He held serve in a 10-minute long game in the first set, saving three break points, before breaking his opponent in the next game and significantly improving his first serve percentages in the second set.
Berdych, who lost just one set all week, dominated Latvia's Ernests Gulbis in the semi-finals and ensured there was no repeat of 2013 where he was the only top 10 male player not to win a trophy.
For world number 37 Cilic, who knocked out Britain's Andy Murray in the quarter-finals, the defeat meant he missed the chance of wining consecutive tournaments after success in Zagreb last week.
(Reporting By Josh Reich, editing by Ed Osmond)
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