September 15, 2026
Guanciale and jamón serrano at the mouth of the Demänová Valley might come as a surprise, but the moment you settle onto a terrace facing the ridgelines and a guitar starts up, it all begins to make sense.
Hotel Demänová puts on interesting events often, and we were part of one of them, “The Sunny South on a Plate,” staged under their baton.
Hotel Demänová stands just off the road up to Jasná. It does not belong to the class of mountain resorts that sell mainly the view and the spa; here the food is no afterthought. It opened a few years ago under head chef Ľubomír Macík, with a kitchen built on Slovak ingredients and modern Italian cooking. That Italian side, together with the Spanish one, is exactly what shone at this event.
The format was simple and effective: instead of a plated set menu, a series of stations where the cooking happened live in front of the guests. At the Italian one, risotto was stirred and an excellent creamy carbonara came together with guanciale and pecorino, in the proper Roman version, without cream.
The Spanish side built on authentic paella and tapas: jamón serrano was carved from a whole leg, and ciabatta and focaccia were filled with marinated tomatoes, hams, cheeses and salami.
The drinks kept pace. Refreshing, off-the-beaten-path cocktails came from bartender and rum lover René Čičmanec. His rum-based negroni had real depth, and Spanish and Italian wines were poured alongside the food.
The terrace, live acoustic guitar and contented guests chatting around the table filled in the rest of the mood.
Next time you are heading to Jasná, events like these at Hotel Demänová are well worth the stop.
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Hotel Demänová****
A four-star hotel at the mouth of the Demänová Valley, a few minutes from the Jasná resort and from Liptovská Mara. It offers 23 rooms across six categories, from standard rooms to the presidential suite, and a wellness area over three floors with sauna and pool sections. The restaurant, with a capacity of 76, is open to the public as well, with a lunch menu on weekdays and à la carte otherwise. The kitchen is led by head chef Ľubomír Macík, who, beyond the everyday operation, also puts on themed and tasting dinners and a Chef’s Table format for smaller groups. The hotel has a lobby bar, a lounge and cigar bar, and a wine room. Right beside it stands the Humno Demänová event house, with a capacity of 220, built for weddings, celebrations and conferences. The hotel is part of the TATRY HOTELS group.
Reservations and contact: +421 917 777 040, recepcia@hoteldemanova.sk, hoteldemanova.sk
