Interview with Saša Čubrić, Hotel Manager at Hotel Jägerhorn from Zagreb

Lifestyle - Interview

by Melisa Kaya

Hotel Jägerhorn is located in the heart of Zagreb. The restoration of the Hotel Jägerhorn was completed in 2015 with great care. With its renewed state, it is stand in its place with its first-day grandeur. Hotel Jägerhorn is waiting for guests who want to experience the cultural and touristic texture of Zagreb. I talked with Saša Čubrić, Hotel Manager at Hotel Jägerhorn, to learn more about Hotel Jägerhorn and Zagreb.

Saša, before start talking about Hotel Jägerhorn, could you tell us about your background and hotel management experience? Who is Saša Čubrić?

I am a father of two most special kids on this planet and nothing else in life comes close to this experience. Speaking about work experience, managing Hotel Jagerhorn is my first experience of this kind and it has been a very fulfilling and exciting experience, with many ups and downs, a handful of stressful moments and immeasurably many more joyful ones.

Hotel Jägerhorn

Hotel Jägerhorn is in the center of Zagreb. What are the advantages of being there? Could you tell us about your location?

Hotel Jägerhorn's location allows its guests to reach and experience all beautiful and interesting sights easily and quickly. Everything important for making their stay comfortable and enjoyable is 'just across the street' from the hotel.

Hotel is located in a pedestrian zone, but the nearest taxi station and hotel parking lot are just 300 m away from it, which makes it easy to reach for our guests.

If our guests want to explore the city, they can start by entering hotel upper terrace which is located behind the hotel, and taking the stairs in the hotel garden area which lead directly to the old city. When they reach the old city, they can enjoy the beautiful view of Zagreb, explore interesting museums such as the Museum of broken relationships, or visit Lotršćak tower and St. Mark church.

The main city square is just a few minutes away from the hotel, and so are many streets with all kinds of cafe bars, restaurants, souvenir shops and other sights which are interesting to explore and experience.

Ilica street, where the hotel is located, is famous for shopping, which means our guests can find all kinds of stores just around the corner!

There is plenty of other things our location offers - many agencies, stores, famous events and festivals etc., everything is within walking distance from the hotel. We can proudly say our location cannot be better, and will certainly provide our guests everything necessary for an unforgettable stay.

Hotel Jägerhorn

Could you tell us about the history of Hotel Jägerhorn?

Hotel Jagerhorn is Zagreb’s oldest standing Hotel. Since we took over in 2009, it has gone through several refurbishments. Since 1827 the Jägerhorn has established itself as a social and cultural icon of Zagreb, noted by its association to numerous Croatian historical figures such as Ljudevit Gaj and Ban Josip Jelačić, as well as appearances in several poems, theater productions, and films.

Hotel Jägerhorn is located in the historic building. Could you tell us about your building and its current design concept?

The full refurbishment of the Jägerhorn was completed in 2015, with great care and consideration given to preserving the historical and cultural significance of the hotel in its interior decoration and visual identity.

The use of Croatian abonos oak, excavated from and preserved in the Sava river for up to 8000 years; and cast iron, synonymous with Zagreb’s upper town, as base materials throughout the hotel is a testament to this, while a contemporary interpretation of classical styles is undertaken with furnishings and decorations. The final result is a unique synthesis of warm traditional elegance and chic design.

This attention to style, detail and comfort extend to the customized, personal and intimate service to be found, making Hotel Jägerhorn the ideal destination for both business and leisure travellers seeking an authentic hotel experience in the center of Zagreb.

Hotel Jägerhorn

What type of different rooms and suites do you have? Could you tell us about them? What are their features?

The hotel has 2 suites, 13 double and 3 single rooms. They all have air conditioning/heating, safe boxes, mini bar, bathroom with shower or bathtub, working desk, and chairs. Some of them have a beautiful garden view and guests can see Zagreb old town once they wake up.

Please tell us about your services and amenities. How could your guests spend time at Hotel Jägerhorn? And when they out of Hotel Jägerhorn and stepping into the streets of Zagreb, what can they do?

