Let’s face it, at one point or another we’ve all wanted to try sailing on a boat… but some of us have seasickness (*cough* don’t ask me about that fishing trip in the Dominican Republic). Or don’t have friends with yachts (Leo DiCaprio, where are you?) Or don’t want to end up in the next Life of Pi movie. Whatever your reason, I have just the thing to put on your bucket list: staying at a botel!
The Botel Dunajský Pivovar is one of the most unique hotels in Bratislava, Slovakia. It’s perfectly located near the center; has modern and on-theme decor, and comes with a beautiful view that you can’t find anywhere else!
Keep reading and see if it’ll float your boat ;) har har
What Is a Botel?
A botel, as you might have guessed, is a boat hotel. Botels are usually boats that were used to transport things and have been renovated into a hotel, or were built as botels from the start. They can usually be found in European cities along major rivers, like the botel in Amsterdam, Croatia, or Prague.
As someone who loves to stay in interesting and unusual hotels, I took it upon myself to try staying at a botel in Bratislava – and, of course, write about it. Let’s check it out!
THE HOTEL BOTEL
The place I stayed at was called Botel Dunajský Pivovar, located near the center of Bratislava. And it’s not just a botel – there’s a beer brewery as well!
PRICE
I booked the Double Room with French Balcony, which cost about 100 EUR ($114 USD) for a one night stay in the summer (mid-July 2018). Rooms range from $80 USD to $120 USD and the price is fairly average for botels in Bratislava.
The price is a little more expensive than a traditional accommodation in Bratislava, but that’s because you’re paying extra for the uniqueness factor of staying in a boat hotel. :)
You can also add on breakfast for an extra 10 EUR ($11 USD), but we didn’t since we had to check out early next morning.
LOCATION
The Botel Dunajský Pivovar is located super close to Bratislava’s Old Town (Staré Mesto) – it’s about a 15-minute walk or 10-minute tram ride (there’s a station 700 meters away).
It’s also close to the SNP Most (also known as the UFO Bridge), a huge park (Sad Janka Kráľa), and a short walk from a few hip restaurants and bars.
CHECK-IN
We checked in mid-day after arriving via train from Prague and had a pleasant check-in. The botel was easy to find (it’s pretty hard to miss a huge boat floating in the river lol) and there was no line. The guy at the front desk was cheerful and quickly checked us in and sent us to our room.
ATMOSPHERE
If you’re thinking botels are some dingy boats with grandma-inspired decor – think again ;)
I was pleasantly surprised to see how cool and modern the Dunajský botel was inside our room! The overall atmosphere of the botel felt hip and minimalistic with a hint of Danube charm.
THE ROOM
Instead of numbers, every room is named after a city located on the Danube River. We booked the Double Room with French Balcony (mainly because I love balconies!) and were lucky enough to get the room called Bratislava. How fitting, right? :)
The room itself is fairly compact but still spacious enough to move around. The decor was a fun color combination of blues and grays, and the room included a comfortable double bed, table, chair, lamps, and a cute welcome packet from the botel’s “captain.”
The bathroom was also well-stocked with all of the necessary amenities. The only awkward part was the large glass window that opened up to the main room, which meant you could see everything — AKA, don’t stay with your coworker in the same room 😉
The best part of the room was the balcony. Our room faced the river and had a lovely view of Bratislava Castle (Bratislavský Hrad) that looked amazing when it was lit up at night.
The only complaint was that the balcony was only a piece of glass and not an actual balcony that you could step on, but that’s partially my fault. I would recommend booking the Double Room with Balcony if you want a “real” balcony where you can sit and enjoy the view.
SERVICE
The service was average overall. The two guys at the front desk were nice and accommodating when checking in and out. When I visited the restaurant and asked for directions to the rooftop deck, it took a while for someone to come up to the front desk, and even then they weren’t too enthusiastic about giving simple directions. I visited the upper deck to see if the bar was still open (spoiler alert: they just closed), but the waitress at the table was nice and let me sit at the lounge and admire the view.
FOOD
The botel has a two-story restaurant called The Patron Brewery: there’s a full restaurant on the main floor with tables (inside and outside on the balcony) and a smaller bar/lounge on the rooftop deck. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to try the food since we came back to the hotel later in the evening and just as the restaurant was about to close. It seems like we didn’t miss much, though, because a majority of the reviews on Tripadvisor didn’t mention that the food (or service) were anything special.
EXTRA AMENITIES
There’s a plunge pool on the rooftop deck and also plenty of parking at the parking lot nearby.
VALUE
Overall, the price of the botel is worth staying one night and experiencing one of the more unique accommodations in Bratislava. Some of the plusses are that it’s close to the center; has spacious and designer rooms; and a nice range of amenities. The only minus I experienced was the customer service of the staff, which could be hit or miss.
I give the Botel Dunajský Pivovar a total of 8/10
BOOK A ROOM AT THE BOTEL DUNAJSKY
Want to book your own stay at the Botel Dunajský Pivovar? Click on the links below and stay practicing your best pirate accent. As always, safe tr-arrrr-vels! ;)
AGODA // BOOKING.COM
