Heritage Hotel Zagreb

We created the brand strategy, brand slogan, verbal and visual identity for Heritage Hotel Zagreb, a hotel nestled in the gardens of Lapad, Dubrovnik. Originally opened in 1932, the hotel has long been known as a peaceful retreat immersed in the Mediterranean setting, just moments away from the city’s historic centre. 

Our task was to rediscover the hotel’s unique identity and transform it into a hotel rooted in its location. Dubrovnik and Lapad have long inspired poets’ imagination. Their interpretation of beauty lives on in the verses, from the Lapad sonnets of Ivo Vojnović to the timeless works of Gundulić, Držić, and Palmotić. Today, that same nature, heritage, and the Mediterranean spirit continue to inspire moments shaped by beauty.

The strategic concept draws inspiration from the poetic beauty of Lapad. Throughout history, Dubrovnik’s landscapes have inspired painters, writers and poets, while the hotel’s Mediterranean garden remains one of its greatest treasures. By connecting these two worlds, nature and artistic creation, we developed a brand that celebrates beauty both as the source of inspiration and experience. 

This philosophy is expressed through our slogan, “Inspired by Poetic Beauty”, communicating that exceptional experiences are born from exceptional surroundings. Every touchpoint, from gastronomy and interior atmosphere to personalized service and the garden itself, reflects this central idea. 

There are places whose beauty seems to belong to another time. Here, you stand in one of those places, Dubrovnik. For centuries, travellers arrived here, drawn by the warmth of the medieval stone and the unending blue of the Adriatic. Step foot into our garden, a hidden sanctuary where nature opens its doors in its most graceful form. Canary palms rise gently toward the sky, murmuring cycads whisper of distant centuries, and oleanders bloom beside bitter orange trees and laurel. Witness magnolias opening in the warm sunlight, while jasmine sings to you, releasing its soft fragrance into the evening air, inviting you to pause and admire the quiet poetry of nature. This is a garden for all the senses. The scent of rosemary and jasmine, the gentle rush of palms above, the sight of magnolias opening in the sun. The flavours of the Mediterranean unfold through simple, delicious tastes shaped by land and sea.

Perhaps this is why Dubrovnik and Lapad have long inspired poets’ imagination. Their interpretation of beauty lives on in the verses, from the Lapad sonnets of Ivo Vojnović to the timeless works of Gundulić, Držić, and Palmotić. Like the gentle rhythm of the sea, the rhyme of the sonnet lulls the mind into stillness and quiet reflection. Our hotel invites you to step foot into this quiet tradition. A place where Dubrovnik’s beauty inspires you. And in the quiet of the garden, one feels profoundly alive, as if touched by the whispers of stories carried through centuries of Dubrovnik's beauty. Beauty created in beauty.

The verbal identity speaks with quiet confidence of poetry. It is elegant, sensory, and contemplative, inviting guests to admire the beauty of Dubrovnik instead of just consuming it. 

Inspired by Ivo Vojnović's Lapad Sonnets, the language evokes nature through rich imagery of Mediterranean gardens, sea, stone and light.  Along with the brand slogan, we also created a series of messages, such as: “Beauty created in beauty”, “Freed by natural poetic beauty”, “Mediterranean garden for all the senses”, “Art and beauty in the Mediterranean garden”, “Admire the quiet poetry of nature”, “Whispers of stories carried through centuries”, “Within minutes of your arrival, you will feel relaxed”, “Rhyme of the sonnet lulls you into perfect relaxation”, “Let the senses slow down your circadian rhythm”, “Ardent beauty in the Mediterranean garden” and “Discover the quiet poetry of Nature”. 

The beauty of Lapad’s natural surroundings and artistic heritage inspired the names of our restaurant and trattoria. The name Kaloper metaphorically conveys timeless beauty and the fragrant, soothing atmosphere of the hotel’s garden, where mint (kaloper) grows. Trattoria Rima evokes poetic creativity, and Vojnović’s sonnets are inspired by the beauty of Dubrovnik and Lapad, while also reflecting the relaxing rhythm of our garden.

The visual identity extends the same narrative into a contemporary design system inspired by Dubrovnik's artistic and cultural heritage.

The typography takes inspiration from the manuscripts of Ivo Vojnović, subtly referencing the literary tradition that shaped Lapad's identity. The colour palette is derived from the hotel's original historic façade, reconnecting the brand with its architectural heritage while giving it a timeless contemporary character.

Custom botanical illustrations were created using plants that grow in the hotel's own Mediterranean garden. Palms, magnolias, jasmine, bitter orange and other native species become distinctive visual elements throughout the identity, celebrating the beauty that surrounds the hotel and reinforcing its deep connection to nature.

Together, these elements create an elegant visual language that feels refined, poetic and unmistakably rooted in Dubrovnik.