Vesna Kostadinovic, owner and director of Kraljevi Cardaci SPA Hotel – It's important to accept challenges

(Vesna Kostadinovic) Certain things in life happen by themselves, it's only a matter of whether you're prepared to accept the challenge. This is exactly what happened to my husband and me. We started with an idea to build a summer house, and we are now deep in the hotel industry.

This is how Vesna Kostadinovic, owner and director of Kraljevi Cardaci Spa Hotel at Kopaonik begins the story about her entrepreneurial journey.

The Kraljevi Cardaci SPA complex comprises 199 apartments, a hotel block with over 27 rooms, a la carte restaurant, a hotel restaurant, a beer pub, a lobby pub, a playhouse, a fitness, wellness and spa center spreading over 900 m2 and a congress center.

– We started building in 2009. We founded the company Prvako Engineering, headquartered in Kragujevac, where we live. In record time, we found the plot of land, acquired all the necessary permits and prepared the project. Thanks to an interesting project which resembled a small town, and the idea to provide the owners with an opportunity to rent their apartments, as well as servicing, we managed to sell most of the apartments before the construction started – says Vesna Kostadinovic for eKapija.

– If it hadn't been for people who supported us and believed in our vision, Kraljevi Cardaci probably wouldn't exist now.

Since 2011, when the hotel had its first guests, thanks to the rich offer, Kraljevi Cardaci have become interesting to young people and families alike. The number of visits is constantly growing, and the last season saw a growth of 60% compared to the previous one.

Cardaci was built in stages, and the last part of the complex opened nearly two years ago – in December 2014.

– Keeping in mind that its hard to evoke spring and autumn on a mountain, and as our capacities and content can satisfy even the most demanding customers, in 2014, we expanded the offer to include congress tourism. The congress center of Kraljevi Cardaci comprises 5 halls with a total capacity of 350 seats. It was designed by our friend Aleksandar Aleksijevic, an architect from Kragujevac, with some suggestions on our part

In Kraljevi Cardaci, they try to keep up with the latest trends in congress tourism, and the center operates under the motto: “Turning business into pleasure”.

In winter, when the tourist town at Kopaonik is at its most popular, they have around 70 employees, whereas the number is significantly lower in summer.

Vesna Kostadinovic says for eKapija that business challenges arise nearly every day, but that she has found the right way to face them.

– I'm not alone in this. Positive energy and mutual support between my husband and me is crucial to responding to all the challenges in the best way possible.

When a business is run by a married couple, it is discussed at home as well.

– Sometimes it occurs to me than my work day never really ends – Vesna Kostadinovic says with a smile.

– Sometimes I enter my office in the morning and leave only once the night's already fallen. Still, the children are growing and my role as a parent is ever increasing, so I've been trying to reduce my working hours as much as possible lately.

There's little free time, and when she does have some, she likes to make a short trip with her family. As she says, she tries to switch off her phone on those occasions at least.

Vesna Kostadinovic is one of the finalists for the Success Flower award given by the Association of Business Women in Serbia.

Accommodation

The Kraljevi Cardaci complex is located at an altitude of 1,450 meters and 5 kilometers away from the Kopaonik ski center. The hotel's ski area is located by the Malo Jezero path, with transport organized throughout the day.

In Cardaci, you can rent rooms with two and three beds, as well as four- and six-bed apartments. Hotel also offers rooms for two (standard) or three people (superior), as well as an apartment section accommodating up to five people.

Turning business into pleasure

Five elegantly designed congress halls are equipped with the most modern audio and digital video projection systems, as well as wireless internet.

– In a short time, we have hosted a lot of companies from various areas. We have organized numerous seminars, meetings, conferences, presentations and various banquets – says Vesna Kostadinovic.

As well, within business events, various field trips are organized, as well as food and drink tasting sessions.

Relaxation zone

The spa section of Kraljevi Cardaci offers an indoor pool, a Finnish and a Turkish sauna, a bio-sauna, a jacuzzi, a kneipp, a tepidarium, a salt cave, a Turkish bath, a float spa capsule, and a massage parlor to its guests.

M.M.

Kraljevi Čardaci Kragujevac

Prvako Engineering d.o.o. Kragujevac

Vesna Kostadinovic

Vesna Kostadinovic CV

Kopaonik

hotel industry

congress tourism

Kopaonik congress center

Kraljevi Cardaci SPA

Kopaonik hotels

Aleksandar Aleksijevic

Milan Kostadinovic

Success Flower

female entrepreneurship