A talented hotel for discerning travellers...

Zagreb is emblematic of Croatia's flag, both young and old at the same time. The Croatian flag, in its present form since 1990, shows the country's shield topped by a crown, composed of the arms of the country's five historic provinces: Illyria, Dubrovnik, Dalmatia, Istria and Slavonia. In this way one of the most recent flags of our modern world features medieval symbols such as a marten, leopards' heads, a golden goat and a crescent moon. Modern-day Zagreb is home to over 100 000 students, but is also the site of some of the oldest vestiges in Central Europe and fervently defends and upholds superstitions several centuries old, such as that which claims that the portrait of the Virgin Mary and Jesus on the "Stone Door" emerged intact and unharmed after a fire that destroyed the door itself several centuries earlier…

The Best Western Premier Hotel Astoria stands in the heart of the historic city, whose cobbled streets are still lit by gas lamps. The Petrinjska Street facing the hotel provides a wide perspective so that the windows of some of the rooms command views of the famous towers of Zagreb Cathedral. It was in this street that a Roman skull was unearthed in the early 20th century, bearing witness to the presence of a Roman camp on the site. The hotel's guests can hear the Cathedral bells ringing the hours and the resounding boom of the cannon fire from Lotrscak Tower (part of the city's medieval wall), shot each day at midday since 1887. In springtime however, the city resounds above all to the All Women Jazz Festival, many of whose performing artists stay at the Best Western Premier Hotel Astoria.

The hotel's particularly renowned restaurant offers a fine selection of authentic Croatian fare, characteristic of the art de vivre of this unique region and whose names can rather defy even the most daring linguist, but whose flavours are second to none: Sir i vrhnje (fresh cottage cheese with cream), Kukuruzni kruh (corn bread), Palacinka (special pancake filled with marmalade, chocolate or walnuts), Paški (sharp sheep's cheese from Pag Island).

The Best Western Premier Hotel Astoria is, above all, an outstanding example of a dedication to understated elegance and flawless good taste, sadly so rare these days, which only makes every reassuring and relaxing detail of the hotel all the more appreciable. The antithesis of gaudy and brash, the hotel's real quality and generous hospitality can rather be felt in a host of unspectacular, restrained details, in particular the ceilings, floors and light fixtures. At the Best Western Premier Hotel Astoria, all are irreproachable and their design, materials and flawless finish contribute to the picture of harmony set by this hotel, among which the parquet floors in many of the rooms, the splendid marble in the lobby and bathrooms and the discreet wall lighting in the corridors that draws the eye to the works of Mersad Berber and Oton Gliha, two contemporary Croatian artists some of whose paintings have been reproduced on postal stamps. Similarly, one doesn't often have the chance to stay at an establishment whose desks in the guestrooms are genuine period writing tables, whose armchairs are thoughtfully fitted with footstools or whose guestrooms are adorned with genuine works of art or vases of freshly cut flowers. This impression of genuine class grips the discerning visitor, right from the magnificent wood and glass double entrance door and continues on in the scent of leather armchairs, the gleam of marble and varnished wood and the hushed aura of silence, all of which bear witness to the talent still possessed by some hotel managers and appreciated by discriminating travellers, less avid for superficial, ostentatious recognition than for discreet personalised service.

These same travellers never tire of recounting their tales, after strolling through Maksimir Park or beneath the leafy branches of the trees of the Medvednica. Their heads are full of the amazing roof of Saint Mark's church, the view of the city from the funicular cabin as it climbs the city's steep hillside or The Well of Life by Ivan Mestrovic, one of the greatest 20th century sculptors. Such visitors perhaps feel both more curious and more mature after exploring this city that is both young and old at the same time, but without doubt far richer than they were before arriving at the Best Western Premier Hotel Astoria.

Best Western Premier Hotel Astoria

Petrinjska 71, Zagreb, HR, Zagreb, Croatia - 10 000

Phone: +385 (0)1 480 89 00 Fax: +385 (0)1 480 89 08