The Fabulous Interior Design of Yugoslav-era Hotels & Motels
- Donald Niebyl
- May 4, 2020
- 15 min read
Updated: Jul 4, 2021
In the years of research I have done examining the history, art, architecture and culture in order to work towards an understanding the monuments of the former Yugoslavia, I have come across thousands of bright and vibrant vintage images from that region. While the majority of these images are outside of my primary field of study, many are simply so vivid, engaging and awe-inspiring in their design and aesthetics that I save them and put them aside as curios for later study. Among these that I consistently find most moving and mind-blowing are the vintage images which depict the bold and ambitious interior design of the hotels and motels across Yugoslavia. As the idea of Yugoslavia's unique approach to interior design in their touristic accommodations intrigued me more and more, I began to look into the topic myself and found there was very little writing on the topic and even FEWER places online where one could view a wide selection of dynamic examples of interior design during the country's "Golden Era". Yugoslavia's distinct expression of interior design and decor without a doubt elevated the endeavor to an energetic art form that sadly does not receive the attention it should, which is especially unfortunate as the few remaining examples within the region are quickly disappearing as the result of renovations, rebuilds and demolitions. As such, I felt it might then be a fun and constructive exercise to catalog here a small gallery (with descriptions) of some of the most intriguing examples I have found of interior decoration, architecture and design within the hotels and motels built during the Yugoslav era.
Motel Vratnik, Vratnik, Croatia
Name: Motel Vratnik
Location: Vratnik, Croatia
Present-Day Condition: Destroyed and abandoned
Coordinates: 44°58'40.3"N, 14°59'08.7"E
Description: Situated above Senj on a mountain pass of the Adriatic coastal range along the route between Zagreb and Split was Motel Vratnik. As Yugoslavia developed the Adriatic coast as its premiere holiday zone during the 1950s and 60s, this motel was one of the many 'motor lodges' to service this burgeoning new industry auto-tourists. Motel Vratnik was positioned along the mountain pass perfectly as to take in the stunning views of Kvarner Bay, with some saying this spot possessed some of the most amazing vistas in Yugoslavia. In the above vintage photos of the motel in its prime, we see its wonderfully bright design, its walls hung with abstract art of rustic modern-folk fusion, and, most distinctively, its earthy palette of golds, dark reds and oranges. In the post-Yugoslav era, the motel became privatized, as most such state-owned properties did. Its new owner made several attempts to sell the motel, but all were unsuccessful. It recent years, it has fallen into a state of total decay and dereliction. Photos of its present state can be seen in THIS Flickr gallery.
Hotel Maestoso, Lipica, Slovenia
Name: Hotel Maestoso
Location: Lipica, Slovenia
Present-Day Condition: Still in operation (renovated)
Coordinates: 45°40'05.5"N, 13°52'57.0"E
Description: Just east across the Italian border from Trieste into Slovenia can be found the small village of Lipica where you can find Hotel Maestoso. Lipica itself is a world-renowned location which hosts the worlds oldest continually operating stud-farm, which was founded in the 1500s. The farm specializes in the unique Slovene Lipizzan horse. In the 1960s the farm opened up to tourists and was developed into a sort of luxury hotel complex, mostly catering to an decidedly upper class clientele, as seen in its posh decor in the above vintage images. The hotel contained not only facilities for horses, but also a nightclub, a bowling alley, fine-dining establishments and much more. As the above vintage images illustrate, the interior design of the complex was attempting to create a middle-ground between classical and modern, where we can see flourishes of traditional craftsmanship peppered with bright colors and patterns characteristic of the 60s and 70s. Hotel Maestoso continues to operate until present-day, but was completely renovated in recent decades, with the majority of the design elements seen in these vintage images now gone.
