After arriving by rail with
trunks and suitcases—and a parade of servants carrying parcels, packages, and
monogrammed silver—early visitors to Zagreb’s Regent Esplanade were swept
directly from the train station, through a park, and into the hotel’s
black-and-white marble lobby. The lobby (a space large enough for side-by-side
soccer games) remained hushed despite the entourage, thanks to the elaborate
draperies and ornamental rugs that decorated—and softened the acoustics of—the
Art Nouveau–style Esplanade.
 Built in 1925 as a layover for the Orient-Express, the
Esplanade still echoes with the names of the train’s destinations: Belgrade,
Sofia, Istanbul, Venice. Today the words refer not to the travels of the hotel’s
guests, but rather to the Orient-Express–themed drinks and menu items at the
Esplanade 1925 lounge. Diners at the nearby Oleander Terrace restaurant enjoy
views of Ante Starcevic Square and an adjacent park, where Zagreb’s beautiful
people stroll hand in hand.
Romance also abounds in the Esplanade’s guest rooms. The Accommodations were updated in 2004, but still they remain in keeping with the
light-wood curves of the public spaces. (If a flat-screen TV can look retro, it
does so at the Esplanade.) Golden color schemes and clean ornamental designs
predominate, and fresh flowers—delivered from the open-air market located a
short distance from the hotel, near the twisted spires of Zagreb
Cathedral—provide colorful accents.
 The Esplanade’s exteriors appear to be designed for the moving view: Each
facade is different, from the French-palatial Fountain Park to the Orientalist
domes facing Zagreb’s narrow streets. And even if most guests arrive by plane
and taxi—with laptop bags and wheeled suitcases in tow—checking into the
Esplanade remains a transporting experience.
LOCATION One block from the train station in central Zagreb, Croatia.
ACCOMMODATIONS Of the 209 rooms, 13 are deluxe suites, each with city views.  FACILITIES A casino, health center, and business center. City tours on
Segways are available.
DINING Zinfandel’s Restaurant is Zagreb’s finest; try the risottos. For
more casual dining, Le Bistro and the Oleander Terrace—the best vantage point
for Zagreb city views—serve local specialties as well as international
cuisine. For cocktails, Esplanade 1925, next to Zinfandel’s, offers drinks that
seem lifted straight from an original copy of Mr. Boston’s bar guide. CONCIERGE RECOMMENDS Drive the switchbacks to Medvedgrad, a medieval castle built to
hold back marauding Mongols in the 13th century. RATES From $315 to $2,045.
|
