HILTON IMPERIAL DUBROVNIK, CROATIA
BUILT IN 1897, the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik has long represented luxury, attracting high-profile guests, including British royalty and Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw.
Determined to keep its crown, in April its owners completed phase one of a two-stage renovation process — replacing traditional lanterns in dimly-lit autumnal-coloured rooms with artistic lighting fixtures and cool blue rooms that complement the hotel’s spectacular sea-views. This winter, owners are set to embark on renovating its indoor restaurant dining area.
And unlike so many international chains, the renovation of the hotel’s 149-rooms, Imperial Bar and Lounge, and Executive Lounge has not compromised on its homely feel. Guests are visibly relaxed surrounded by real orchids, decorative vases and soft-cushioned furniture. Having an 1890s-themed cocktail in hand, helps too!
I stay in one of the hotel’s executive rooms with a breath-taking view of the Adriatic Sea and Old City. And while I appreciate the modern interior, I’m also grateful the city’s municipality has decided to protect the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik’s exterior from renovation, deeming it a historic building. From my balcony, I can appreciate the 19th-century features and decorative balcony fencing that retains the history of such an important site.
Inside, the brat in me claps at the sight of USB ports (no more need for adaptors!), a large bathroom, fresh white sheets on a large double bed, a separate lounge, fully-stocked minibar, ample storage space, local Croatian chocolates on my pillow — and, of course — a kettle!
Taking breakfast in the hotel’s Porat restaurant, friendly staff are keen to tell us more about the produce, scenery and locals.
As I bite into a crispy mini-croissant from the Continental breakfast buffet, I’m told, “When the food is seasonal, we bring it in locally. Not all the breads are baked here, but a lot of the pastries are baked by local bakers. They’re good, no?” I nod, mouth full.
Without question, the hotel is in prime position to enjoy the Unesco World Heritage site. It’s a stone’s throw away from the car-free Old City, where I spend the bulk of my trip. You can to walk to the nearby cable car position for more wonderful views of the region, as well as Banje Beach.
Even my shuttle bus from the airport to Dubrovnik, stops within a fiveminute walk of the hotel.
I take a walking tour nearby, into the Old City, where you can still drink from the 15th century Large Onofrio Fountain. Another tour guide directs me towards the Old Synagogue (believed to be the oldest Sephardic synagogue in Europe), but acknowledges that the surge in tourists, the bulk of whom are English and American, are here to visit places where the award-winning Game of Thrones TV series was filmed.
As I return to the hotel after a long day, grateful for the respite and airconditioning — not the only guest who feels like an afternoon nap, I’m told — I realise my own balcony view overlooks the show’s location for King’s Landing.
A suitably regal view for this luxuriously traditional spot, without compromising on modernity.
RATES: Rooms cost from around £230 per night, including breakfast. An additional city tax of around £1 per person per night is charged.
SANDY RASHTY