Hotel Mojkovac, Mojkovac, Montenegro
Name: Originally named Hotel "Mojkovac" (currently 'Hotel Palas')
Location: Mojkovac, Montenegro
Present-Day Condition: Currently closed (condition unknown)
Coordinates: 42°57'27.5"N, 19°34'42.8"E
Description: Nestled high in the Montenegrin mountain town of Mojkovac is a hotel complex that was originally named in honor of the town it resided within, Hotel "Mojkovac". Unveiled in 1974 and created by famous Montenegrin female architect Svetlana Kana Radević, this huge hotel was a showcase of Yugoslav modernist architecture. The hotel was designed as a playful take on the traditional mountain A-frame lodge, with a downward succession of smaller triangles cascading to either side of the central middle triangle. The interior design of the Hotel Mojkovac was just as much a product of its era as its architecture was, characterized most predominately with its bold use of earth-tone colors, particularly in the lobby and reception area where a imposing dark-red shade was heavily employed. The complex was privatized in the post Yugoslav era and sold to developers, at which point its name was changed to "Hotel Palas". The establishment continued to operate into the 2010s (for which very poor reviews were left on Trip Advisor), however, it was closed down around 2015 after attempts to sell the property were unsuccessful. Yet, news reports indicate that it was eventually sold in 2018 to a Belgrade developer and was to be renovated and re-opened soon. But as of 2020, the hotel still appears to be closed. It is not clear to what degree the hotel's original interior is still intact.
Hotel Prag, Belgrade, Serbia
Name: Hotel Prag
Location: Belgrade, Serbia
Present-Day Condition: Still in operation (renovated)
Coordinates: 44°48'38.9"N, 20°27'35.2"E
Description: Located just a block west of Terazije Square in Belgrade, Serbia along the historic Balkan Street is Hotel "Prag". The hotel was constructed in 1929 and is an excellent example of early modernism in Belgrade. The hotel underwent an extreme interior renovation in 1978 to bring its appearance up to more contemporary standards. Among these additions to the hotel was a very unusual lounge area which was adorned in textured walls to give the appearance of a cave. To enhance this 'extreme rustic' aesthetic, a hanging caldron with fake fire was set-up in the center of the room while large rounds of wood were used as tables (even with little tufts of fake grass on the stool tops to finish off the effect). In subsequent renovations of Hotel Prag in recent decades, this 'cave lounge' decor was removed and replaces with more traditional fixtures. Hotel Prag continues to operate up to the present day and is conserved as part of the city's architectural heritage by the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments.
The Holiday Inn, Sarajevo, BiH
Name: Originally named "Holiday Inn" (currently named "Hotel Holiday")
Location: Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Present-Day Condition: Currently in operation (renovated)
Coordinates: 43°51'22.6"N, 18°24'13.6"E
Description: A huge amount of new infrastructure was created across the city of Sarajevo in the early 1980s for Yugoslavia hosting the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. Among the many sites created for this historic event was a massive hotel complex near the center of the city which was to be part of the American hotel-chain "Holiday Inn". Created by renowned Sarajevo architect Ivan Štraus, the bold and ambitious design of the hotel was initially controversial, but with the passage of time and the success of the Sarajevo Olympics, the hotel became a landmark of the city. It was fitted with all the most modern amenities of the time period and built with an interior just as playful and adventurous as its exterior. The most notable feature of the hotel's huge lobby was a gigantic orange and green umbrella-like canopy draped over an upper-level over-hanging lounge. The Holiday Inn was such an essential character of Sarajevo, the hotel even stayed open during the during of the Bosnian War and the Siege of Sarajevo, where it housed the majority of the international journalists covering the conflict, as well as playing host to many key political moments of the war. A 2013 BBC article explores many of the war-time moments of the hotel. At the end of the war, the damage the hotel sustained during the war was repaired, while it also changed its name to "Hotel Holiday". While was restored to its original appearance, much of the interior was drastically changed during recent renovations, however, such classic elements like the lobby's hanging canopy were retained. The hotel continues to be an important Sarajevo landmark and attracts tourists from around the world for both its dramatic history and unique architecture.
