HIDDEN GUEST: Grand Koper

Grand Koper sits in a prestigious, almost elite location, just next to the living room of Koper’s residents, the city promenade. Years ago, Hotel Triglav stood here, later renamed Hotel Koper, while today it is dubbed Grand Koper. From our visit, we concluded the name is well-deserved, as Grand Koper embodies the style hotels will follow in the future. Hotels of its sort are open to the city, live and breathe with the street and offer an intimate escape from the hustle and bustle. Today, the hotel breathes as one with Koper, which must have been the original idea of the building’s architect, Edo Mihevc. Grand Koper is a hotspot for meetings and entertainment, an open space for everyone to convene, not just hotel guests but visitors from all over Istria. It is a delight to stay and meet in a hotel entwined with the city, in the thick of it. Most importantly, we applaud the hotel for gradually transforming Koper into an emerging outpost for event organisers whose events are connected by one word – original venues.

Koper is one of the Slovenian coastal municipalities shaped by the vicinity of Italy and the vibrant mix of both cultures. In other words, the city is bilingual, linguistically and culturally. In Roman times, the storied city was known as Capris (Goat Island), while the Serenissima dubbed it Capo d’Istria (head of Istria). It was the Venetians who ruled here the longest, leaving behind a lasting imprint. The preserved rich architecture reminds visitors of the cultural and economic zenith achieved under the Venetian Republic. Koper is the only coastal Slovenian outpost where you can arrive by train. Accessibility by car is excellent, too, while the closest airport in Trieste is some 65 kilometres away – a forty-five-minute drive. The Ljubljana Airport is 127 kilometres away, while Venice Airport is 176 kilometres from the city. To get around Koper, you can opt for the city minibuses or rent an e-bike or regular two-wheeler. With public parking spots in abundance, you will easily find a place near the hotel. Alternatively, if you ask at the reception, the porter will park your car for free in the hotel’s parking lot.

The hotel building adorning the city promenade dates back to 1952 when famed Slovenian architect Edo Mihevc designed the modernist building. Renovating the original building were AKSL architects, including Špela Leskovic, Aleš Košak and industrial designer David Tavčar, who regularly partners with world-renowned fashion houses. The unmissable arcades of the hotel appear three times – first above the entrance, then in the reception and in the rooms, where the stone pillars elegantly arc above the beds. The most alluring space is the fluid lobby that houses the library, bookstore and reception and doubles as a cafe-cum-designer-shop. Observing the materials and style, guests feel as if they are traversing the distance between Venice and Vienna, the details reminiscent of the splendour of both cities. The graphic image of the hotel leaves a strong impression, too. One of the ornate craftworks is the vast artwork in the hotel restaurant with hand-painted ceramic plates attached to the ceiling of the pizzeria and the curtains, patterned with original illustrations of a goat’s head.

Capra Restaurant is the central culinary visage of the hotel that had welcomed guests before the hotel opened itself. When selecting dishes, they advocate local and fresh ingredients, hailing from the sea or the nearby fields. They adhere to the zero-kilometre philosophy. We could taste the quality of their ingredients when served a quartet of cold sea appetisers that could easily fall under the Michelin category. The fresh oven-baked sea bass was just as impressive. In Capra Restaurant, you can trust the excellent staff to guide you in pairing food and wine. They made a tremendous difference by elevating the whole experience. Their quest for excellence is mirrored in the satisfaction survey guests receive by e-mail the next day.

The gastronomic offer is complemented by Pizzeria Caprizza, where guests can relish Neapolitan pizzas. Guests who skip Capra Restaurant and only opt for breakfast will miss out on a grand culinary experience. At breakfast, the offer is average. Some tiny details, such as labelling ingredients, would make all the difference. Although the staff was attentive at dinner, they exuded nonchalance towards guests at breakfast, seemingly preoccupied with more important matters. A simple welcome and accompanying explanation of the daily offer would have left a distinctly different impression.

