Hotel Ambasador – new luxury hotel in Split opens

Hotel Ambasador opens in Split (Photo credit: Ivan Ivanišević

Split’s high-class tourism has received an extraordinary boost in its offer – Hotel Ambasador received its first guests last week.

A true jewel in the crown of the city’s hotel offer, the Ambasador hotel was designed, from the beginning, as a link that connects the urbanity of the large city center, and the untouched beauty of the Dalmatian islands.

It is positioned in the heart of the city, on the promenade from which you can ideally see the most beautiful panorama of Split, a ‘snap’ view of the harbor and the entire Split archipelago. Those are the reasons why the renovation of Ambasador – in the first incarnation of the classic modern work from 1937 by the architect Josip Kodl – aroused huge public interest from the beginning. The ‘old’ Ambasador was a part of the city’s collective memory, and every change inevitably aroused interest. 

Hotel Ambasador opens in Split (Photo credit: Ivan Ivanišević

Hotel Ambasador will indeed offer more than any hotel in the immediate vicinity: the project by Nora Roje, Neno Kezić and Emil Šverko is categorized as 5*, with 101 rooms (including three suites) – each of which has an open view of the city or the port.

The promenade is connected to the Riva and Diocletian’s Palace on one side, and the nautical ACI marina, the most beautiful city beaches and the green hill Marjan on the other. With its luxurious, but subtle and, above all, comfortable interior, it invites for relaxation and enjoyment in the spirit of Split, as the heart of the Mediterranean lifestyle.

(Photo credit: Ivan Ivanišević

The interior (designed by Pero Vuković from the ARHIV studio) was created with the special attention to natural materials. It brings the story of the tradition and exclusivity of the Ambasador. All areas in the hotel, from the lobby to the rooms, are decorated with the historical or recent scenes typical for Split that were recorded or collected by the Split’s famous photo chronicler Feđa Klarić. The reception desk is a handwork of the Slavonian master carpenters, made of 1850-year old black oak, the so-called Abonos, emerged from the bottom of the Sava river.

There is also a dedication to the Croatian architectural history in the form of the chairs designed by Bernardo Bernardi, along with a number of other details that a trained eye will notice.  The top quality materials and calming neutral tones were used in room design, not to compete with the ever-living scene outside. The common areas are oriented conceptually ‘outside’, i.e. to what is the greatest asset of the hotel – the sea and the city, from which the guests are separated only by a narrow strip of promenade, and in this way they communicate with the passer-by thus becoming an integral part of the city life.

(Photo credit: Ivan Ivanišević)

Within the hotel, there is the Méditerranée Restaurant with a total of 210 seats, which, under the leadership of the chef Ivica Katić, will offer the best of the Mediterranean cuisine – from Lebanon to Gibraltar, with the use of local organic ingredients by the local small producers, as a guarantee of the product quality. Right next to it, there is a Bar Split, dominated by an imposing bar with an excellent selection of drinks, and a comfortable interior that simply invites you to socialize. The terrace with the most beautiful view contributes to the attractive offer, as this bar will surely become a favorite gathering of many guests and locals alike.

The open swimming pool with a view of the city and the harbour, and the associated Pool bar are also notable addition in a series of the striking hotel advantages. The Ambasador’s multifunctional conference center with a capacity of 80 people will be a great spot for the high-profile business events, while the rooftop bar is designed as an exclusive space for private events with a smaller number of people.

(Photo credit: Ivan Ivanišević)

The hotel also offers a whole range of beauty and spa services at the 500 square meter Hacelia Wellness & Spa, with the concept designed by the consulting company Vita Vitalis. It offers various face, body and hair treatments, exclusive natural cosmetics, massages, and a separate fitness center with the cardio equipment.

Another feature that will make Ambasador stand out in the current Split hotel offer is the garage space, which is a rarity for a hotel in the city center.

(Photo credit: Ivan Ivanišević)

The project, worth more than EUR 35 million, was extremely demanding to finalize. The construction took longer than expected, and was largely slowed down by disruptions on the global market caused by the Covid crisis – says the hotel management, thanking to all participants who led the Hotel Ambasador towards opening in this summer season.

(Photo credit: Ivan Ivanišević)

However, the market position of this truly exceptional hotel does not suggest excessive dependence on the seasonal trends. The Ambasador hotel was designed and built to offer all year round the best of what Split, Dalmatia and Croatia have to offer – relaxed luxury, refined beauty inside that underlines the outside opulence,  gastronomic highlights with the best local ingredients. It identifies itself with a unique destination on the tourist world map such as Split… in short, it offers a superior experience of the Mediterranean.