Grand Hotel Vilnius, Curio Collection by Hilton

Rooms and decor

The building is a pale classical stone block on Vilniaus gatvė, directly across from Cathedral Square in the heart of Vilnius Old Town. The exterior keeps its historic lines, but inside it was rebuilt as a contemporary 5-star boutique: a high-ceilinged lobby in warm beige and brown, hung with contemporary work by Lithuanian artists you can browse like a gallery. The hotel has 93 rooms and suites, from the entry Deluxe Queen/King up to Junior and Grand Suites. The Curio Collection signature is custom-made furniture and decor that doesn't repeat room to room — soft beds, white linens against velvet headboards in emerald or warm brown, dark-wood wardrobes and desks by local craftsmen, and old parquet floors that feel like a classic European apartment. Bathrooms are marble with a rain shower, some with a separate tub, and French-brand toiletries with a mild scent. Reviewers praise the soft beds and the quiet, especially the upper rooms facing Cathedral Square, where the morning view of the cathedral and Old Town roofs fills the window. Entry-level rooms run about 22–25 sqm, compact for a 5-star, so couples with big bags should move up to an Executive room or a Suite.

Food and amenities

The other heart of the hotel is Telegrafas, the ground-floor restaurant — warm lighting, wood tables, leather chairs, half bistro and half fine dining. The menu is modern European, reworking seasonal Baltic ingredients: locally smoked salmon, the cold beetroot soup šaltibarščiai in the Lithuanian style, beef steak with red wine sauce, and desserts that rotate with the season. Breakfast is a buffet that reviews praise for fresh pastries and imported cheese — an easy way to start the day before heading out. There is also a small spa for a relaxing massage, a fitness room open 24 hours, and a concierge reviewers say is quick to book restaurants and arrange tours around town. And the location is the real trump card: 1 minute on foot to Vilnius Cathedral and Cathedral Square, another 5 minutes to the foot of Gediminas Castle for the city view, and 3–5 minutes to Pilies street, the main pedestrian run of the Old Town, lined with cafes, craft shops and traditional Lithuanian restaurants.

Location and getting there

This is one of the most walkable bases in Vilnius. You step out onto Vilniaus gatvė and Cathedral Square is right there — 1 minute to Vilnius Cathedral, the white bell tower standing in front of you, and 5 minutes to the foot of Gediminas Castle, which you can climb for a view over the Old Town. Pilies street sits 3–5 minutes away on foot, and the Užupis art district — the self-declared "independent republic" of artists — is about 10 minutes further. For the airport, Vilnius (VNO) is roughly a 15-minute taxi ride, so arrivals and departures stay simple.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. The most common complaint is the size of the entry-level rooms, which run small for Hilton — around 22–25 sqm including the bathroom, so two big suitcases eat up real floor space. Couples who shop a lot should upgrade to an Executive room or a Junior Suite. Second is the price, which climbs steeply in high season: summer from June to August and over Christmas, rates can jump from about $157 a night off-season toward $257–300. On a tighter budget, plan for late spring (April–May) or early autumn (September–October). Third is noise in some rooms facing Vilniaus gatvė — this is a tourist street, and on some weekend nights you may hear chatter and traffic from below; light sleepers should ask for a courtyard-side or upper-floor room. Last, a boutique this size has no pool and no kids club, so families needing a daily pool for the kids may want to look elsewhere.

Our take

After reading through the real reviews and comparing it with hotels of the same tier in Vilnius, Grand Hotel Vilnius, Curio Collection by Hilton is the most well-rounded pick for anyone who wants to stay in the heart of the Old Town inside a historic building — a boutique feel that doesn't read like a standard chain, custom craft and Lithuanian art worth a photo, and warm, dependable Hilton service. If your trip in your head is walking past Cathedral Square in the morning, stopping for a pastry on Pilies street, climbing Gediminas Castle for the view, then back for dinner at Telegrafas with a glass of wine — this place delivers. But if you expect big, fully loaded rooms, a pool, and space for a large family, a boutique like this may not be the answer. Overall we give it 8.9/10, best for couples, culture travelers, and solo travelers who value location and design over room size and resort facilities.