2022 will see the grand re-opening of the Plitvice Lakes Hotel, the on-site resort and visitors facilities centre owned by Croatia's most popular National Park. Once completed, the hotel will be the highest category accommodation owned by any National Park in the country.
The Plitvice Hotel was opened in the late 1950s and at the time was a leader in its class. Subsequent work on the premises has sadly not assisted in helping it maintain such a status. Zagreb-based architects Arta Projektiranje have been employed to ensure it lives up to the promise of original architect Marian Haberle.
Marian Haberle is also responsible for the design of Zagrebački Velesajam (Zagreb Fair) and Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall, also in Zagreb, plus many buildings in the Serbian capital of Belgrade.
The new works undertaken by Arta Projektiranje will revitalize the original design features of the hotel, as well as the space around the building with particular attention paid to the immediately surrounding gardens. Once completed, the premises will hold the standing of a five-star hotel.
The improvements are intended to assist the hotel in attracting overnight visitors throughout the year and contribute to them staying in the park for a longer duration. The renovations will cut the hotel's capacity from 51 rooms to 38. Once completed, similar renovations are planned for the other three hotels owned by the park; Bellevue, Lake and Grabovac.
The reconstruction will return the hotel's original two restaurants to the building, plus a conference hall and a wellness and spa area. The completed hotel is slated to open in March 2022.