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Saint Ten Belgrade: The Hotel Living Its Second Life

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By Ina Yulo Stuve on 30th October 2023

Nestled away in Belgrade, an area steeped in history, is a hotel redefining its future, while paying homage to its past.

Despite having a rich history, a thriving food scene, buzzing nightlife, and beautiful nature in its vicinity, Belgrade — the capital and largest city of Serbia — is often overlooked as a tourist destination.

Granted, it’s not the prettiest of cities — brutalist architecture brought about after World War II makes up most of New Belgrade — but both its people and its culture have a warmth that often comes as a surprise to visitors.

Serbia was ruled by the Ottoman Empire for nearly five hundred years, and one of Belgrade’s most notable landmarks, Kalemegdan, is Turkish for “fortress field”. After World War I, Serbia became part of the former Yugoslavia and fought in the brutal Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s before it finally declared independence in 2006. The scars of these battles are still visible in Belgrade today; NATO-bombed buildings still stand on the side of Kneza Milosa and the Museum of Yugoslavia holds many artefacts and stories about those who lived through these troubled times.

Perhaps Nobel Prize winner Ivo Andrić put it best when he said: “This grand city seems to have always been like this: torn and split, as if it never exists but is perpetually being created, built upon and recovered.” Reinvention is a common theme in Belgrade —from the fortresses and boats that turn into night clubs when the sun goes down, to the inventions exhibited in the Nikola Tesla Museum, the city is bursting with examples of how Serbs have been masters of transformation.

Tucked away on a quiet street in the Vracar neighbourhood, Saint Ten hotel is one of the capital’s buildings that’s living its second life.

The Lowdown

Built by acclaimed architect Stojan Veljkovic in 1929, it became a meeting place for politicians and was rumoured to have hidden some MI6 agents too. Now, the five-star luxury boutique hotel — a proud member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World — welcomes locals and tourists alike to its storied halls. Here business meetings are held over a glass of traditional Rakija as hotel guests are checked-in by the courteous and attentive staff. 

Saint Ten’s discrete entrance leads to a bright, swish lobby: pops of colour and mixtures of texture give the space a cosy yet sophisticated feel.

The Saint Ten bar sits on one side of the lobby, its impressive collection of spirits lined up against a mirrored wall. Breakfast is held at the hotel’s fine dining restaurant L’Adresse. A superb selection of local cheeses, sausages, salads, and an omelette station greet guests each morning, as do the amicable servers who offer juice and coffee the moment you step foot inside. The all-day menu draws inspiration from around the globe with dishes such as foie gras with pistachios and jam, vegetable spring rolls with sweet chilli, and risotto laden with saffron and prawns. The room service menu is equally as impressive for weary travellers— dishes like Caesar salad and truffle pasta are delicious and generous in portion.

The Rooms

Executive king rooms are spacious, with wooden floors, plush chairs, a desk, flat screen TVs hidden behind wood panelling, and a Nespresso machine for a welcome caffeine hit. A glass wall separates the bedroom from the bathroom, which features a rain shower and amenities from The White Company. The housekeeping team leave little treats atop bedside tables every evening and are on-hand throughout guests stay for anything required.

The Agenda

Director of Sales and Marketing, Marko Milisavljević proudly speaks about the events and programmes his team have created to entertain and connect with guests, such as their popular 'after work' events held every Friday at the Saint Ten Bar, a New Year’s Matinee which sees celebrities and prominent figures in Belgrade society partying the night away, a Vracar food tour to experience the local farmers market, and a gallery-hopping tour to highlight the work of Serbia’s rising artists.

The hotel is conveniently located just a short walk away from some of the city’s most popular landmarks: the Nikola Tesla Museum, the Church of Saint Save (known as “the Orthodox heart of Belgrade”), and the Museum of Natural History. A short taxi ride will take you to the city centre, where you will find restaurants such as Iva New Balkan Cuisine (awarded with a Michelin Bib Gourmand),  walk down the distinctly bohemian Skadarlija Street, and explore the city’s many parks.

On our final day, we sat out on the hotel’s terrace to bask in the last of the Serbian summer sunshine. Like Belgrade, Saint Ten is a property that pays homage to the past whilst being forward-looking, always with an eye out for more ways to deliver a top-notch experience that guests will remember. 

Saint Ten

Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Address: Svetog Save 10, Beograd 11000, Serbia

Website: https://www.saintten.com/ 

E-mail: info@saintten.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sainttenhotel/ 

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