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The Dukla has deservedly worn a fourth star since January 2005, based on upgraded services and the professionalism of its staff. Recently renovated and rescued from decline, the hotel offers one large conference room (capacity 90) that can be subdivided into three smaller rooms, and two salons that seat 40 each. It has become the anchor in an up-and-coming neighbourhood behind the main bus station. All rooms are equipped with coffee makers, consistent with the hotel’s emphasis on hearty, Western-style breakfasts.
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Marrol’s has quickly made a deep impression on Bratislava’s burgeoning hotel market and was voted the 'best hotel in Slovakia’ in 2004 by the independent business weekly Trend. It is located close to the business district, shops and fleshpots of the Old Town, but in a residential neighbourhood just a few steps from the National Theatre. Marrol’s cleaves to a 1930s, low-lighting theme, but the amenities are all modern. This is the ideal place for smallish business conferences (the congress hall can handle up to 50 people) and important meetings (the Green Saloon doubles as a private dining room). Be sure not to leave without trying the superb Messina restaurant.
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This tiny hotel enjoys a stratospheric reputation among former guests. Owned and operated by a pair of artists, No. 16 has a homey feel that derives from the custom-made furniture, the wood-beam ceilings and the rustic lobby/restaurant. Additions in 2005 include computers and high-speed internet connections in every room, as well as new liquid crystal TVs. The hotel might be a bit far away from the business district for some guests, and the absence of meeting or conference rooms is a definite issue, but for those who can handle the steep and invigorating 20-minute walk to the Old Town, the charm and originality of this hotel may be adequate compensation.
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Billing itself as a family hotel, the Perugia is a relatively cheap four-star option that may not have all the gimmicks of the larger Western chains, but is permeated with a Slovak-Hungarian atmosphere in keeping with the city’s cultural roots. The rooms have dial-up internet connections for people with their own providers. There are no meeting facilities per se, but there’s a room that can be booked and holds from 35 (seating) to 50 (for cocktails). The Perugia is only steps from the Main Square in the heart of the Old Town, a particularly attractive location during the summer street café season.
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Part of the French Accor chain, the Ibis is a what-you-see-is-what-you-get deal, with few luxury services in its rooms beyond the standard cable TV. There are no meeting or conference facilities and guests may want to pass on the restaurant in favour of one of the many Old Town options close at hand. Indeed, its location is probably Ibis’s strongest point, as it lies underneath Bratislava castle at the foot of ritzy Zamocka Street, close to both business and entertainment venues.
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