We are a small boutique hotel and do not offer special services inside the hotel, but when stepping into the streets of Zagreb, our guests can spend time exploring sights and Zagreb tradition and culture, tasting traditional food and wines in all kind of restaurants, and join all kinds of festivals and events because most of them take place in Zagreb center - and all of the mentioned activities are walking distance from the hotel.

There are walking tours, bike tours and excursions offered to our guests - all they need to do is inform our receptionists about the desired activity, and they will be more than happy to arrange it for our guests.

Hotel Jägerhorn

What do you offer to your guest for making their stay unforgettable? Which services and features of Hotel Jägerhorn make it different from other hotels in Zagreb?

The fact itself that hotel Jagerhorn is one of the oldest standing hotels in Zagreb, makes it different from other hotels in Zagreb. Sometimes referred to as a 'hidden gem', the hotel offers an unforgettable stay because of its excellent location, peacefulness, beautiful garden area, and hospitality of its staff. The hotel is in the center of it all, but still seems private and peaceful, which makes our guests feel like they are at home.

Hotel Jägerhorn

What is the importance of business travelers in Zagreb? What kind of additional services do you offer for business travelers?

Our hotel often welcomes business travelers. They enjoy the hotel because of its central location, close to all main business points and venues. Also, if they need to work on their computers and need a quiet area to do that, they use their desks in the rooms, or enjoy a drink in hotel Cafe bar while working on their computers. Our free wi-fi provides everything important for their work, and reception staff is always there to assist with transfers, contacts and other necessary information. We do not have meeting rooms in the hotel, but if needed, they can use the hotel Cafe bar area, or breakfast room for short meetings.

How can travelers make their individual or business/group reservations? Do you have any advantage packs that you offer to your regular and long-term guests?

Our reception is open 24/7 and it can be contacted via phone or email for all booking inquiries. For our long-term guests, we offer a 10% discount on every new booking. A guest is considered regular after 4th confirmed reservation with us.

Hotel Jägerhorn

Which is the top season for travelers who want to visit Zagreb? What is the reason?

In our experience, Zagreb is popular throughout the entire year.

Winter time gives our guests an opportunity to experience the Christmas market and all kinds of events which happen during this time. Springtime is the time when Zagreb is most beautiful for excursions, coffee and lunch breaks in cute coffee shops and restaurants, everything blooms and sunny days are warm and pleasant. Summertime is the time of vacations, which naturally brings a lot of guests to Zagreb, but it has to offer a lot of summer festivals and events, and all of them take place in the center, close to the hotel. Autumn is a part of the year when guests enjoy cooler days filled with activities in the city, but excursions as well.

Most popular months in our hotel are September and May.

What are the most famous attractions near you?

You can take your own private shortcut up to the upper town by taking the stairs up the hill at the back of the hotel (at the end of the hotel's terrace cafe). You'll end up on Strossmayer Promenade and just 1-2 blocks from some great sites, such as Museum of Broken Relationships, Croatian Museum of Naive Art, and St. Mark's Church.

Hotel Jägerhorn

If you have only one weekend in Zagreb as a first-time visitor, in this limited time, what are the best things to do?

We would recommend exploring Zagreb old town and visiting Zrinjevac park - make a small private tour of most popular sights surrounding the hotel - Lotršćak tower, St. Mark's church, museums and galleries, the Cathedral, Dolac market etc., then make a stop at some of the best restaurant such as Vinodol, Stari fijaker, Dubravkin put or trying ice cream and cakes at Vincek, and of course, enjoy refreshing drinks in our Cafe bar and its peaceful setting.

How do you describe Zagreb in one sentence?

The best hometown in the world!

Thank you Saša.

For more information, please visit website of Hotel Jägerhorn

This interview was conducted in a Question-and-Answer format. The answers were checked for grammar and punctuation and published without any additional editing. Thursday, September 27, 2018. All photos are the property of their respective owners.