The Italian company Marazzi group, which has recently reconstructed the Hotel Lafodia, on Lopud Island is now considering to  invest in the reconstruction of another Lopud hotel - Grand Hotel Lopud, owned by Atlantska Plovidba from Dubrovnik.

Grand Hotel Lopud is right now not in use, bought by Atlantska Plovidba few years ago.

The plan is to reconstruct this old building it into a boutique hotel with up to 70 rooms.

Altlantska Plovidba is the majority owner of other two hotels in Dubrovnik, the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik and Hotel Lapad, while the Marazzi group owns Lafodija.

Hostel Cinema, created in the building of the former Ilok’s old cinema. is located  in the very centre of town and features old wooden staircase across old fashioned mosaic floors and walls covered in posters, photographs, old cinema projectors and vinyl records.

The hostel can accommodate up to 38 people in bunk beds with use of  shared bathrooms.

On the top floor there are 6 double-bed rooms with refrigerators, a TVs and private bathrooms.

In the same building there is a café, a disco and a pizzeria.

More info and booking at Hostel Cinema web: http://www.cinema.com.hr/

Check other destinations in Slavonia + other accommodation in Slavonia

Recently opened hostel ‘Golly & Bossy’ is the latest cool accommodation option in Split.

This design hostel is situated in the neo-classicist building which used to be a shopping centre, in the centre of the city on Morpurgova poljana address.

The hostel has 28 rooms with 138 beds and free WIFI internet access.

Rooms on the first and second floor are with four and six beds, while on the third floor there are hotel type double rooms.  Every room has ensuite shower& wc.  An attractive view stretches from the balcony onto the historical core of Split and at the front of the building the large terrace offers nice views too.

The rooms are numbered in an unusual way. Every number represents a year from history that was important for Split. For example, on the floor in front of room 1221 it is written that this was the year pirates had attacked Split, while room number 2010 signifies the year the hostel opened its doors.

Check bellow latest offers from this cool Split hostel:

Golly & Bossy Design Hostel  ☆☆☆☆☆
Design Golly & Bossy is a modern hostel, offering great-value accommodation featuring trendy design. It is less than 200 metres from Split’s Bacvice Bay and just 5 minutes’ walk to Diocletian Palace. Guests can chose between shared and private… Prices from €20 – Number of rooms: 28 – Check Design Accomodation Golly & Bossy, Split availability

Sol Meliá, the largest resort hotel company in the world, has shown its commitment to improving the quality of its hotel portfolio in Croatia with the reopening of two resort hotels in Umag , Istria: the Meliá Coral and the Meliá Istrian Villas, both previously operated under the Sol Hotels brand.

The changes have required the adaptation of the hotels to the Meliá Hotels brand standards and its focus on excellent customer service, thus also adding to the attractiveness of Umag as a travel destination.

The new Meliá Coral provides 244 rooms, 6 luxury suites, a range of different options for corporate events, and a great choice of additional facilities including a spa, swimming pool, solarium, tapas bar and Mediterranean tavern. Its multi-purpose outdoor areas are also perfect for social events along with the creation of two new leisure areas for fun and relaxation: the Club Elite Automat and the Beach Club.

The Meliá Istrian Villas is an idyllic oasis of apartments alongside the sea yet only two kilometres from the centre of Umag, which combines traditional architecture with modern design and superior comfort. A place where guests can enjoy both the natural environment and total privacy or take part in a fantastic range of sports activities. This year the hotel also inaugurates a new restaurant named O Grill.
Browse and book all Hotels in Umag

Vila Annete in Rabac

Stylish family hotels in Europe  is article in Saturday’s Guardian travel edition that recommends child-friendly holidays in chic-free zones around Europe where  Vila Annete in Rabac is picked among other family-pleasing accommodation that’s easy on adult eyes. Here is what Guardian writes about Villa Annete, Rabac :

One of Croatia’s chicest hotels, Villa Annette is also ideal for families, with spacious suites with small kitchens, and a children’s menu in the stylish restaurant. The hotel is situated above Rabac bay, with stunning views, and the picturesque village of Rabac is just a mile away. Rooms are sleekly decked out in bright reds and neutrals – with no priceless objets d’art for sticky fingers to knock over, and child-safe railings along all the open spaces.

