Crowne Plaza Belgrade by IHG

Rooms and decor

Picture a tall business tower standing out along one of Belgrade's main motorways, right in the middle of New Belgrade (Novi Beograd), a district packed with office blocks, big malls and the Balkans' largest convention center. That's the setting for Crowne Plaza Belgrade by IHG, a 5-star hotel of roughly 416 rooms and suites that's been refreshed and run to international standards, so it feels familiar the moment you step into the lobby. Rooms come in warm brown-and-cream tones with a clean, modern contemporary look, and at a standard 27-35 sqm they're noticeably bigger than most travelers expect from a European city hotel. Open the door and you'll find a soft king bed, a long desk built for someone on a work trip, a chair you can actually sit in all day, and a sofa-and-coffee-table corner by the window that opens onto the Belgrade skyline. Upper floors on the river side look out over the old town and Branko's Bridge, and the sunset there is genuinely good. The bathroom is a frequent review favorite, with a clearly separate shower and tub, spotless tiling, strong water pressure and the standard Crowne Plaza toiletries. Overall it's a room that leaves you relaxed and ready to work or head back out the next morning without any friction.

Food and amenities

If there's one thing every review agrees on, it's the breakfast buffet. It's a full international-meets-Serbian spread: eggs cooked to order, bacon, local sausage, cheeses and pastries that many flag as the highlight, fresh fruit, squeezed juices, thick Serbian yogurt, plus a dessert corner and good espresso. Easily enough to keep you full until midday. For lunch and dinner there's a main restaurant and a lobby bar serving both Serbian dishes, think čevapi (grilled minced-meat sausages) and Karadjordje's schnitzel (a rolled, cheese-stuffed steak), and standard international plates, with Serbian wines to try at friendly prices. The other heart of the hotel is the heated indoor pool, open all year and long enough for real laps rather than just a dip. Next to it sit a jacuzzi, sauna and steam room and a fully equipped 24-hour gym, which plenty of reviews say is a great way to recover after a day of sightseeing or meetings, plus a spa for massage treatments. Other practical extras include on-site parking, free Wi-Fi throughout, an airport transfer service and meeting rooms in various sizes for business guests.

Location and getting there

Location is what makes this hotel special for one particular crowd. It sits in the heart of New Belgrade (Novi Beograd), the modern business district on the left bank of the Sava, right off the main E70/E75 motorway, which makes getting in and out of the city and to the airport extremely easy. It's only about a 15-minute drive from Nikola Tesla International Airport (BEG), a clincher for business travelers flying in early and out late, or anyone making a short transit stop before a connection. Better still, a few minutes' walk gets you to Sava Centar, the largest convention center in Serbia and the Balkans, and Štark Arena, an indoor concert and sports venue that seats over 18,000, ideal if you have a conference, concert or match in town. Around the hotel you'll also find big malls like Ušće Shopping Center and a range of restaurants to wander. Crossing to the old town, Stari Grad, with its Knez Mihailova pedestrian street, Kalemegdan fortress and the bohemian Skadarlija quarter, takes about 10-15 minutes by taxi, roughly 5-7 euros, over Branko's Bridge, which has a lovely view of both riverbanks.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. First, the location is in New Belgrade, not the old town. If your trip is built around soaking up the stone lanes of Stari Grad every day, or sitting in the cafes of bohemian Skadarlija as a daily ritual, this may not be the most convenient base, since you'll be taking a taxi or bus across the river back and forth. The fares aren't expensive, but they cost time and comfort. Second is traffic noise in some rooms, because the hotel is near a main motorway. Rooms facing the E70/E75 can pick up faint traffic; some reviews say it's quiet enough after midnight, but light sleepers should ask for a higher floor or the quieter river side. Some rooms in sections not yet renovated can feel like they have older furniture or air-conditioning, so you can request a renovated room when booking. Third, you'll occasionally hit check-in waits when the hotel is busy, especially on days with a big event at Sava Centar, so check in ahead through the IHG One Rewards app if you're arriving then. Finally, the extra charges for parking, the minibar and the bar are priced at European hotel rates, not local Serbian ones. On a tight budget, you're better off walking out to the cheaper restaurants around New Belgrade.

Our take

After reading through hundreds of real reviews, Crowne Plaza Belgrade by IHG is a hotel that sells convenience in the business district, big rooms, a heated indoor pool and a generous breakfast at a price that's better than you'd expect from a major 5-star European chain. If you're flying into Belgrade for a conference at Sava Centar or a concert at Štark Arena, this is the rare option you can walk to the event from in minutes. If you're on a work trip and want a big room, a good desk, fast Wi-Fi and a full set of gym and recovery facilities under one roof, it ticks every box. If you're bringing the family and want space, a heated indoor pool for the kids and a breakfast they'll happily eat, it lands well too. But if the whole point of your trip is wandering Belgrade's old town as a daily habit, the New Belgrade location may have you losing time to taxis across the river every day. Overall we give it 8.9/10, best for business travelers, families and short Belgrade stopovers who value being close to the airport and the convention center over staying in the middle of the historic tourist quarter.