Hotel International, Zagreb, Croatia
Name: Hotel International
Location: Zagreb, Croatia
Present-Day Condition: Currently in operation (renovated/rebuilt)
Coordinates: 45°47'56.6"N, 15°58'27.5"E
Description: Located roughly 500m southwest of Zagreb's central train station is the Hotel International. Unveiled in 1959 and built by Zagreb architect Božidar Tušek in the International Style (which perhaps is where its name originates from), this monumental hotel complex was created as one of the premiere city center accommodations for Zagreb. As the above vintage images indicate, the interior of the hotel was furnished and adorned with an elegant late 50s era aesthetic, replete with mid-century furniture, marble-paneled walls and large whimsical modernist folk-art murals by an artist I've not yet been able to identify (if you know, please message me). Again, as with other hotels on this list, the dark red color is used heavily in creating atmosphere within the confines of this hotel environment. The Hotel International existed and operated in this state up until 2007, when it underwent a drastic renovation/rebuild. While it isn't exactly clear, sources seem to indicate that this original building was torn down in its entirety and a similarly shaped building with a dark glass facade was subsequently built in its place. However, while the building is completely different, it continues to operate under the name "Hotel International".
Hotel Kontinental, Skopje, N. Macedonia
Name: Hotel Kontinental
Location: Skopje, N. Macedonia
Present-Day Condition: Still in operation (partially renovated)
Coordinates: 41°59'55.8"N, 21°27'12.6"E
Description: Just northeast of the Skopje's city center (roughly 100m from the central train/bus station) is the Hotel Kontinental. This enormous 14-level concrete hotel complex was unveiled in 1972 and created by the Macedonian architect team Živko Gelevski & Dimitar Dimitrov. Upon its completion, it stood as the largest hotel in the city and instantly became a modernist landmark. Its interior, dominated by dark red and amber tones, was a feast of 70s aesthetic, with the centerpiece of the hotel being its bar and lounge area bedazzled with a series of huge circular yellow cut-glass chandeliers, each hovering over matching circular bars. While much of the hotel has been renovated in recent years, such as the rooms and suites, interestingly, the hotel's bar, lounge and restaurant remain remarkably intact, with the amazing chandeliers (among other distinct features) still in place. Furthermore, the exterior of the hotel is still largely the same, only changed with bold red stripes painted along the spines of the structure.
Hotel Radin, Radenci, Slovenia
Name: Hotel Radin
Location: Radenci, Slovenia
Present-Day Condition: Still in operation (renovated)
Coordinates: 46°38'32.8"N, 16°02'45.3"E
Description: Located in the heart of the ancient mineral spring water resort town of Radenci in western Slovenia is the wellness complex known as Hotel Radin. Opened in 1971, this massive spa and health resort facility with nearly 300 rooms was a significant architectural milestone for such a small town, creating a massive resource for people across Yugoslavia to come and gain the healing benefits this areas natural springs. The hotel was fitted with not only spa amenities, but also fine dining establishments, elegant bars and spacious accommodations. Particularly notable in the above images are the vibrant wall tapestries in the bar and lounge area of the hotel, which appear to be the work of Dubrovnik artist Marijan Kocković. The hotel initiated substantial renovations in both 1995 and 2013, as such, very little of its original Yugoslav-era fixtures and furnishings still exist within the hotel. However, one element that does seem to remain are the unique geometric lattice wood panels on the ceiling of the indoor Olympic pool.
Hotel International, Zenica, BiH
Name: Hotel International
Location: Zenica, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Present-Day Condition: Permanently closed (condition unknown)
Coordinates: 44°12'23.1"N, 17°54'32.2"E
Description: Located directly next to the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica is the architecturally impressive Hotel International. This hyper-modernist structure was opened to the public in 1978 and was created by Bosnian architect Slobodan Jovandić (who also created the famous 'Zgrada lamela' residential tower block just two years earlier). The hotel is characterized by its series of sweeping cantilevered overhangs extending from its central tower, which gives the shape a sense of floating or defying gravity. Upon its unveiling, it was fitted with the all the latest amenities, having full air conditioning, fine restaurants, a sauna, etc, which resulted in some considering it the finest hotel in central Bosnia at the time. The above postcard shows various scenes from the hotel's interior, which is, again, dominated by a palette of reds and oranges (very characteristic of the 70s). After the dismantling of Yugoslavia in the 1990s and the ensuing Bosnian War, the hotel was privatized and passed between several owners. It operated through the 2000s, but by the early 2010s, it had filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors. As of 2020, buyers for the property and still being sought. The condition of the interior of the vacant hotel is currently unknown.
