I’ve visited pretty much every country in Europe, and among the handful I haven’t been to, Iceland is about the only one that particularly interests me. As for Croatia, I’d previously only visited the capital, Zagreb, where I stayed at the Sheraton using the now-discontinued 3,000-point SPG rate. To be honest, though, Zagreb isn’t exactly the most exciting city for tourists.
This September, a friend came over to Europe for a trip, so we took the opportunity to visit two of Croatia’s most popular tourist destinations: Dubrovnik and Split. Time to share a couple of hotel reviews, starting with Hilton. Some of the photos in this article were kindly provided by my “personal photographer”, @Tony.
For Hilton loyalists, Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik holds a special place. It has long been one of the best-value Hilton properties in Europe when redeeming points. It used to cost just 70,000 points per night. Since Hilton switched to dynamic pricing and devalued its points several times, the maximum redemption rate has only crept up slightly to 80,000 points. That’s surprisingly restrained by Hilton’s standards!
Considering that cash rates during the summer can easily reach several hundred or even over a thousand euros per night, with rooms extremely hard to come by, redeeming points is a fantastic deal. We visited towards the end of September on a weekday, already outside the absolute peak season, yet the cash rate was still over €500. I used a free night certificate that was about to expire, although I almost felt I was wasting it on this redemption! Of course, Dubrovnik has a huge seasonal difference in pricing. In November and December, for example, rates can drop to just over €100 per night.
Let’s start with the location. Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik is exceptionally well positioned, just outside Pile Gate, the western entrance to the Old Town. For tourists, it’s pretty much perfect. If you’re arriving by airport shuttle bus, the drop-off point is near the eastern entrance to the Old Town, so you’ll need to walk through the historic centre for around ten minutes.
The hotel’s symmetrical, rectangular façade and red-tiled roof blend nicely with the surrounding buildings. Look a little closer, though, and you’ll notice that the exterior is considerably more elaborate and refined. The hotel was built in the late 19th century and was the first modern luxury hotel in Dubrovnik, indeed along the entire Adriatic coast. Over the years, it welcomed numerous distinguished guests, including King Edward VIII of Britain.
During the war with Yugoslavia, the building suffered extensive damage. It was eventually refurbished and reopened under the Hilton brand in 2005, with much of its original architectural character carefully preserved. The hotel sits on an elevated platform, so getting in and out does involve a bit of climbing.
The first impression upon entering the hotel was equally impressive. Both the public areas and guest rooms were renovated in 2019. The lobby and bar have something of a classical European palace about them, while still feeling thoroughly modern in terms of finish and quality.
Diamond members even get their own dedicated parking spaces!
I noticed the day before arrival that I’d already been upgraded by one category to a Superior Room. Since this was a relatively rare trip, I cheekily asked via the app chat whether they could offer me a sea view. They obliged and upgraded me to a standard guest room with a sea view. Yes, you read that correctly: the Superior Rooms actually face the mountains, so the sea-view standard rooms are more expensive!
Although it’s technically just a standard room, both the size and the furnishings are impressive. In many European hotels, this would easily qualify as a Grand Deluxe Room or Junior Suite.
Dubrovnik’s buildings are incredibly densely packed, and the hotel isn’t particularly high up, either in terms of its location or floor level. As a result, the sea view was a little underwhelming.
The welcome amenity consisted of two bottles of mineral water and two small pastries.
The bathroom was fairly ordinary.
Next, let’s have a look at the gym.
And the swimming pool. The facilities are relatively simple, but the design is rather attractive and makes for some great photos.
Breakfast is served downstairs in the Imperial Lounge restaurant, primarily as a buffet.
The hot breakfast selection was nothing particularly special, and I actually thought the variety was a little limited. On the plus side, the fish was very fresh, and there were a few local pastries and desserts worth trying.
Some standard dishes were also available à la carte. The Eggs Benedict was average, but the waffles were pretty good.
Despite being positioned almost as a resort hotel, the property still has an Executive Lounge, which is a rather generous touch.
As with the public areas, the lounge is beautifully decorated, with an elegant and refined atmosphere. It almost feels too sophisticated to be called an Executive Lounge! There’s also a small balcony.
During the day, the selection is limited to soft drinks, coffee and biscuits. Happy hour runs from 5 pm to 7 pm.
The food selection consists mainly of small appetisers, including sandwiches, sliced fish and salads. There’s also one hot dish each day, again served in small portions. On our visit, this was a gnocchi dish.
There was a decent selection of desserts, too. The macarons were particularly delicious, although they disappeared almost as soon as they were put out!
As for drinks, there was no champagne, but sparkling wine was available, which was perfectly acceptable.
Finally, a word about the service. The front desk staff were extremely professional, and every single time we entered or left the hotel, someone greeted us. The service from other members of staff was a little more inconsistent.
After just two nights, my overall impression was entirely in line with expectations. The praise this hotel receives online is certainly not exaggerated. Personally, I’d even say it could comfortably carry the Waldorf Astoria name. At 80,000 points per night, I’d say it’s well worth booking while that redemption rate is still available!
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