Four star Hotel Villa Annette, Rabac ★★★★☆  is also featured on our site as  ‘small, charming hotel, located in a protected part of the hill overlooking the bay of Rabac, offering beautiful panoramic views over the Kvarner bay and the islands of Cres, Lošinj and Unije. Prices from €99 – Number of rooms: 12′  –  Check Hotel Villa Annette, Rabac availability  + Browse and book other Rabac hotels + read more about Istria

An article titled ‘ Hotels a hard sell in tourist magnet Croatia’ is about privatisation of some Croatian hotels. It was published today in International Business Times. Here is an excerpt:

Pavle Radonic has worked as assistant manager for Hotel Belvedere, overlooking the medieval city of Dubrovnik, for 18 years. Except for the first few months on the job, he has never welcomed a guest. How a five-star cliffside resort on the Adriatic has remained shuttered for so long — or how other prime seaside hotels live in a socialist-era, state-owned time warp – are among the enduring mysteries of Croatia’s tourist industry. Offering crystal-clear Adriatic waters uncommon in many parts of rival destinations such as Italy and Spain, Croatia has enjoyed a tourist boom since the end of the Yugoslav wars… Read the rest of the article

According to World Architecture News, Šolta Island in near vicinity of Split will be home to Europe’s first rotating hotel (WOW !)

This is an excerpt from the article : 

A rotating hotel is to form the centrepiece of a new resort near Split in Croatia. Designed by Richard Hywel Evans of Studio RHE, specialists in holiday resort design, the concept was proposed from a desire to provide sea views from each room.

While most of the fine details of the hotel remain under wraps WAN can reveal “the 3 storey building is a 61 metre diameter very slow moving continuous turntable rotating 1.3 times per day, and will be built of steel in sections at the huge Split shipyards which are directly opposite the Island,” says Evans. “The building is entered from below at Lower Ground Level which does not rotate with the 22 metre diameter centre hub of the building which is also static containing the Reception, circulation stairs and lifts,” he adds…

See all photos of this rotating hotel proposal and read the whole article here

Since July of this year, Croatian tourism can add one more luxury tourist resort to its offering, the Radisson Blu Resort, located in Orašac, 10 km north of  Dubrovnik. The hotel features 201 hotel rooms and 207 residential suites and many different facilities. The resort was designed by architects Branimir Medic and Pero Puljiz. The interior design is the work of the London company Hirsch Bedner Associates, and the hospitality facilities are the design of Henry Chebanne of Blue Sky Hospitality,the world’s leading company in this segment, with over 100 design projects realized in over 25 countries all over the world.

The entire resort has been built out of local materials – stone from Dubrovnik and Brac while travertine and walls are decorated exclusively with works of Croatian artists. The horticultural development of the resort contributes greatly to its beauty, with the hundred year-old olives and rich Mediterranean greenery perfectly fitting into it.
The entire area, including several restaurants, bars and traditional taverns, has been conceptualised as a little town in itself. Greatly contributing to this atmosphere is the market that is part of the resort, with its bakery, fishery, butcher’s, wine-store and patisserie, where visitors can try, buy or prepare fresh products themselves.

For those who can not imagine their vacation without sports, the resort features many sports facilities and a rich wellness offering. Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Dubrovnik Resort also features contemporary equipped multifunctional areas – a large conference hall and several smaller business meeting halls.

Contact information: address: Na Moru 1, 20234 Orasac, Tel: + 385 20 361 500, Fax: + 385 20 361 501

Other Wellness and Spa Hotels in Croatia

In the travel section of recent eddition of Daily Telegraph, four of the best of Croatian island hotels were reviewed: 

• Hotel Apoksiomen in Losinj: … The walls of its 24 contemporary rooms and one apartment, many of which have harbour views, are decorated with paintings by distinguished Croatian artists, and the overall effect is stylish and comfortable…
• Lesic Dimitri Palace in Korcula: … housed in what was an 18th-century bishop’s palace and five cottages, the hotel has six ‘residences’, each sleeping up to four people..
• Palmizana – Sveti Klement: …a collection of villas and an arboretum built on a 300-acre plot in 1906 by the botanist Eugenio Meneghello..in vicinity of Hvar island
• Hotel Palaca Deskovic on Brac: … late-Renaissance palace in the picturesque harbour town of Pucisca on the north coast of Brac..