Hotel rooms

The mentioned stone arches are impossible to overlook when entering the room. Likewise, the whiteness seems a sight for sore eyes in the scorching summer heat. Each room in the hotel differs from the other, yet all share the same bright ceramics, similar to terrazzo tiles, found all over Istria. A portion of the walls is decked out in lobster-coloured decorative panels. The graphic image of Grand Koper, comprising symbols of the sun, goat and lobster, continues in the room in incognito style – with tiny details at every step. The rooms symbolise Istrian minimalism. Simple, albeit thought-out illumination and a tablet with relevant information contribute to a pleasant stay. The bathroom in the standard room is spacious; its elegant white tiles pair nicely with the copper-inspired shower cabin. We were equally impressed by the pleasantly odoured vegan cosmetic line. The bed and lining ensure excellent sleep. Many guests will undoubtedly appreciate the possibility of darkening the room with outdoor shutters.

Meetings centre

Grand Koper does not boast typical conference halls, yet this may be one of its advantages. Event organisers can thus host an event for up to 55 attendees in the relaxed atmosphere of the Club. Organisers can also rent the Capra Restaurant for up to 125 attendees. Not least, the boutique terrace can transform into a marvellous room for receptions overlooking the Bay of Koper. Event organisers can privatise the rooms for business events, receptions or recordings.

DESSERT – The extras

The boutique hotel terrace on the first floor is not in daily use, thus enabling event organisers to drape it according to their preferences. In the summer months, attendees will surely enjoy the phenomenal views of the Bay of Koper and the bustling promenade meandering around the hotel.

FLOP – NEGATIVE SURPRISES

If we had to remark, the breakfast left a bitter aftertaste. Instead of a tranquil morning meal, we experienced the rattle and hum of preparations for a private brunch. The otherwise professional staff found themselves in a stressful situation. Some watchfulness when coordinating schedules would be welcome.

TOP – POSITIVE SURPRISES

You only have one shot at making a first impression. In Grand Koper, the multi-faceted lobby proved a colourful, fragrant and pleasant experience. The professional and welcoming reception by the staff and talkative porter accompanying us to our room further solidified the positive impression. The last impression is equally important. We solved the issue of an almost-forgotten piece of clothing within minutes.

SUSTAINABLE ENDEAVOURS

Grand Koper does not blow its own horn in sustainability, which is why we might have overlooked some facts about the building’s energy efficiency. Yet what any guest can notice is the line of cosmetics in eco-friendly dispensers and the absence of plastic. As we browsed the hotel website, we stumbled upon the inspiring story of how Capra Restaurant’s chef sources fresh ingredients. This story deserves mention in the restaurant and breakfast menu. Guests are curious to learn where the cheese or the olive oil came from and if the recipe for the mouthwatering cake was passed on from generation to generation. A bit of creativity goes a long way – guests would undoubtedly be impressed by the philosophy of sourcing local and seasonal ingredients.

We can undoubtedly claim Grand Koper is intrinsic to Koper’s tourist transition. The hotel is modern, accessible and digitalised. In addition, guests will not find such an abundance of design, elegance, comfort or originality in any hotel nearby. Architects approached the project with an eye for detail, excelling in their task, as attested by snatching the BIG SEE 2021 award for design.

Despite its inspiring design, the hotel is pragmatic, too, meaning the service relies on the mood of staff members. They will need to go the extra mile to achieve five-star service. Nonetheless, the hotel boasts one of the most convincing packages on the Slovenian coast, especially for organisers of boutique events. Only the prices seem somewhat steep in the high season. Regardless, Grand Koper remains the best option when organising an event here. In other words, the grand story deserves praise, even though the price may be (too) high.

FINAL GRADE: 4.87 THREE MEETING STARS⭐⭐⭐City Meeting Hotel 

3 MEETING STARS⭐⭐⭐ final score from 4.81 to 5.00
2 MEETING STARS⭐⭐ final score from 4.61 to 4.80
1 MEETING STAR⭐ final score from 4.41 to 4.60