Aristocratic Style Meetings
LOCATION
One of the most famous hotels on the Adriatic coast, the leading force of tourist development in Portorož and host to numerous celebrities and royalty, is one of the pearls of the Slovenian congress offer. It first opened in 1910 and together with Hotel Portorož, soon became a cosmopolitan resort. It was renovated in 2008, bringing a fresh start to the small town, just as it did when it first opened more than a hundred years ago. The location is nothing to write home about, Portorož just wouldn’t be complete without the Palace. After eight years in operation, the hotel is in excellent shape and despite changing ownership, it still justifies its reputation as one of the best Adriatic hotels.
ACCESSIBILITY
Portorož is the epicentre of tourism on the Slovenian coast and the Palace hotel is right in the middle. It is in the vicinity of all the major traffic routes and is easily accessible. The nearest airport is 80km away in Trieste and Ljubljana airport is 150km. The local airport is suitable for smaller business planes. Parking is available in the underground garage.
COLD APPETIZER - Architecture and Aesthetics
The hotel is one of the best examples of art nouveau architecture from the turn of the century and is the trademark for architecture in Portorož. It is an architectural reflection of the time when it was created, when neoclassical composition, which gives the feeling of stability and tradition, were popular. The classically designed park is a perfect match to the main part of the hotel and its modern extension is discrete enough so that it doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the hotel. The art nouveau interior, with the Crystal Ballroom, is connected to the new part of the hotel by a glass lobby which offers views of the Bay of Piran. Overall, the architecture of the hotel is well thought out and reminds you of the past, while keeping in mind the quality standards and demands of the modern hotel guest.
WARM APPETIZER - Staff and catering
Ivo Rodrigues is the mastermind chef from Portugal who is responsible for the exquisite hotel cuisine, which is the fruit of his international career. The dishes are light and feature his signature Mediterranean style cooking. They are a reflection of the places he has worked and even the breakfast is incredibly colorful, playful and diverse. The same goes for the catering service which is of the highest level. After eight years in the business, the hotel staff is in top shape and completely in step. Fast, efficient and polite are the standard Kempinski virtues and can be noticed immediately. In a hotel of this category, guest expectations are very high and the Kempinski certainly knows how to satisfy every wish.
MAIN DISH - Conference hotel service
Kempinski Palace is the only five-star superior hotel in Slovenia. This means the rooms are spacious and excellently equipped, as you would expect from a hotel of this rank. The interior design is very calming, modern and prestigious, with lots of style and freshness. The hotel is technologically advanced and features small details in every corner. First, you are overwhelmed by the leather upholstery of the hallways and then you realise how much care was put into restoring all the tiny details from the old hotel.
The modern congress centre gives the feeling of prestige and offers six congress halls with natural daylight – the largest has space for 220 participants. The Kempinski’s congress offer wouldn’t be complete without the Crystal Ballroom, which shines in all its beauty after the renovation. Other than the Union Hall in Ljubljana, it is the most prestigious congress and banquet hall in Slovenia. It opens up to reveal a hundred-year-old park which is an attractive outdoor venue for events.
DESSERT – The extras
ROSE Spa – an elegant wellness centre with different treatments coming from the salt
pan tradition of Portorož and Piran.
FLOP – NEGATIVE SURPRISES
I had a hard time finding any flops, but what I could mention is the orderliness of the coastline, where the quality of the offer just doesn’t match that of the hotel. This has nothing to do with the hotel, but more with the entire tourist offer of Portorož.
TOP – POSITIVE SURPRISES
The majestic Crystal ballroom is known for hosting famous guests, including the Austro Hungarian aristocracy in the early 20th century. It is the perfect choice for glamorous events, gala dinners, balls, and weddings.
OVERALL IMPRESSION AND CREDIBILITY
The Kempinski Palace is simply an excellent congress hotel. With their experience in incentive travel, conferences, and complicated corporate events, they have set new standards and assured the number one spot in the region. Since the last evaluation, the Palace hotel has had major improvements in terms of service quality, staff and cuisine. In addition to the standard, top-notch Kempinski service you would expect, the hotel has its unique style, which accentuates the legendary character and Habsburg elegance. The luxurious garden that stretches over 5000m2 can’t be overlooked; it is the perfect venue for organising an outdoor event. All of this shows why the Kempinski Palace is at the top of the luxury offer in Slovenia.
FINAL GRADE: 4.90 GOLD RESORT MEETING HOTEL
GOLD final score from 4.81 to 5.00
SILVER final score from 4.61 to 4.80
BRONZE final score from 4.41 to 4.60