Read the complete article here  + check more info about Croatian Hotels

One of the Croatia‘s most popular tourist destinations, Dubrovnik, as well as other prominent destinations such Cavtat, Korcula, Ston, Orebic, the Island of Mljet and the Elaphite Islands, traditionally attract a large number of tourists.

In the 2009 season, visitors will be able to enjoy new hotels and the newly facilities that will make their stay even more pleasant and interesting.

In May, the five-star Palace Dimitri-Lešic Hotel, located in the historic centre of Korcula , will open its doors.  Lesic Dimitri hotel is located in a completely renovated historical palace in the Korcula town centre, right next to Marco Polo’s birthplace. It features six luxurious suites and other facilities aimed at providing a pleasurable stay: wellness & spa, restaurants, café and more.

In May, the Valamar Lacroma Resort, operating under the management of the Dubrovnik – Babin Kuk hotel company, will open its doors. The four-star hotel features  385 rooms and 16 suites, a conference hall accommodating a thousand people, seven smaller halls, a wellness centre spread over a thousand square metres, and six bars and restaurants.

In July, the Radisson SAS  Resort in Orašac, which is very near to Dubrovnik, will welcome its first  guests. The five-star resort, comprising a hotel and a first-class apartment village, features 155 rooms, 24 suites and 207 apartments. The resort also features sports and recreational facilities, a wellness and spa area, several restaurants and bars, and a conference centre.

Most of the existing hotels will also augment their offer and increase their accommodation capacity and the destinations themselves will also welcome visitors with recently developed and new facilities: 

In Vela Luka, a prominent tourist destination on the Island of Korcula, a coastal development project will soon be finished. A parking area, new green areas with benches and a public lighting system are also planned. This will greatly contribute to the appeal of the Vela Luka city centre.

In Dubrovnik, a new public garage that has 700 spaces was opened in close proximity to the city walls. Also, the first phase of the public lighting project of the city walls has been completed. The second phase is to be completed by the end of June. The lighting has been designed in line with regulations aimed at protecting the priceless historical monuments…

For more info about the region see Dubrovnik-Neretva County Tourist Board site: www.visitdubrovnik.hr

As of spring 2009, visitors who choose to visit the Croatian town of Ilok  and its surrounding area, enjoy the many vineyards and taste excellent wine, will be able to use five 4-star apartments and a presidential apartment in Principovac near Ilok.

After completion of this phase, Iločki podrumi will continue with the second stage of the investment that will result in 20 apartments, tennis courts and other sporting facilities.

The total value of the investment is 40 million HRK and the investor is Iločki podrumi, a company known for winegrowing and winemaking, which has now extended its activities to the hotel industry. Iločki podrumi also offers vsitors various cycle lanes running through the winegrowing region.

In 2008, Iločki podrumi processed 7 million kilos of grapes and produced four million liters of wine from 300 hectares of their own vineyards and 400 more hectares of vineyards held by their subcontractors.

Last year, they launched a new quality brand of Cabernet Sauvignon and announced the launching of their first sparkling wine, obtained from the Frakovka variety and produced in the autumn of 2007.

Iločki podrumi is well known for its production tradition, which is confirmed by the Old Cellar built in the 15th century. This is a unique facility for traditional production, care and storage of wine in barrels receiving a total of one million liters.

The Old Cellar was built on three levels to adjust the temperature for keeping and maturing of young wines, older wines, care for predicate wines and storage of archive wines. It is visited by over 20 thousand visitors who, in addition to sightseeing,  have a pleasant experience of tasting the wine and enjoying the local food.

The new collection of old photos is the newest addition to history of Croatian tourism that in available on the internet. Click on above image to see small collection of old photos of Hotel Korcula, the icon of Korculan and Croatian tourism and read more about Hotel Korcula and check other hotels in Croatia

A group of small luxury hotels from Dubrovačko-nertvanska County participated at ILTM, the International Luxury Travel Market, that took place in Cannes, France, from 7th to 11th December 2008.

