As Croatia continues its ascendance as a European destination du jour, here’s a new hotel in the country’s capital to add to your travel wish list. Le Premier opened this week inside a converted palace in Zagreb. A listed cultural monument on Kralja Držislava street, the building was constructed in 1923 by Lav Kalda, a renowned Croatian architect who the hotel describes as “representative of the generation of architects inspired by the Viennese secession.” This 20th-century palace is now home to 62 luxurious guestrooms and a penthouse apartment with high ceilings and large windows.
As reported by Total Croatia News, Libertas International University invested 10 million euros in the project, one of the biggest hotel investments in Zagreb since 2012. Students of the university in hospitality and tourism management will receive internships at the hotel. The Zagreb mayor applauded the new hotel property, as did the director of the Zagreb Tourism Board, praising the transformation of an old cultural monument for a touristic purpose.
Le Premier Hotel has preserved the grandeur of the public spaces—the main staircase and abundant marble—while creating the ambiance of an aristocratic private residence. Facilities include a restaurant, a spa with a sauna and a hammam, and a cigar lounge. Called “Le Premier,” the fine dining restaurant has a winter garden and is overseen by Michelin two-starred chef Stefano Cosattini. There’s also a fitness center stocked with Technogym equipment, where personal trainers are available on request. Planing a road trip in Croatia? The hotel team can arrange car rentals along with other services.
Related Articles
The Best Five-Star Hotels in Dubrovnik
Croatia News: A New Five-Star Hotel in an Old Castle in Slavonia
Katarina Line Adds New Deluxe Cruise Routes in Croatia
Virtuoso Luxe Report Reveals What Travelers Are Seeking in 2018