Tag: Europe

3NT Review: Doubletree by Hilton – Zagreb

Doubletree by Hilton Zagreb Hotel Review

 

Pros: Clean and new facilities, friendly and helpful staff, great cookies

Cons: Location

3NT’s Conclusion: Excellent option for Zagreb if you don’t mind a short ride into town.

 

We arrived at the Doubletree by Hilton in Zagreb by taxi from the airport. The hotel is located in a new development in the business district of Zagreb. There are a decent number of good cafes, restaurants, and clubs all very close to the hotel, but the historic center of Zagreb is a short tram ride away. The facilities at the hotel were very nice, but not without flaws. It was really the smiling employees of the Doubletree that won us over. As long as a short tram ride or a 30-minute walk into town doesn’t scare you off, the Doubletree is an excellent option for Zagreb accommodations.

 

Check-in with Marina at the front desk was flawless, and her warm welcome included the signature warm Doubletree Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookie, which was delicious. Marina was sure to recognize my Hilton Honors Silver Status and thanked me for my business. It didn’t take long at all to have keys in hand and be pointed towards the elevators.

 

The room itself was on the 9th floor with a nice view over the city. It was a pleasant size, and the design was modern without being cold. It featured lots of dark wood with white and green accents. There was a complimentary fresh fruit plate and bottle of water waiting for us on arrival. A plain bottle of water is the simple kind of amenity more hotels should offer to make a guest feel welcome. The room included free Wi-Fi as well.

Doubletree by Hilton Zagreb Bedroom
Doubletree by Hilton Zagreb Bedroom

 

The bathroom was quite large and featured both a bathtub and walk-in shower. It had speakers wired to the TV in the room for listening enjoyment. Our only complaint about the bathroom was that the shower was poorly designed in that water easily escaped through the door and flooded the bathroom floor. The tiles were also a little slippery. The hotel also features a very nice gym and pool facility on the 10th floor that we did not have the opportunity to use.

 

Doubletree by Hilton Zagreb Bathroom
Doubletree by Hilton Zagreb Bathroom
Doubletree by Hilton Zagreb Bathroom
Doubletree by Hilton Zagreb Bathroom

Before heading into town in the evening, we asked the front desk for the best way into town. Marina advised that it was a 30-minute walk, a 30-40 Kuna cab ride (approx. $5), or a short tram ride with a stop directly across the street. We asked about tickets for the tram, and another one of her helpful colleagues stepped in to help. He had both single ride tickets and 24-hour Zagreb cards available. We went with the Zagreb card for 60 Kuna (approx. $10). He explained the simple route (option of two different tram lines) and provided us with a map.

 

On our last day in Croatia, we opted to have lunch at the hotel restaurant before heading to the airport. Marina helped us again at check-out, and another colleague happily stored our bags for us so that we could have a walk around town before lunch. We both enjoyed a salad and burger at the restaurant. The service was good and the burger was tasty. The house-made ketchup was a nice surprise. The coffee was also excellent.

 

The hotel offers a pre-negotiated flat rate taxi to the airport for 110 Kuna (approx. $19), which is considerably cheaper than the normal meter rate. Overall, our stay at the Doubletree Zagreb was very enjoyable, and we can’t say enough good things about all of the front desk and bell staff that were always smiling, always friendly, and always helpful. One last note about the property: as Hilton is a more recognized international brand and there is no Hilton in Zagreb, the locals often refer to the Doubletree as simply “the Hilton.” This can be useful to know for any taxi rides or asking directions.

3NT Review: Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik

Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik – An Adriatic Luxury Hotel

 

View of Old Town Dubrovnik
View of Old Town Dubrovnik

Pros: Great location close to old town but on the coast

Cons: Cost, Unpredictable service, Lack of a proper beach

3NT’s Conclusion: A reasonable option for a Dubrovnik hotel when the price is right

 

In August 2014, Three Names Travel had the opportunity to do a surprise two-night stay at the Hotel Excelsior in Dubrovnik, Croatia, a member of the Adriatic Luxury Hotel group. Overall, we had a very pleasant visit, but there are a few areas for improvement, especially given the average rate at the Excelsior during the peak summer season. The best attribute of this hotel is its location. It is a short walk from the Old Town and sits directly on the seaside.

