GODDARD
THE WORLD OF HOSPITALITY 29
The new design scheme walk-through:
RECEPTION
Guests enter via a metal revolving door into
a stunning, double-height reception, with tall,
arched windows and cool ceramic flooring in a
bespoke two-tone diamond pattern, created by
Goddard Littlefair and inspired by the old stone
streets of the city. The reception is spacious,
soothing and calming, so that guests relax
instantly, especially during the intense heat of
the summer season.
The visitor’s eye is immediately taken by a
spectacular central chandelier, made up of
eleven, sculptural, globe-shaped and antiqued
brass pendant lights, hanging from chains in
rows of three on antiqued brass rods. Each
individual pendant light within the chandelier
houses seven fluted, ribbed glass tubes,
concealing the bulbs, with the ribbed glass
treatment used matching seven bespoke vertical
wall lights in the reception’s waiting area. The
feature light was designed by Jana Novakovic,
Interior Designer at Goddard Littlefair and was
manufactured by Croatian lighting company
Dekor, who worked on most of the lighting
on the project. The scheme’s overall lighting
consultant, especially focusing on architectural
lighting, was DPA Lighting Consultants.
The ceilings in the reception feature newly-
instated decorative mouldings, whilst the
walls are clad in inset dove-grey panels at the
upper level, with feature areas of moulded
timber panelling at ground floor level, located
around and behind the reception desk and
also enclosing the lobby waiting area opposite,
where huge-scale arched windows – technically
at first floor level – flood the space with natural
light, with glare lessened by transparent sheer
curtain panels and off-white blinds with a
striking blue trim at the top of the windows.
A bespoke, 3-person reception desk is to the
left of entry. The desk features a Carrara marble
top and dark-stained timber panelling to the
front, matching the wall panelling behind, with
sculptural brass desktop lights by Dekor at
each end. Behind the desk, set within timber-
panelled wall surround, is a triptych of artworks
by Croatian artist Antonia Cacić, specially-
commissioned for the project by the scheme’s
art consultants ARTIQ. The 3m-long abstract
triptych incorporates a palette of soft hues
inspired by the colours of the Dalmatian coast.
which introduce elements of the overall colour
palette in a series of gentle blues, off-whites and
soft pink upholstery, arranged over a bespoke
rug from Brinton’s in a faded blue and white
pattern with a blue surround. The sofas feature
arms with elaborate spindles in ebonised timber,
whilst a number of low tables of different sizes
feature Carrara marble tops with brass detailing
and legs.
CORRIDOR LEADING TO LOUNGE AND BAR
Directly opposite the main entrance, to the far
side of the reception, is a dramatic archway
leading to the ground floor of the hotel. The
arch is internally-clad in panels of antiqued
mirroring, which are also used for two window
spaces on the internal wall of reception. The
arch leads up a ten-step stair, with a curving
brass handrail, to the main circulation corridor,
with the eye drawn down the corridor by seven
The lobby waiting zone opposite includes further pendant lights, identical to those used
a standalone concièrge desk and varied for the reception chandelier. To the right of the
arrangements of loose furniture, all bespoke- corridor are the main public areas, whilst to
designed by Goddard Littlefair, as with the left are a stair lobby down to the lower-
all the furniture in the scheme, which was ground floor, where a ballroom, suite of meeting
manufactured in Croatia by Internova. The rooms and the hotel’s existing restaurant, Porat
furniture includes two sofas and four armchairs, are located, all forming part of a phase three
2019/2020 redesign by Goddard Littlefair
(along with an outdoor terrace, winter garden
and extension to the Lobby Lounge terrace),
whilst a more major stair and lift lobby give
access to the upper floors and a further corridor
leading off at a right angle leads to the ground
floor guestrooms.