Although the etymology says that the name Slatina derives from a gold mine at the place that used to be called Zlatina, it is more probably that the place got the name after the thermal spring. Vuk Karadžić said “Slatina is the place where salty or sour water wells, and where the cattle come and villages are named after it”. In any case, this thesis is supported by identical names in Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Macedonia, Slovakia …

It is known that people started using the water in Slatina in the first decades of 19th century, but rather occasionally and non-organized. At he end of the Turkish rule, Mehmed Čardžić from Banja Luka cleaned, fenced and appropriated the spa. The mentioned Čardžić later on opened the first shop in Slatina in the end of 19. century at the place of today’s reception of the Institute ''Dr Miroslav Zotović''. The Čardžićs would offer the first accommodation facilities next to the shop – the so-called “Turkish pavilions” with 16 rooms.

New Austro Hungarian authorities started serious organization of the spa as soon as they arrived. After the proposal of the county physician, dr Janoševski, Check by origin, they started the construction of a clear and slime pool with thermal water and the well in 1880. These facilities were finished in 1889 and two decades later the construction of the National baths (Volksbad) started, with two pools, separate entrance and dressing rooms for men and women. Wooden construction of the facilities filled with bricks and roof was located at the place of today’s restaurant “Park”. The road passing by the spa on the route Klašnice – Prnjavor was constructed in the year 1895, connecting Slatina to Banja Luka via Krčmarice. In the meantime, two facilities for “clerks” were constructed and in the year 1897. a “public” hotel was built with 9 rooms and 30 beds, a café, restaurant and a In the twilight of the 20th century Slatina spa had solid capacities and became famous rehabilitation center visited by visitors from the neighborhood, but also from the entire Empire and other parts of Europe.

In the time of Yugoslav Kingdom created after the First World War, Serbian entrepreneurs that had inhabited this area during the previous state when they opened their shops became very active now. Luka Kuruzović and Đorđo Avdalović were the first ones who built private hotels with shops, cafes and pavilions. Shortly after Trivo Marić, Mladen Đurčija, a baker from Banja Luka and Franc Princ, who bought facilities from Čardžić in 1932. and opened his own hotel with one floor and pavilions behind the hotel joined them..
The creation of the Vrbas County in 1929 started a new era in the development of Slatina spa. The County administration initiated and financed a planned and systematic organization of the spa so that four new pavilions with 90 beds were constructed in a few years and in the year 1932 Slatina offered 130 rooms with around 250 beds in private and county ownership. In the year 1933, a famous florist Jure Pranjić was brought from Banja Luka who cultivated the green areas and flowers in the park in the middle of which was the spring, whereas the park became the backbone of construction and development of the entire spa. Several kilometers long water supply line was constructed along the road towards Banja Luka, with 6 public fountains in the town itself. Slatina got a post office in those days, telegraph, telephone, power station whereas the streets were lit by the public lighting system: electrical bulbs until midnight, and lanterns after midnight.

After the Second World War, Slatina spa became a part of the Institute for physical therapy and rehabilitation ''Dr Miroslav Zotović“. Extensive development occurred in eighties when the restaurant ‘’Park“ and the hotel “Slatina” were built and significant investments made in infrastructure. In the meantime, the town itself became even more known so that in 70’s of the 20th century complete weekend settlements arose in Slatina. By the end of 20th century the Clinic for sport trauma was built, which nowadays is as Garni hotel.

