Shakespeare Boutique Hotel
by the TopOfHotel team
Shakespeare Boutique Hotel is a night in a 400-year-old baroque palace in the heart of Vilnius Old Town, where every room reads like stepping into a different classic novel — strongest on its central location and a genuinely old-world feel you won't find elsewhere.
Shakespeare Boutique Hotel is a night in a 400-year-old baroque palace in the heart of Vilnius Old Town, where every room reads like stepping into a different classic novel — strongest on its central location and a genuinely old-world feel you won't find elsewhere.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
The charm here is that all 23 rooms are named and decorated after renowned classic writers. The Shakespeare room runs English-style in deep green and gold, with a writing desk and a quill on it. The Hemingway room is darker and more serious in deep brown and wine red, its walls hung with paintings and hunting-style decor. The Pushkin room carries classic Russian details and a patterned carpet. The Library Suite — the one reviews mention most — has a real antique fireplace, bookshelves to the ceiling, and a leather armchair for reading. Because the building is old and the floor plan uneven, room sizes differ a lot: some are open with 4-metre ceilings and big windows over the garden behind Bernardine Church, others are compact with ceilings that slope under the roof. Every room is fully kitted out, though — soft beds, good cotton sheets, and bathrooms redone to be modern enough while keeping the classic tone. Reviewers on both Agoda and Booking say the same thing: it feels like stepping into a novel.
Food and amenities
Breakfast is made fresh and brought to your table in a small wood-toned dining room that seats about 20. There are eggs cooked to order, homemade bread, and local cheese and ham, and reviewers rate the quality above the usual 4-star standard. Off the lobby you'll find a small library and lounge with thick carpets, carved oak chairs, oil paintings, and oak shelves packed with classic books in several languages. Some rooms have a fireplace, Wi-Fi is free in every room, and there's a 24-hour concierge. Parking is available nearby for a fee. What you won't find is a gym, a pool, or a spa — this is a small palace, not a resort.
Location and getting there
On location, Shakespeare Boutique Hotel is about as central as it gets — Cathedral Square (Katedros aikštė), the historic plaza with Vilnius Cathedral and its bell tower, is 50 metres away, under a 1-minute walk. Climbing the hill to Gediminas Tower for a view over the whole Old Town takes about 5-7 minutes. Pilies street, the main cobbled pedestrian lane of the Old Town, is packed with real Lithuanian restaurants, dumpling spots, cafes and craft shops, and sits just 200 metres away. The Gothic St Anne's Church and the arty Užupis district are a 10-15 minute walk. The Katedra bus and trolley stop is a 2-minute walk on the corner, while Vilnius central train station — which takes trains from Riga and Warsaw — is about 20 minutes on foot or a 5-minute taxi. From Vilnius International Airport (VNO) it's a 15-20 minute drive. If your plan is to walk every corner of the Old Town, this location is hard to beat.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. The most common complaint in reviews is that room sizes and shapes vary a lot, because this is a 400-year-old building with no uniform floor plan. Some guests book hoping for an open room with a fireplace and end up in a small top-floor room with a sloped ceiling, which disappoints them. The fix: look closely at each room's photos on the site and email the hotel ahead to ask which fits you best — don't go on the word "Deluxe" or "Standard" alone. Second, there's no elevator; many rooms are on the 2nd and 3rd floors up narrow old wooden stairs, which isn't ideal for older travelers or anyone hauling several big bags — if you need one of those rooms, tell the hotel in advance and ask for a ground floor. Third, the front of the hotel is on a pedestrian street, so cars can't reach the door; you drag bags about 30-50 metres from the nearest taxi drop over cobblestones, and rooms facing Bernardinu may catch the sound of people walking and talking in the evening and on weekends. If you sleep lightly, ask for a room on the garden side behind Bernardine Church — it's much quieter. And finally, there's no gym or pool, so if you plan to work out you'll be heading to a gym outside.
Our take
After reading through hundreds of real reviews, Shakespeare Boutique Hotel earns its place as a boutique that sells the charm of a 400-year-old baroque palace, literary-themed rooms you won't find anywhere else, and a UNESCO Old Town location under a 1-minute walk from Cathedral Square. If your trip looks like waking up to walk the cobbled Old Town, coming back to read by the fireplace in the Library Suite, then sipping mulled wine in the lobby as the snow falls, this is the most fitting choice in town — especially for couples who'd take a place with character over a modern chain, and anyone after an old-world romantic trip. But if you're traveling with small kids or older guests, or you want full modern-luxury facilities like a pool, gym or in-house spa, or you need a car to reach the door, it may not tick every box. Overall we give it 9.1/10, best for couples and literary or history-minded travelers who value atmosphere and location over a full list of facilities.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Central Old Town location in the UNESCO district — 50 metres to Cathedral Square, and you can explore the whole historic quarter on foot without a car.
- All 23 rooms are named and themed after classic writers, so each one has its own character. The Library Suite and the Hemingway room come up most often in reviews.
- The genuine 17th-century baroque palace setting — old wood floors, thick walls, high ceilings, and serious English Victorian decor that makes it feel like another era.
- Warm, easygoing staff. Plenty of reviews say they remember guests by name and give thoughtful tips on restaurants and walking routes; some describe it as staying at a Lithuanian friend's home.
- Breakfast is made fresh in a small wood-toned room seating about 20, with eggs cooked to order, homemade bread, and local cheese and ham. Reviewers rate the quality above the usual 4-star standard.
- Room sizes and layouts vary a lot, because the old building has an uneven floor plan. Some rooms are open and roomy with a fireplace, others are compact with sloped ceilings — look at photos and ask before you book.
- There is no elevator. Many rooms are on the 2nd and 3rd floors, so you carry bags up the old wooden stairs — not ideal for older travelers or anyone with several big suitcases.
- The hotel faces a pedestrian street in the Old Town, so cars can't reach the door. You drag bags about 30-50 metres from the nearest taxi drop, and street-facing rooms may catch the sound of people strolling by on weekends.
Who It’s For
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Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Vilnius
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Insider Tips
- Ask for the Library Suite or the Hemingway room if you want the fullest atmosphere — both have a fireplace and more space than the standard rooms. Book several months ahead, since they get reserved quickly.
- Turn left out the door, pass Bernardine Church, and walk on to Gediminas Tower in about 5-7 minutes. Go up for the Old Town view in the evening, then come back for dinner around Pilies street, less than 200 metres from the hotel.
- If you come in winter, ask for a mulled wine (glögg) at the lobby bar — reviews say the staff often pour it free on snowy evenings, and it's a moment a lot of guests remember.