Hotel President Pantovcak

I paid 500 EURO upfront through Booking and couldn't get the money back after deciding not to stay. The hotel was under construction, my room was very dirty, and the owner was unpleasant. When I said I was leaving, he offered to return my money only if I didn't post an opinion online. Be careful. I have photos and comments from the owner that I can share.

The biggest problem came that evening, when I couldn't get into the hotel because they'd forgotten to give me the outside door key. I knocked, called the hotel and Booking.com, and looked through the windows, but there was no answer. I had to book another place for the night and returned in the morning to collect my belongings. The hotel looked nice, but the management seemed happy to scam people. When I checked in through Booking.com, they also forgot to return my ID, though we sorted that out in a few minutes. I asked for my money back right away. They took my number and said the manager would call. He did, apologised and asked me not to leave a bad review, then promised a refund that never came. I sent reminders every two weeks and contacted Booking.com support, but the hotel delayed, ignored me and made things up. They couldn't keep their word. I don't understand how they call themselves a luxury hotel while acting like phone scammers.

We booked a suite for two nights, but after seeing the room and property, we didn't feel comfortable staying. Despite the way the website pictures and description represented the place, what we found was a dirty, run-down mess. The floors had broken tiles, the walls were unpainted, and the glass in our sliding door was broken. A large tarp hung over the window and blocked the view; beneath it, discarded, soiled furniture cushions were visible. The restaurant was closed and not operating, and the furnishings and general condition looked decades past their prime. We politely offered to pay for one night to make up for the inconvenience, but the hotel refused and insisted on charging us for both nights in the suite. This isn't even a two-star hotel, let alone the “luxury boutique 4 star” it claims to be. Save yourself the disappointment and stay away.

Our junior suite was on the ground floor, surrounded by greenery, and had a huge window opening onto a small private garden. The room felt spacious and grand, with exposed wooden beams that gave it a rustic touch. The bathroom was large and had all the necessary accessories, and the TV offered international channels for relaxing in the room. The building was even prettier in person than in the pictures, with an atmosphere that felt like stepping into another era. We walked past an elegant dining area and colourful chairs, then down beautiful winding steps to reach the room. The place is huge, despite its size not being obvious at first. The courteous staff granted our early check-in request and brought us coffee from their Bar while we waited. Breakfast was simple and nice, a quick start to the day. The staff knew Croatia well and helped us plan almost the whole trip at reception. We hoped to stay again on our way back to Zagreb, but it was full. Maybe another time.