Esplanade Zagreb Hotel

Esplanade Zagreb Hotel

Esplanade Zagreb Hotel opened in 1925 to accommodate passengers arriving on the Orient Express, and that origin still shows in the marble bathrooms with heated floors, the Art Deco lines and the shoe-shine service that appears without being asked. It sits an easy walk from Tomislav Square, the Botanical Garden and the Art Pavilion, so a morning can move between the city's parks and its museums without a taxi. The building closed for a full renovation and reopened in 2004, so the 208 rooms and suites read as restored rather than merely old, each with a mini-bar, bathrobe and blackout blinds that matter after a late dinner. That dinner is the point: chef Ana Grgić Tomić runs a kitchen that changes its menu with the season, Adriatic seafood and local produce served on the Oleander Terrace or in Zinfandel's, with an art deco bar and afternoon tea for the hours in between. Downstairs there is a gym, sauna, massage room and a proper conference hall and ballroom for anyone here on business rather than romance. Where this hotel separates itself from Zagreb's other luxury addresses is a piece of curation it did not apply for: inclusion on the 50 Best Discovery platform, chosen by industry vote rather than hotel submission. It does not suit anyone looking to save money at check-in, since a 100-euro-per-day damage deposit is taken on arrival, and both parking and pets carry extra daily charges. For a traveller who wants Zagreb's history in the walls rather than in a plaque, and is willing to pay for a kitchen that earns its reputation, the Esplanade is still the address to book. Built in 1925 for Orient Express passengers and renovated in 2004, the Esplanade pairs Art Deco detail with chef Ana Grgić Tomić's seasonal Adriatic menus. It was recently selected, unprompted, for the 50 Best Discovery platform, though parking, pets and a daily deposit all cost extra.