Our story

On the southern edge of the old town center of Slovenj Gradec stands Hiša Ančka, a house with more than a century of tradition in hospitality.

The history of this inn dates back long before it acquired its current name. Among its former owners were the Reitter family and the Eichholzer family. We have also inherited several special items from that period, including two-liter beer mugs from a renowned Viennese glassworks that also produced glass for the imperial court.

The inn was known as a lively gathering place for locals, travelers, and carters. It is said that at times as many as 25 horse-drawn carriages were parked in front of it at once.

In the 1930s, it was taken over by Ana Sekavčnik—Ančka—after whom it has been named ever since.

When we bought the house, we didn’t just want to renovate it. We wanted to breathe new life into it, continue its hospitality tradition, and create something that would also be meaningful to Slovenj Gradec.

We kept the name because of the house’s history, but above all because of our daughter Ana. That was the main reason it stayed with us. Today, it connects the house’s past, our family, and its future.

In 2017, it reopened its doors as Hiša Ančka. Since then, we’ve been developing it step by step: first the restaurant, then the guest rooms and wellness center, followed by the arrival of Pizzeria Fantom under the same roof, and later Hiša Maja on Glavni Trg.

It was during the renovation of Hiša Maja that a special surprise awaited us. Quite by chance, we discovered a wall built of hand-made bricks marked “BW,” the work of our great-grandfather Blaž Vitek. Thus, this house, too, was unexpectedly linked to our family history long before we began renovating it ourselves.

We designed a large part of the renovation and furnishings ourselves, without a traditional architectural concept. We wanted to preserve the character of the old houses and as much of their past as possible. We combined old stone, wood, iron, and glass with modern comforts while preserving details that tell the story of the house, the place, and our ancestors.

The naming of the rooms in Ančka House and Maja House carries a special family story. The rooms in Ančka House are named after the female members of the family, while those in Maja House are named after the male members. By choosing these names, we wanted to show our respect and gratitude for their contributions while preserving a part of our family history that lives on through both houses.

That’s why Hiša Ančka is not just a hotel or a restaurant to us. It’s a continuation of a story that began long before our time—and one we hope will continue long after we’re gone.

Our goal remains simple: to ensure that our guests don’t feel like just a number, but like a guest in our home.