Hotel Mövenpick, Zagreb, is located in a business area nestled near the Museum of Contemporary Art, Bundek Park, the city centre and the international airport, Zagreb Franjo Tuđman Airport. It’s in a location that we wouldn’t normally stay in, but we were taking friends back to the airport, and decided that somewhere which promised a little bit of luxury, with an on-site restaurant, would be ideal, before the drive back to Istria. We visited Zagreb a few times, and so didn’t feel the need, on this short stay, to book somewhere in the centre, so we could explore. After a busy summer, with family and friends, we decided that a relaxing time was in order, rather than being tourists in the city. Also, the hotel had a secure garage, so we didn’t have to think about finding car parking.
One other thing which caught my attention was the daily Chocolate Hour – a chocolate-filled event, a perk of the stay, which apparently happens in every Mövenpick Hotel around the world. All 83 of them. Just unfortunately for us, not the Zagreb hotel, on a Saturday afternoon. However, we don’t suffer from a lack of chocolate in our lives, and so we weren’t too miffed to be missing out on profiteroles decked in chocolate, petit fours, churros, chocolate-dipped strawberries, marshmallows, or mini ice-cream cones, amongst other delights.
The hotel is a very modern structure – tinted glass exterior and industrial, dark vibes going on in the interior, which is carried through to all of the rooms presumably. It’s also quite high-tec, in that everything in the room – TV, lights, heating, aircon, blinds & curtains – run off a small console on the wall by the door. We are pretty tech savvy, but it did take a little bit of time to work out how to get everything functioning, so I dread to thing what turning on the bathroom lights might be like for a technophobe! However, technology aside, we were very impressed with our large double room. With lots of dark panelling and low lighting and dark furniture, it was definitely classy in style and very under-stated. Furniture was of high quality and very stylish. The divide between the bedroom and the bathroom was beautiful vertical ribbed glass, which let the light through, but nothing else.
The communal areas – reception, bar and restaurant – were equally as well designed, with obvious attention to detail. And, the areas which I sometimes think are a little bit overlooked – corridors and lifts – were pristine. Top marks there, to the housekeeping staff.
The restaurant, although almost empty on a Saturday evening in early October when we stayed, was of a very high standard. Our evening meal was lovely – well presented and cooked, and everything hinted of understated good taste. Heavy silver cutlery, thick linen napkins, grinders for salt and pepper and lots of olive oils to sample, with the complementary breads. As expected from a hotel which also specialises in a brand of chocolate, the desserts were exquisite. The restaurant was a lot more full at breakfast time, so people may have chosen to go into Zagreb the previous evening, or because it is a hotel which serves the airport, perhaps hadn’t arrived or had departed for flights. The choice at breakfast was extensive, and was replenished regularly – especially the eggs, which I was delighted to see, as I hate cold, rubbery scrambled eggs. And, being a hotel in Europe, where yukky baked beans are just not a thing, no gloopy bean juice in the eggs. There is certainly sufficient on offer to set yourself up very nicely for the day, and all again, was high quality produce. I especially liked the honey. A very nice touch.
If you are ever flying in and out Zagreb, I’d definitely recommend the Mövenpick, as it’s hassle free and for a good rate, provides quite a luxurious experience. And, I imagine even more so, if you caught the Chocolate Hour…
Chocolate Hour Photographs : Movenpick Hotel Website