This was my third visit to Dubrovnik and one of the things I would always recommend if you want to do the old town is to stay close by so you can dip in and out. If you choose a hotel within the walls you will have to drag your luggage through the old town as no cars are allowed, so somewhere close to one of the gates is ideal.
When you think of a standard Hilton hotel, you usually think of a good quality 4* hotel with a fairly uniform design. However, there are a number of exceptions to this such as Hilton Bankside, Hilton Lake Como and also London Hilton Park Lane.
This Hilton was definitely one of the most grand I have ever visited, so what was my stay like?
This stay was complimentary from Hilton, we paid for our food and drinks.
In this post:
Location
The Hilton’s location is about as good as you can get, apart from not being right on the sea. The hotel is situated about a three-minute walk from Pile Gate, the main entrance to the old town. It is also near the Lovrijenac Fort, and Šulić beach. If you want to go further afield, you are also only two minutes from the main bus stops.
Despite being near the old town, we did not hear any real noise as the hotel is set on a hill away from the street. However, if you just want to pop out to buy a drink or snack, there are options just across the road.
Check-in and parking
The hotel is housed in an old building from 1897 and looks very impressive as you arrive. It was originally opened as the Grand Hotel Imperial and was the first modern hotel to open in the city. King Edward VIII and Wallace Simpson were hosted here.
We had just visited Kotor in Montenegro, so we had a car with us. Unless you want to venture outside Dubrovnik, you really don’t need a car. The hotel has a car park directly underneath that costs €30 a night. As a Diamond member, I appreciated the reserved spaces in the car park, and it was an easy lift ride to the reception. Here, we were greeted immediately by staff who helped with the luggage.
There was no queue for reception, and despite being a little early, our room was ready, and we were soon on the way. I found the staff at reception helpful and knowledgeable throughout the stay.
The room
We had a room on the top floor which is classed as a Deluxe King Sea View suite. It is an older hotel so rooms do vary within the same categories. I would say that if you can afford it, it is definitely worth getting a room on a high floor as the views were stunning. My choice if you don’t want a suite would be the King Executive with Sea View, which has a balcony and lounge access.
The room is decorated in typical Hilton blue colors but feels modern and sympathetic to the old building the hotel is housed in, which dates back to 1897.
The room consisted of a walk-in wardrobe, a decent-sized lounge with a dining table and sofa, a smallish bedroom, and a bathroom with a shower and bath. The highlight was the large terrace overlooking the Fort and old town.
The bed felt like a standard Hilton one and was comfortable with the room being very quiet despite being close to the lifts. The hotel was renovated recently, so there are all the modern touches you would expect, such as USB sockets and plugs by the bed.
There was a kettle with tea and coffee in the living room and a minibar/fridge with room for a few of your own drinks. Mineral water was provided.
Bathroom
The bathroom felt luxurious but modern and had Crabtree and Evelyn toiletries in large containers which I know some people would prefer the old single use one. I don’t generally mind the larger containers although I would prefer the body lotion was not fixed to the wall. I do love the gentle fragrance of these toiletries though.
Although it had a single sink, there was more than enough room for two people’s personal toiletries.
Both the shower and bathtub were a good size and the bathroom felt like it had everything you would want, even a stool!
The Executive Lounge
This was one of the grandest lounges I have been to. It was fairly small, but we were there at a weekend in peak season, and it was always easy to get a seat. People did not seem to linger in the lounge for long.
I found the selection of drinks impressive, with red and white wine, Prosecco, beer and a decent range of spirits. Everything was help yourself.
In terms of food, there were lots of small canape-sized bites, plus some cheese and meat, as well as a hot option. There were also some very tempting-looking mini desserts and snacks like olives. Some lounges have enough food that you could skip dinner. This one had small portions, so you would need a lot of them to replace a meal. We went to the Imperial bar terrace afterward and just had a snack, which was sufficient.
Outside of the hours where they serve specific presentations, soft drinks and snacks are available. Breakfast was available, but I would recommend the main breakfast as it never felt busy. The only thing I would say was a shame was not to have an outdoor terrace.
Food and drink
The hotel has just one restaurant, the Imperial Terrace Restaurant, which is beautiful, particularly the terrace. I would have been very happy to eat dinner here, but we decided to eat in the old town since it was my partner’s first trip here.
The restaurant also serves breakfast, and it was such a lovely start to the day sitting on the terrace having breakfast. It was very hot when we were there, so it was great to have the option of an iced coffee instead of a hot drink at breakfast, but the cappuccino was also good.
The buffet had a good selection, and it was great to see that you could order extra egg dishes such as omelettes, poached eggs, or eggs benedict to your table. There was a good selection of cooked items on the buffet if you wanted the full English alongside some local dishes, meats, cheese, great bread and pastries, and the usual breakfast cereals and yogurt. I tried the eggs Benedict one morning. It wasn’t traditional eggs benedict, as it was served with toast, but it made it less stodgy.
I was pleased to see they have prosecco at breakfast, so if you are in holiday mode and want to indulge a bit, you are good to go!
The Imperial Bar and Lounge
As soon as I spotted the terrace when we arrived, I wanted to have a drink there. It feels like you could be at a grand hotel on the Amalfi coast, and like the rest of the hotel, it has great views.
Inside, the bar is very elegant and way above the normal Hilton bar vibe. If the weather is fine, sitting on the terrace is the way to go. It was quiet when we were there, which made for a very relaxed evening. I enjoyed my slightly unusual signature cocktail, which was made with milk-washed spirits and came with a macaron. I also tried the tempura vegetables, which were delicious.
Other facilities
The hotel has a good-sized indoor pool, making it perfect for off-season visits when Dubrovnik is less busy. This has a lovely glass roof giving it that outdoor vibe.
There is also a fitness centre, and the hotel can arrange spa treatments nearby.
Pricing and Hilton Honors points
In the off-season, it is an absolute bargain at £125 a night, and given how popular Dubrovnik is, probably a good time to visit! If you want to go in summer or early autumn, the price starts from £380 a night for a standard room.
This hotel is great for using points in the summer as you will get good value from them. For example, this coming month in August, rooms are around €600 a night, but there are still rooms available on points for 70,000. In the winter, that’s down to 39,000 points. That’s when I would say it would be better to pay cash than waste points.
You can find more information about the hotel and check prices/points availability on the hotel’s website here.
Conclusion
This Hilton is definitely not your run-of-the-mill Hilton and really stands out alongside some of the others I mentioned. It feels far more like a boutique 5* hotel than a Hilton at every turn. This is the third hotel I have stayed in within Dubrovnik, and it is definitely the best in terms of location. I enjoyed the sense of grandeur and beautiful views from the outdoor areas. The lounge was lovely, too, and was never too busy, which is a big bonus in peak season.
This would definitely be one of my top choices if I were to return to Dubrovnik again.
3 comments
We loved this hotel when we stayed in June last year. Terrace breakfast was a gem plus unbeatable location. Sulic bay was small but delightful to swim in very nearby with Bar Dodo worth a visit (but was cash only).
I have to say when I saw the review was about a Hilton I was almost going to delete the post. Glad I read it, as it looks just like my cup of tea and apart from the few top Hilton’s, did not typical at all. If I go back to Dubrovnik, it would certainly be a consideration. Great review by the way.
A splendid hotel but, for me, the lack of an outdoor pool is an enormous negative.
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