Institute for physical therapy and rehabilitation named after the military surgeon and the national hero, doctor Miroslav Zotovic, in 1970, of which Slatina spa is a part, is a highly specialized institution dealing with physical treatments and rehabilitation of adults and children. The Institute is recognized by its highly qualified medical team of experts working in six departments. It has modern equipment in cabinets for osteoporosis vascular diseases, hyperbaric medicine, urinary dynamics etc.
In the ambient of flowers and the green park of Slatina, the spa is currently the best-organized part of the entire Institute. The latest physical-chemical analyses of the water done in 2001 by the service of balneo climatology Institute for rehabilitation in Belgrade proved the quality, therapeutic and medical values of the healthy water of Slatina spa. By its physical-chemical characteristics, the water is mineral (2,700 mg/l) Ca, Mg, hydro carbonate, sulphate, carbon acid, hyper-thermal, (temperature of 40-42°C). Ph value is 7,4 (alkaline).
It is known for decades that the water of Slatina spa gives excellent results in treatments of the following diseases:
• rheumatic diseases (inflammatory, degenerative and extra articular rheumatism);
• post-trauma states;
• chronic uro-genital diseases, including some forms of sterility:
• neurological diseases;
• post bone infractions in surgical intervention on bone-joint system.
The water is used externally in the form of bathing with medical exercises, under water massages and showers. Slatina spa offers various kinds of physical therapy: thermal therapy, phototherapy, electro therapy, magneto therapy, laser therapy, various kinds of massage, hydro therapy with mineral waters, under-water showers and baths.
Slatina was taken by a thunder in July 2005, which devastated the entire spa complex and the accommodation capacities in particular. The spa facilities and the existing accommodation facilities were completely renovated and reconstructed whereas a new hotel type building with a new highly equipped therapy block was constructed. The new object offers 63 beds in 27 double rooms, three double suites and three single rooms. All rooms has private toilets, TV, phone whereas suites have Internet connection.
The entire spa complex currently has available 160 beds, 4 indoor pools and 16 baths. The complete reconstruction of the “old pavilions” is close to an end so that the complex will have available around one hundred beds more.
Construction of slime pools near the spa facilities in which the healthy slime “peloid” will be produced in natural way, which is widely applied in various diseases.
Apart from all these, all guests have at their disposal many possibilities for recreation and various interesting contents in the attractive natural ambient of Slatina landscape.
All together, in one and a half century of organized work, Slatina has promoted itself as a unique spa-tourist center, which, as we have seen, has a rich past and, we are assured the future.

FIRST ANALYSES OF THE WATER

To the merit of professor Ludwig, shortly after the arrival of Austro-Hungarian rule, the first scientific analyses of the water from Slatina were made which proved that those were ''springs of ground-alkaline and sulphate water, of the temperature to 40,7ºC and springs of acid sulpahte sour water of the temperature from 11 to 22ºC . The water can be used for drinking and bathing, as well as for the cure of all chronic rheumatisms, neuralgias, liver diseases, kidneys …''

BESTOWAL OF SPRING

It is believed from the pre-historic times that a man can heal oneself by conveying his disease to others through things he has used. That is why for a log time one custom lived in Slatina to bestow the spa water with coins and to leave pieces of clothes on the surrounding trees.

One of the brightest moments in the history of development of the Spa was the period of Vrbas County. Planning and organisation of the Spa started at that time so that springs were taken care of and premises built. In the year 1938 a tourist guide “Slatina Ilidža” was published, and the number of tourists in Slatina varying from 6000 to 7000 a year.

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM VIENNA

An anecdote about two rich people from Banja Luka dates back from Austro-Hungarian rule and says that the two men went to Vienna to ask a doctor there to recommend them a spa for treatment and recreation. Not knowing where his patients were coming from, the doctor told them that far away, in Bosnia, near the town Banja Luka, there was a very good healthy spa named Slatina and recommended them to go there. This anecdote is true as the fact is that in those times many respectable guests, even earls and barons from Austria visited the spa.

EVER BY ORDER

For the beginning of the new tourist season, on St. George’s day in 1922, famous transport company owners ''Braća Divjak'' organized the transport of guests from the town to Slatina and back in a luxurious vehicle with the following wording on it: ''by order ever”.

BANUS IN SLATINA

As witnessed by his son, prof dr Petar Milosavljević, Banus Milosavljević used to spend his free time and holidays in Slatina. The then manager of the spa, a Check Josef Batelka, who is remembered as an admirer of flowers, did his best to be a good host to the head of Vrbas county and his family. He would particularly prepare baths with healthy slime in which the Banus healed his lower legs broken at many spots in one accident at the Solun front. The spa slime had beneficial effect to the Banus legs so that he did not need the stick to the end of his life.

KISELJAK

In the time of Banus people from the town gathered at Kiseljak, by the four thermal springs, which are located in the valley of the Slatina brook, about half a kilometer far from the spa. Otherwise, that Kiseljak, from which healthy slime was taken to the slime pools, was arranged thanks to dr Slavko Pišteljić.