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Hotel Kempinski Vilnius, part of the 5-star hotel group is located in the heart of the city’s old town, overlooking the main square and cathedral. In fact location is the biggest unique selling point of this property, being only a few minute’s walk from many of the sights and attractions of Vilnius.
Kempinski Vilnius
Small (at 96 rooms), but perfectly formed, the Kempinski Vilnius offers travellers the usual 5-star service expected from the brand. Hotel amenities include a small pool and spa area, gym, and Restaurant Telegrafas on the ground floor, overlooking the main square, which is where lunch and dinner are served. Expect to pay London-prices at the restaurant – significantly higher than elsewhere in Vilnius.
Although we didn’t dine in the restaurant, breakfast was included in our rate, which provides a large selection of pastries and high-quality buffet items as well as an a la carte menu for hot food (all included). Our Eggs Florentine was well presented, with eggs cooked just enough to ensure oozing yolk inside.
Another uniqueness about Kempinski Vilnius is that it has its own been hives (dubbed ‘bee suites’) on the roof. These provide honey for guests at breakfast and a small jar is also presented to guests at check-out.
Throughout the hotel from grand lobby (and the signature Kempinski scent which welcomes guests) to rooms, the interior design is well exceptionally well finished.
We give the public areas a Vada rating of 10 / 10
Accommodation
We stayed in room 315, a deluxe room with balcony, which is the highest room category before suites. This provides a balcony with a view overlooking the main square. These rooms range from 31-45sqm. A generous entrance with 2 wardrobes (big enough for storage of two queens’ luggage) opens to the main bedroom, with Nespresso coffee maker, separate desk area and seating area. A sound-insulating door opens on to a small balcony directly overlooking Vilnius’ main square with Vilnius Cathedral and clock tower – there is not a better viewpoint.
The bed itself doesn’t disappoint, and the usual bed test (jumping onto it and sinking in) passed with flying colours. Kempinski offers a pillow and scent menu (complimentary for all rooms – the menu is put out as part of the turn-down service). We tried a Herbal Local Lithuanian Pillow and pillow mist. We weren’t sure whether this aided sleep, above the already high comfort of the mattress and pillows themselves, but was an appreciated service.
The bathroom includes a bath, separate rainfall shower and toilet which has doors on either side (from the bathroom and hall). This is either a bit of a marmite-design in many of the rooms, guests will either love the convenience of it or not. The toiletries were the Kempinski Bergamot brand. We would have expected double sinks in the bathroom, but that is the only minor point of improvement.
A video walkthrough of the room is at the end of this article.
We give the accommodation a Vada rating of 9 / 10
Spa and wellness
Located in the basement with easy access from lifts, or from staircase down from grand lobby, is the spa and gym facilities. This spa includes a small pool and jacuzzi, with a sauna, steam room and hot stone seats. Treatments are available, booked directly with the spa. The spa size is relative to the size of the hotel, and during the daytime there were only a handful of other guests around the pool, so the relaxed and exclusive ambience was maintained.
The gym is squeezed into a small side room by the pool. This would become claustrophobic with more than 3 people working out, but there is the enough modern equipment (cardio machines, bench and free weights) to get in a workout whilst staying.
We give the spa and wellness facilities a Vada rating of 9 / 10
Service
Service at the Kempinski Vilnius was friendly. Some staff had a clumsy use of English (so a message with guests may not land quite as politely as you would expect from a native speaker), but overall very professional and helpful. Each Kempinski hotel also has a Lady In Red, effectively a guest liaison who will get in touch with you before your arrival and help with any pre-check-in questions. These ladies are also visible in the hotels from their distinctive red outfits – think Virgin Atlantic air stewardess, and available to answer questions guests may have about various aspects of their stay.
We give the Kempinski Vilnius service a Vada rating of 9 / 10
Overall thoughts
From welcome to check-out we found the hotel Kempinski Vilnius a relaxing stay, with friendly, helpful staff and most-importantly, a location in the heart of the old-town meaning immediate access to a lot of tourist attractions fo the city. Breakfast was delicious, and dinner promises to be just as exclusive with a wine cellar and top Lithuanian sommelier on hand.
Prices at the Kempinski Vilnius vary depending on season and room category booked (there are 9). It is worth noting that the Kempinski group is part of the GHA Discovery loyalty programme, which is free to sign up for and offers a range of benefits. Members always get access to the best rates, including at the Kempinski Vilnius property and to special rates and discounts/offers (e.g. including complimentary breakfast) that is not available when booking through other routes.
We give the Kempinski Vilnius an overall rating of 9.3 / 10
The hotel Kempinski Vilnius is located at Universiteto 14/2, Vilnius, 01122 Lithuania.
For more information and to book a stay, visit kempinski.com.