Lešić Dimitri Palace from Korčula, which opens it doors in June 2009, attended this prestigious event along with Kazbek Hotel and Pucić Palace from Dubrovnik.

ILTM is a leading annual “business to business” event for the global luxury travel market, in which both buyers and suppliers have to satisfy demanding criteria in order to qualify for attendance. The three hotels shared a stand over the three days and benefited from the fantastic networking opportunities and excellent platform from which Croatia, and specifically Korčula and Dubrovnik, were represented.

The event was opened with an evening conference on Monday the 7th December. ILTM Future Forum brought together some of the leading lights in the luxury travel sector to discuss and debate the state of the industry and an interactive research session with just under 1,000 industry decision makers, led to some interesting findings.

Overall the industry was optimistic that, whilst the recession would slow growth, it would not stop it in its tracks. The consensus was that the key to sustainable success is the ability to react and respond to changes in consumer behaviour. The focus must be on developing close customer relationships and authentic, experiential travel opportunities.

Personalisation of service is essential and even for the most affluent consumers, perceived value for money is crucial.

Whilst there is significant interest in Croatia from the high-end travel sector, in order for it to successfully compete with nearby established markets such as Italy and France, it must ensure it offers a good value proposition along with authentic and unique experiences and service excellence.

Visitors to the event showed great interest in Lešić Dimitri Palace, which will offer a truly unique and exceptional place to stay and experience Korčula in its very best light. The Palace exudes charm sophistication and elegance, showering its guests with attention and luxury.

Lešić Dimitri Palace is situated in the heart of the historic medieval town of Korčula, next door to the house of Marco Polo. Occupying an 18th century bishop’s palace and five medieval cottages, the palace opens in June 2009 and will offer accommodation, a SPA and restaurant.

Each of the Palace’s six residences have been meticulously restored, featuring unique designs influenced by a particular region of Marco Polo’s Silk Road travels, blending contemporary luxury with the intricacy of architectural design from the Renaissance era.

LD restaurant celebrates the finest quality local and regional produce incorporating flavours from the lands along The Silk Road.

Lešić Dimitri Palace’s wellness centre was developed by a leading Thai spa specialist and offers an array of unique treatments that can be enjoyed in the relaxing environment of the spa or in a guest’s private suite

Lešić Dimitri Palace provides Korčula with an opportunity to offer an attractive alternative to Dubrovnik and Hvar as an elite destination.

We are very happy that our collaboration with hotels Kazbek and Pucić Palace contributed to the tourist promotion of Korčula and Dubrovnik, and thus of Croatia as a whole.

Contact: Ivana Unković
Public relations and marketing
T +385 1 4817 596
M +385 91 7823 414
E ivana@lesic-dimitri.com

The first phase will include a Radisson SAS hotel with 210 rooms and 207 suites, a congress center with ten halls seating one thousand people, a wellness center, a sports center stretching over 7000 square meters, and three outdoor pools.
Radisson SAS brand management is also included in the current phase of construction and preparation of the facility for the market to ensure operation to their standards. In the designing and completion of the facilities, special attention is paid to the interior design and decoration of the hotels, residences and lounge bars provided by the renowned resort design company -Hirsch Bedner Associates.

The second phase of construction, scheduled for completion in 2010, provides for construction and opening of Hotel Regent with 130 rooms. According to the investor, the catering facilities within Dubrovnik Gardens of the Sun will be inspired by the characteristics of the local area. Offering the guests experiential tourism, they will have the opportunity to participate in seasonal activities with the locals, such as olive picking, grape harvest, fishing.

The resort will put on numerous events and, thanks to the permanent boat connections, the cultural and other landmarks of the famous City of Dubrovnik will be available to the guests. The globally renowned hotel management company Rezidor Group was engaged to operate the entire resort and will be responsible to ensure efficient operation of the hotel upon its opening with several months of preparation in all segments of hotel operation, including the pre-opening phase. It is important to mention that 800 to 900 people will be employed in this elite tourist resort. The locals will have preferential treatment, although it is expected that some of the staff will be recruited from other parts of Croatia.

The biggest hall located on the first floor, can seat up to 1000 people. There are also some 20 newly opened smaller rooms suitable for conferences, workshops and similar gatherings.