Hotel Jugoslavija, Belgrade, Serbia
Name: Hotel Jugoslavija
Location: New Belgrade, Serbia
Present-Day Condition: Still in operation (partially renovated)
Coordinates: 44°49'45.9"N, 20°25'12.8"E
Description: Situated along the Danube River of New Belgrade, Serbia is the famous Hotel Jugoslavija. Unveiled in 1969 as the first true ‘luxury’ hotel in the country, this immense project was created under an design team led by Croatian architect Lavoslav Horvat. This expansive complex stood as a modern cultural icon during the Yugoslav-era and during its heyday it hosted innumerable celebrities and dignitaries from around the world as they passed through the country’s capital city. Not only was the hotel renowned for its architecture and distinct Yugoslav-style of mid-century interior design, but inside it also boasted one of the largest chandeliers in the world. The hotel was struck by NATO bombs in May of 1999 and was later closed after privatization in 2006. It subsequently re-opened to the public in the early 2010s. While some of the hotel, such as the lobby, has been renovated and stripped of its original Yugoslav-era furnishings and design, many of the hotel rooms and the elegant ballroom still retain a great deal of their original Yugoslav charm and aesthetics.
Hotel Palace at Haludovo, Malinska, Croatia
Name: Hotel Palace at Haludovo
Location: Malinska, Croatia
Present-Day Condition: Abandoned and destroyed
Coordinates: 45°07'51.9"N, 14°31'40.2"E
Description: In 1972, an elaborate luxury resort called "Hotel Palace", part of the Haludovo seaside holiday complex, was unveiled along the Adriatic coast on the Croatian island of Krk, just north of the village of Malinska. Created by famed Croatian architect Boris Magaš, the Hotel Palace was bold exhibition of modernist design and aesthetics, with many regarding this complex as the finest example of coastal resort architecture of the Yugoslav-era. The hotel's vast open atrium is a framed by white swooping columns that stretch up to an elegantly textured ceiling that seems to defy gravity. Meanwhile, cascading vines creep through each successive level, cultivating an atmosphere of Babylons hanging gardens.
However, this luxurious palace was not created by conventional means. In the late 1960s, Bob Guccione, founder of the famous American pornographic magazine "Penthouse", invested 45 million US dollars into the Haludovo resort in order to create the Palace Hotel. Guccione obtained further approval from the Yugoslav government to include a casino within the facility. The Place Hotel became one of the most exclusive and notorious resorts in Yugoslavia, well known for its wild parties and its giddy levels of excess and debauchery. Meanwhile, the hotel's prestigious and decadent reputation attracted such notable personalities as Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, Italian politician Silvio Berlusconi, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Henry Ford Jr., among others. However, within a year of the Palace Hotel opening, it began to experience financial difficulties. Mismanagement quickly led to the casino going bankrupt, with the hotel experiencing a slow decline through the 1980s. As war broke out in across the Yugoslav region in the 1990s, the hotel was used as a refugee camp. After the war, privatization led to the hotel bouncing between several owners, then, unable to find a buyer, descended into abandonment. As of 2020, the hotel sits in ruins and extreme dereliction.