 

We arrived late at night after having made a same-day reservation only a few hours earlier. The valet promptly and professionally helped us with our luggage and parked the car. In an old city like Dubrovnik, where parking is limited, having a good valet service is crucial, and the Excelsior did very well in this regard. Despite our late arrival and last minute reservation, the front desk was expecting us, and the check-in process was smooth and efficient. Our reservation was made through The Kiwi Collection and was eligible for Kiwi Advantage privileges including an upgrade based on availability, a fruit basket in the room, and late checkout. Unfortunately, none of these benefits were mentioned by the hotel at any point.

 

The room was very clean and quite comfortable, but it did have some design flaws along with a lack of attention to detail. We were in room 322, which is presumably a Superior Double Room category. The room had a large column in the middle that disrupted the flow of the room. The column also prevented anyone from watching the TV from the small sitting area by the window. The window had an acceptable view for a lower category room – the sea was visible, but not the old town. The throw pillows on the beds were frayed, which is a minor detail but unacceptable for a luxury hotel charging such high rates. On the plus side, there were multiple easily accessible power outlets throughout the room, including on both sides of the bed.

Hotel Excelsior Room 322 Bedroom
Hotel Excelsior Room 322 Bedroom
Hotel Excelsior Room 322 Bedroom
Hotel Excelsior Room 322 Bedroom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turning our attention to the bathroom, it was a perfect size and was well stocked with towels and L’Occitane bathroom amenities. It had both a bathtub and a walk-in shower, as well as double sinks.

Hotel Excelsior Room 322 Bathroom
Hotel Excelsior Room 322 Bathroom
Hotel Excelsior Room 322 Bathroom
Hotel Excelsior Room 322 Bathroom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During our two-night stay, we visited the Abakus Bar twice, ate a late lunch at the Prora Beach Restaurant, and had drinks by the beach area, in addition to breakfast out on the terrace. The food and mixed drinks were always well prepared and of reasonable size. The service was, unfortunately, unpredictable. The staff at the Bar were professional, but they had a very large service area to observe, so they weren’t always as attentive as one might hope. As soon as one had their attention though, the drinks came promptly. Minor service issues aside, the terrace at the bar had a fantastic view of the sea and the old town, and it was a very pleasant place to talk the night away.

 

Beachside drink service from Prora was far more lacking. Despite having advertisements for drink specials at each seating group by the beach, one got the impression that they aren’t used to serving drinks there. We had to ask the beach attendant twice to send a waiter over to take our order. After ordering two beers, it took about 15 minutes for them to arrive. We later asked for a menu, and the waiter took 20 minutes to bring that. A little bit hungry from our refreshing swim in the beautiful Adriatic Sea, we tried to order two sandwiches, but the waiter informed us that they don’t serve food by the beach. While there are a number of understandable reasons not to serve food at the beach, we should have been informed of such when we asked for a menu. We ordered a second round of beers, but after more than 30 minutes of waiting, we decided to move over to the restaurant and have our beers and a sandwich there instead. Thankfully, the waiter at the restaurant was much more attentive.

 

Hotel Excelsior Beach Area
Hotel Excelsior Beach Area

Speaking of the beach area, it had plenty of seating and umbrellas, but it was not a real “beach” as one might expect, rather it was a stone platform with direct sea access. We were perfectly satisfied with our beach experience (aside from the long wait for drinks), but it may come as a disappointment to some that there isn’t a sandy (or even pebble) beach. It was unfortunate that the staff weren’t better trained though. The lifeguard and beach attendants all walked past trash on the beach multiple times and simply ignored it. The Excelsior also has a very nice indoor pool, but the weather was too nice to stay inside.

 

Overall, The Excelsior Dubrovnik suffers from many of the same shortcomings that most of the high-end hotels in Croatia have. The tourism demand for luxury hotels is present, but the training, service standards, and attention to detail are just not there to justify the prices they are charging. As is often the case in such bustling tourist centers as Dubrovnik though, the sheer tourism demand prevents any sense of urgency for change. If hotels like the Excelsior would really go the extra mile to achieve true luxury, not only could they demand even higher rates during the peak season, but I believe they would enjoy a considerable boost in business during the off-season as well. In the meantime, consider alternative accommodations any time that the rate at Excelsior exceeds 200 EUR per night.