The design of the entire congress center has made use of the highest quality materials.

 The meeting rooms benefit from natural daylight and have views of parks and greenery, but also allow for the possibility of achieving complete blackout, if necessary.

The functionality, comfort and design of the meeting areas would not be complete without the state-of-the art, yet extremely user-friendly, technology with possibility to hire a video-conferencing system as well as the highest quality interpretation services. 

Presentations in bigger halls may be transmitted to any of the smaller ones. They can be recorded and copied for the meeting organizer and participants’ benefit.

Hotel Antunović’s status as a top-class congress center is confirmed by many other features – 158 spacious and comfortable rooms and a luxurious presidential suite.

The dining facilities and gastronomic offers are designed to suit the tastes of both business as well as all other types of clients. To top it all off, the Vertigo bar at the top of the building on the eighth floor, revolves and offers a great view of the city.

The hotel also boasts a wellness center, a casino with games and machines and an underground garage.

Contact : Hotel Antunovic Zagreb – Zagrebacka avenija 100A (ex-Ljubljanska avenija), 10000 Zagreb (Špansko) – More info, photos and booking

Along with the program for the period from 29 December 2008 till 4 January 2009, created to suit the liveliest time of the year, Valamar announced some imaginative surprises for all participants in the New Year’s spectacle. Show cooking, relax room, free use of indoor pool and fitness centre, live music every night, champagne, top quality wine and delicacies from the Istrian region…they are all a part of Valamar package presented last week in Porec, Croatia.

The culmination of the New Year’s Eve program will happen in the Valamar Diamant Hotel where gala evening will take place and where guests will be offered a wide range of tastes and flavours of creative Istrian cooking, consisting mostly of fresh seafood, which placed Istria on the lists of world’s top gastronomy. The menu will, among other things, feature oysters, crabs, octopus, scampi, salmon and truffles, which in combination with fine wines of this region, definitely presents a combination that should awake interest in those who appreciate gastronomy and entertainment.

Valamar Diamant Hotel in Porec is located in the near vicinity of sea in the true Mediterranean surroundings of green stone pines, ten minutes walk away from picturesque historic centre of Porec, the central place of western Istrian coast and town with long and turbulent history.
Porec is most famous for its well preserved historic centre. One of the many interesting things that are connected to Porec, is that its streets have preserved its original formation from the Roman times till today, as well as the architecture, cultural and historical monuments. The Euphrasian Basilica from the 6th century, as the most important one found its place on UNESCO’s list of protected cultural heritage.

Valamar Hotels and Resorts is the leading Croatian hospitality management company, operates 40 properties in four Croatian destinations. Click for more information about Valamar Diamant Hotel and booking

The village tourist estate Srce prirode (The Heart of Nature) has been opened in Gorica Lipnicka, a village located on about twenty kilometers from the town of Karlovac in Central Croatia.

This family village estate spreads over 12 thousand square meters and contains three traditional renovated houses.

The accommodation part of the estate offers nine rooms (18 beds), and the guests can also use a restaurant seating 80 people, a wine tasting facility, a gazebo and a tavern seating 50 people. The family estate offers eco food such as different kinds of honey, juices, wines, cured meats, etc.

The meals in the restaurant are prepared according to old recipes. Two conference halls are equipped with modern technology.

In addition, visitors to the estate can engage in the following activities: paintball, Village Olympics, culinary workshop, speleo-adventure, football, archery, volleyball, badminton, boccie and berry picking.

The owner of the estate also owns the four star family hotel Korana in Karlovac, a historic and attractive town located around fifty kilometers from Zagreb, with the old town of Dubovac as its trademark.

The hotel is located on Korana River, one of the four rivers in Karlovac, offering 15 double rooms and 3 business suites, as well as gastro, recreation and other offers.

More info at Srce Prirode homepage

Dubrovnik‘s Villa Ragusa has been featured in In the Guardian’s Top 100 city tips, City guide- Places to stay. Here is an excerpt:

Villa Ragusa, Dubrovnik
Croatians love to talk, and the manager of Villa Ragusa – Pero Carevic – is no exception; if you like an energetic discussion on the roots of the Balkan conflict over breakfast, this is your place.