Hotel Grand, Cetinje, Montenegro
Name: Hotel Grand
Location: Cetinje, Montenegro
Present-Day Condition: Still in operation (partially renovated)
Coordinates: 42°23'05.3"N 18°55'35.8"E
Positioned just south of the town center of the ancient settlement of Cetinje, Montenegro is "Hotel Grand". This plush establishment was opened to the public in 1984 and designed by architect Aleksandar Keković, with it originally hosting such attractions as a full size pool, restaurants, an auditorium and even a bowling alley. The site that this hotel was built on was formerly home to the famous "Hotel Park", which was unfortunately destroyed in a 1979 earthquake. Boasting over 400 rooms and 8 luxury suites, this hotel was the height of high-class accommodation for this region. The interior of this complex is an elegant example of late Yugoslav interior design and luxury stylings, with such features as parquet floors visible in guest rooms, velvet upholstered sofas, as well as vibrantly colored furniture and adornments. At present-day, the hotel continues to operate, with even some of socialist-era charm can still being found here and there throughout the complex, for instance, the auditorium is almost exactly in its original condition, even with the plush red chairs seen in the above photos!
Hotel Ambassador, Opatija, Croatia
Name: Hotel Ambassador
Location: Opatija, Croatia
Present-Day Condition: Still in operation (renovated)
Coordinates: 45°20'24.2"N 14°18'42.1"E
Sitting on a rocky outcrop overlooking Kvarner Bay, the "Hotel Ambassador" is a famous Yugoslav-era hotel that was well known for its luxury and elegant architecture. Unveiled in 1966 and designed by Zagreb architect Zdravko Bregovac, the Ambassdor was a resplendent modern resort accommodation which offered all of the finest amenities to its guests who came from around the world. Even Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito and his wife Jovanka were known to have stayed here. Not only did the hotel employ significant amounts of modernist stylings, imported furniture, high-class adornments and plush textiles in every corner of the hotel, but it also filled it with art from some of the greatest Yugoslav artists of the era, including Ivan Picelj, Boris Dogan, Dušan Džamonja, Edo Murtić and Aleksandar Srnec. For instance, in the bar/lounge image above, a huge abstract mural by Croatian painter Edo Murtić can be seen. The hotel continued its operation after Croatia became an independent nation in 1991, with it continuing to operate as a luxury hotel up until the present day. However, it has been extensively renovated in recent decades, so it exhibits very little of its original Yugoslav-era interior design features. For more info, see THIS link.
Hotel Croatia, Cavtat, Croatia
Name: Hotel Croatia
Location: Cavtat, Croatia
Present-Day Condition: still in operation [renovated]
Coordinates: 42°34'41.7"N 18°12'48.7"E
The "Hotel Croatia" is a massive concrete complex perched on a dramatic cliff that stares down at the Adriatic. This expansive resort was unveiled in 1973 and created by Yugoslav architect Slobodan Miličević. Among the most daring and ambitious of the modernist hotels of the Croatian Adriatic coast, the design of the resort is most certainly luxurious, but the bare concrete and streamlined approach also give it an atmosphere of restrained dignity at the same time. Bright reds and loud textures abound in original interior of this complex, with the hotel's lounges and bars exhibiting the full experience of dynamic shapes and patterns the 1970s Yugoslavia is known for. With nearly 500 guest bedrooms, this was among the largest hotels in Croatia, with a conference center topping things off that could accommodate near 1,000 visitors. An additional feature of the interior of the hotel that is quite unique is that there are few sharp corners to be found anywhere, as the rooms and halls are finished with wavy walls of organic undulating curves. This gives each space a freshness and sense of freedom that opens one up to the vast and captivating sea views offered by this location. While Hotel Croatia is still in operation up until the present day, it has experienced much renovation in recent decades, with the majority of the Yugoslav era decorative elements now gone. However, many of the original interior architectural features are still in place and still give one a fantastic experience of this unique Yugoslav hotel marvel.
