The Esplanade: a grand hotel for the Orient Express

About The Esplanade: a grand hotel for the Orient Express

By the ULTIMATE Zagreb Editorial Team

When the Orient Express stopped in Zagreb, its passengers needed a hotel worthy of the train. The Esplanade, opened in 1925 beside the main station, became the grandest hotel in the Balkans, and it is still the city’s most glamorous address.

Built for the train

The Esplanade opened in 1925 across the street from Zagreb’s main railway station, to give passengers of the Orient Express, the luxury train between Paris and Istanbul, somewhere to stay in style.

Art Deco grandeur

Its Emerald Ballroom, marble halls and Art Deco details made it the most elegant hotel in the region, and over the decades it welcomed royalty, film stars, writers and statesmen.

For a century, the Esplanade has been where Zagreb dresses up.

Today

Restored and modernised, the Esplanade is still Zagreb’s grand hotel: its terrace on the square in front, its restaurant Le Bistro, famous for štrukli, and its lounge bar remain places where the city celebrates.

Our advice: even if you are not staying, come for štrukli at Le Bistro or a cocktail in the lounge bar, and step into the lobby to see the hotel’s Art Deco interiors.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Esplanade: a grand hotel for the Orient Express before you go.