a small office but we were made comfortable while Mojca completed the necessary paperwork. She showed us a map of the town and circled the location of the apartment; it was easier to see on paper just how far it was from the centre of town and while we don't mind walking, it didn't take much persuading from Mojca to consider places nearer the centre, although Mojca did say she would drive us to the original room if we still wanted to stay there. (It wasn't until afterwards that we wondered whether there was a problem with the booking - after all, how would you tell the owners of the original property that they didn't have someone for the room after all?)

 

She then started to telephone other owners to see what they had available. As most people who have rooms to let advertise through a number of agencies and also have signs outside their homes, Mojca isn't always able to have up to date details on availability. The service really depends on people updating her regularly. After a few calls she found somewhere with availability very near the office and explained what we'd get - a double room with en suite bathroom and small kitchenette. We'd be able to use the house's two terraces too. She showed us the property on the website - one we'd liked the look of but thought too expensive. Fortunately Mojca had negotiated a cheaper rate than the one advertised.

We paid the balance in cash to Mojca - we must have trusted her as we usually ask to see the room first, even if we've seen photographs of it. Mojca gave us a receipt, a voucher for a free drink at the newly opened casino and some paperwork to give to the owner. The house was just off the main road almost opposite the casino (not as glamorous as it seems - the casino is tiny). Our room was small but adequate for our short stay. The kitchen was a small alcove in the room with a sink, two electric rings and a fridge as well as a little cupboard space. There were a handful of basic cooking utensils - it was more than adequate for us.

In the main part of the room there was a double bed, bedside tables and a small dining table. A TV hung from a wall bracket. Round the corner beside the bathroom there was a small wardrobe and a hanging area. The bathroom was fine, spotlessly clean with a modern shower and good lighting.

Just up a half floor was one small terrace with a table and chairs, and somewhere to hang wet clothes to dry. On the next full floor up was another terrace. Something we liked about the place was that the rooms were clustered in small groups off the landings which minimised the noise from traffic on the stairs and landings. Only people in your section would need to walk past your door.

I don't want to say too much about the actual accommodation as Laguna has all kinds of properties on its books and Laguna is just the agent. It's not just Izola, though and the business has expanded to take in properties on other parts of the Slovenian coast so the neighbouring resorts of Portoroz, Piran and Strunjan are also covered. There are private rooms, whole apartments and even some hotel accommodation that can be booked through Laguna. Everything is easy to understand so you can make searches with your own specification to avoid having to sift through endless lists of accommodation. The only disadvantage is that you can't get an immiediate answer on availability, though Mojca did respond to us very quickly.

If you are plannning on arriving on spec at the office you should phone ahead or check the opening times on the website as Mojca does take a break in the hottest part of the day (as do many businesses here).

There's also a link for excursions and Mojca can book these for you if you wish.

I would wholeheartedly recommend Laguna if you want to organise some private accommodation in advance. Summer on the Slovenian coast is extremely busy and making reservations is advisable, if you can plan ahead. However, if you arrive without a reservation, do drop in at Laguna as Mojca will take the hard slog out of finding somewhere for you.

Istrska vrata 7
Izola

http://www.laguna-sp.si/index-en_GB.htm

Tel 00 386 (0)5 640 0278

Website is in English, Slovene, German and Italian. Mojca speaks excellent English.

I haven't listed prices as these vary depending on the type of accommodation, the time of year and the number of nights you're staying (a stay of less than three nights usually incurs a small price increase).   Pictures of Laguna Apartments, Izola Laguna Apartments hooked us up with this great room

Izpis iz povezave :

http://travel.ciao.co.uk/Laguna_Apartments_Izola_Slovenia__Review_5862407