Hotel "Berulia", Brela, Croatia
Name: Hotel "Berulia" (today called "Bluesun Hotel Berulia")
Location: Brela, Croatia
Present-Day Condition: still in operation [partially renovated]
Coordinates: 43°21'44.0"N, 16°56'19.9"E
Nestled on the craggy bluffs overlooking the Adriatic Sea in the small coastal village of Brela, just north of Makarska, Croatia, is what was originally called Hotel "Berulia". This impressively elegant resort was built in 1969 and was designed by architect Ante Rožić. However, as distinct and opulent as the architecture of this hotel was upon its unveiling, doing much to, as writer Maroje Mrduljaš notes, merge the idea of "compact Mediterranean agglomerations and modern architectural expression", the aspect of the hotel that was most often noted was the excellent interior design which was laid out by Korčula-born Croatian designer Bernardo Bernardi. As the hotel expands in terraces across the cliffside, Bernardi works tirelessly in his design to bring the outdoors inside, populating lounges with massive planters and positioning streamlined furniture arrangements right up against the building's sprawling curtains of glass, which both maximizes sea views and merges the feeling of "architecture and ambiance", as Mrduljaš says. This "dream team" pairing of Rožić & Bernardi is actually the second hotel complex they had completed together in this small village in Brela, having built together the "Hotel Maestral" just four years earlier. However, "Berulia" is by far the more extravagant of the two. Both are still in operation up to the present day, however, Hotel "Berulia" has undergone a full renovation leaving few of its original fixtures and adornments intact, while Hotel "Maestral" continues to have many of its original furnishings, fixtures and decorations.
Motel Belvi, Skopje, N. Macedonia
Name: Motel Belvi (also called Hotel Bellevue)
Location: Aracinovo, N. Macedonia (eastern outskirts of Skopje)
Present-Day Condition: still in operation [partially renovated]
Coordinates: 41°59'47.4"N, 21°33'08.1"E
Positioned right off of the A2 motorway within the suburban outskirts east of the Skopje city center is a motel complex originally named "Motel Belvi", built to service not only the city's tourist industry but also the speedy traveling motorists on long journeys (a growing demographic in the early 70s in Macedonia). Unveiled in 1971, this complex was designed by notable Czech architect Luděk Kubeš (along with assistance from the Russian brother architects Mihail & Andrej Tokarev). Kubeš himself had actually himself been in Skopje since 1947 (just after WWII), as he had been invited by the Skopje's governing authorities to help formulate an urban plan for the city. In his work on redeveloping post-war Skopje, Kubeš created not only a regulatory plan for the city, but also apartment blocks, restaurants, civic centers, among other projects. After the 1963 Skopje earthquake, "Motel Belvi" was the one major reconstruction project that Kubeš undertook. The form of the hotel is characterized by a simply boxy 6-level L-shaped tower at its core, which, in its original appearance, had a series of charismatic yellow-painted balconies on its two thin edges. Around the base of this tower is a arrangement of facilities that includes two restaurants, a cafe, a bar/lounge, a bowling alley, a conference center, a ball room, among other amenities. For a motorway motel, it was a surprisingly luxuriant accommodation that was expertly designed and hosted an extremely modernist architectural aesthetic in both its interior and exterior appearance. However, the most fascinating aspect of the motel's design was the expansive artificial lake and park setting created in the space surrounding the complex, which hosts gazebos, outdoor dining pavilions, fountains and peaceful lake pathways.
Over the years, the Motel Belvi has undergone significant renovations and changes to its original appearance, however, some of the Yugoslav-era aesthetics and design elements still exist within the complex here and there. Today, it is operated as a four-star accommodation by the American-based "Best Western" hotel franchise (called "Best Western - Hotel Bellevue" and is in very good condition, acting as a popular conference center and wedding venue. The official Best Western website for the hotel can be found at THIS link.
Final note: If anyone reading this article has access to vintage brochures, postcards or photos which depict unique interior design perspectives of Yugoslav-era hotels and motels, please reach out to me. I'd love to expand this article with reader contributions of additional high quality examples!
Thank you for this article! Just two weeks ago, I visited Zenica with a student group and we were able to visit Hotel Internacional. It looks like it was just abandoned, even the bedding is still there. The interior is in dire need of renovation but pretty much the original and you can see its original beauty.
thank you for sharing this!!!
This is an amazing article looking at such splendid, modern architecture. Absolutely love this and thanks so much for researching and putting this up.