Goddard Littlefair has completely revamped the interiors of the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik, restoring the splendor of a Mediterranean jewel with new contemporary elegance. The hotel was originally built in the 1890s, becoming a 'grand tour' must-stay hotel, prior to suffering fire damage during the Yugoslav war. The hotel was subsequently brought back to active life in 2005.
"When we were first commissioned, the hotel was already very well established and incredibly popular, with a wonderful location overlooking the old fort and the Adriatic, right on the edges of Dubrovnik's historic old centre," commented Martin Goddard, Director and Co-founder of Goddard Littlefair. "Whilst it had been majorly refurbished in 2005, costly building works meant that the interiors weren't the main priority at that time and were primed therefore for a completely new treatment."
Goddard Littlefair was initially commissioned towards the end of 2016 for a phased set of redesign works, with the first two now completed and including the reception and lobby, The Lobby Lounge, The Imperial Bar, The Executive Lounge, all connecting and guest-room corridors and all of the hotel's 149 standard and executive rooms and 9 suites. A refurbishment of the hotel's existing restaurant, Porat, on the lower-ground floor, will follow in late 2019.
The brief to the design team was to unlock the true potential of the four-storey hotel's spectacular location, architecture, reputation and history. "Our inspiration lay in bringing back the romance of the hotel's former glories and layering glamour into each individual space by means of a Riviera palette, soft detailing, a 1920s yachting influence and a subtle evocation of the hotel's original elegance, whilst at the same time balancing that with clean and contemporary lines," Goddard said.
Photography: Gareth Gardner