To say that Topolcany is off the beaten track would be, well, an understatement. But this is what travel is all about, washing up on an unfamiliar shore (although not a good metaphor because Slovakia is landlocked). But Topolcany has had its moments, or moment, when it hosted the world youth table tennis championships in 1997. As a result of this it acquired some new infrastructure, including a wide stretch of road that runs right by the hotel and is busy (it also got twin escalators to the bus station underpass that were closed immediately after the sports event and now stand as covered ‘ski slopes’, a testament to bureaucratic ineptitude). The town also has a dark history of Jewish deportation during the Second World War and, worse, a pogrom against returning Jews who survived. It is an onerous legacy to live with and there is a certain heaviness about the town. But a new generation of Slovaks are confronting the past and building for the future and a great arts project called Platform 1-12 (Nastupiste 1-12) is evidence of this. It is worth making a detour to pay a visit to this alone. OK, Hotel Koruna. A cross between an apartment and a room, my accommodation was on the top floor and the combination of sun beating down on the roof and through the large windows meant that by the afternoon, we had an oven. The heat was unbearable long into the night. And with the busy highway outside, opening the windows was not an option. I tried to change my room but the hotel was full. I also heard another guest complain about the sweltering conditions. This is a new build, poorly designed with cheap materials. Even at this early stage, things are falling apart. I didn’t leave Koruna rested but then this is a roadhouse and moving on makes it bearable. Oh, and the reception desk staff were very friendly and sorry they couldn't deal with my 'frying' problem.