Hotel Review: Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik

After a few days in Split, we took the ferry to our last stop of the trip, Dubrovnik. I was excited to stay at the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik because of its location just outside of Dubrovnik’s Old Town near the entrance at the Pile Gate. The hotel was built as the Grand Hotel Imperial in 1897 and was Dubrovnik’s first modern hotel. Here’s my review of the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik Old Town.

Booking the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik with Points

I picked the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik mainly because it was bookable with points. It also happens to be one of the nicest hotels in Dubrovnik with a fantastic location. I visited during the high season when rates are more expensive so a room cost 70,000 Hilton Honors points per night. Our two-night stay was going for over $1,100 so this was a pretty good deal with Hilton points. Hilton uses dynamic pricing so if you are traveling in the winter or during COVID, you may see rates as low as 25,000 points.

Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik Location

The Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik is in the perfect location outside of Old Town Dubrovnik by the Pile Gate entrance. This makes it easy to pop into Old Town during the day and head back to the hotel for a break from the heat or to change before dinner. While the hotel is in a prime sightseeing location, if you arrive by ferry, I recommend getting a taxi for the 10-minute drive from the ferry port. We made the mistake of doing the 30-minute walk. It’s uphill, confusing, and not very pedestrian-friendly. The hotel is about a 25-minute drive from the airport.

Dining and Amenities

The Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik has one restaurant called Porat, which is open daily from 7:00am to 11:00pm. As Diamond members, we had our complimentary breakfast at the buffet in the restaurant. There was a nice spread of hot and cold options, though it didn’t beat the amazing breakfast we had at the Canopy by Hilton Zagreb! The hotel also has two bars. The Imperial Bar and Lounge is located near the lobby and the Lounge Bar is located on the terrace of the Porat Restaurant.

The Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik has an Executive Lounge that we had access to as Diamond members. The lounge itself was a well-designed space with lots of seating, but the food offerings were sparse. There were cold drinks like soda and water which was nice to have since Dubrovnik is sweltering in July. However, the food was mainly packaged snacks like Corny Bigs with the occasional dessert, nuts, or fruit.

As for other amenities, the hotel has a fitness center, full-service spa, and a business center. There’s a pool but unfortunately, it’s an indoor pool. With such beautiful water close by, it’s easy enough to go to the beach!

Lobby

The lobby of the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik isn’t huge. The reception desk is to the left of the entrance. Straight ahead are a few steps leading up to the main hallway. Off the main hallway are the elevators and stairs, the Imperial Bar and Lounge, and the Executive Lounge. Porat Restaurant is located on the lower level.

Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik Twin Guest Room

Since I was staying with my mom, I booked a room with two twin beds. The room wasn’t huge, but the light colors made it feel more open. To the left of the entrance was a closet with a safe and also the door to the bathroom.

Here you can see the full layout. Next to the beds was a small sofa and a table with chairs. In the picture below, you’ll see a lime green blob on the ceiling.

I’m pretty sure this was one of those slime hands. Unfortunately, it was stuck above my bed. We called and they came to remove it pretty quickly but it left a huge oil splotch on the ceiling.

At the foot of the bed was the table and chairs and a TV. The water next to the TV was replenished each day.

The room had a decent view of Old Town! Some of the nicer rooms have balconies with views of Old Town or overlooking the water.

In addition to the green blob on the ceiling, I noticed some wear and tear throughout the room.

The bathroom was a good size though the decor wasn’t as modern as the rest of the room.

There was ample counter space and storage on the vanity though two sinks would have been nice.

There was a shower/tub combo with a partial glass door. I’ll never understand why other countries don’t use full shower doors!

The toiletries were from Crabtree & Evelyn.

When we got back to our room after visiting Old Town, there was a welcome gift with two more bottles of water.

The second night, we were surprised to find a nice cheese plate waiting for us after spending a long day in the sun.

Also on our last night, they provided a satchel of lavender with the turndown service. Lavender is a popular plant in Croatia so this provided a nice local touch.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we had a great stay at the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik. The light blue color palette was a nice choice for the rooms and common spaces. While the room was small and had slight wear and tear, the hotel still felt modern and overall well-maintained. For Diamond members, the included breakfast is very good, but the Executive Lounge did not have extensive offerings. If you want to stay in a historic hotel with excellent proximity to Old Town, the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik is the right choice.