He is great fun, and knows the hidden bars and cafes that lie tucked away in Dubrovnik‘s maze of cobbled streets.

The house, with five simple rooms and exposed beams, dates back 600 years and lies in the heart of the old town.

Ask for a room on the top floor to make the most of the rooftop views.

• 00385 20 453 834, villaragusa.netfirms.com; doubles from €50.

Read the whole article here

The winner of the HTZ Blue Flower award for the tidiest town in the Primorje region is Rovinj. The tidiest municipality is Bol on Brac Island and the tidiest community Veli Losinj.

The Green Flower award for the tidiest continental town went to Cakovec. Daruvar won the award in the category of small towns, and Stubicke Toplice won the award as the tidiest continental community.

The coastal municipality of Nin won the special Blue Flower award, while Zagreb, Varazdin and Vukovar won the Green Flower awards for the best tourist services.

HTZ Worker of the Year awards were presented to 25 people working in tourism and tourism-related sectors.
The Tourism Flower-Quality for Croatia award of Croatian Radio and Television and the Chamber of Commerce went to the northern Adriatic resort of Rovinj.

The best small hotel on the Adriatic coast is the San Rocco in Brtonigla, the best five-star hotel is the Hotel Dubrovnik Palace, the best four-star hotel is the Hotel Sol Garden Istra, and the best three-star hotel is the Bluesun Hotel Soline in Brela.

The best five-star hotel in inland Croatia is the Zagreb Westin, the best four-star hotel is the Hotel Osijek in Osijek, and the best three-star hotel is the Hotel Terme Tuhelj in Tuheljske Toplice.

The best continental tourist destination is Varazdin, and the best spa destination is Varazdinske Toplice.

The best beach is Maslinica in Rabac and the best marinas are Frapa in Rogoznica and Punat in Punat.

The best small camping site is Adriatic in Orebic, the best medium-sized camping site is Vira on the island of Hvar, and the best big camping site is Park in Umag. 

This is a luxury hotel having a total area of 750 square meters. The hotel has 21 rooms arranged on three floors and a luxury 150 square-meter suite in the attic.

The hotel is located in a reconstructed building of a former shopping mall.

During the reconstruction an additional storey was added and a 15th century defensive wall was reconstructed as instructed by conservators which become an integral part of the interior.

In addition to Hotel Peristil and Hotel Vestibul, Marmont is the third hotel in the center of Split, in the historical Diocletian Palace.

Hotel Marmont  – more info, photos and booking

Hotel Bastion, a new facility in the very center of the Dalmatian city of Zadar, has recently been opened.
The hotel has 28 accommodation units, a modernly equipped conference hall, a wellness center and a restaurant.
Classified to the four star standard, the hotel was named after a 13th century bastion that formerly occupied the location, the remains of which are incorporated in the hotel. 
Hotel Bastion is the second hotel in the very center of the city, supplementing the offer of Hotel Kolovare, which is occupied year-round thanks to its location near historical landmarks and quality of accommodation. Hotel Kolovare is a modern and originally designed building adapted to the Mediterranean, having a capacity of 420 beds. The hotel also has a congress hall and other amenities.
It is expected that more new hotels will be opened in the city center due to the increasing tourist popularity of Zadar.

Click for more photos and Hotel Bastion online booking + Check other Hotels in Croatia

Hotel Lone will be situated in the exclusive Monte Mulini Zone in Rovinj, in which hotel company Maistra invested around 290 million HRK. The hotel was designed by 3LHD architectural studio of Zagreb.

Hotel Lone will be situated in Zlatni Rt Park Forest. It will have 240 rooms, nine suites and a presidential suite. The hotel will contain a wellness and spa center, a fitness area and numerous catering facilities. It will also have a congress hall seating 600 people, and a few smaller conference halls.

The Design Hotels chain, established in the USA 15 years ago, comprises 170 hotels in 41 countries. Most of the hotels are in Europe – 118 of them. The Design Hotels organization requires a special and authentic product, providing a high level of service and being different than hotel chains for its avoidance of standardization of design, service, etc. Member hotels/hotel companies are required to persist on uniqueness of their hotels, modern design and harmony with the environment and natural heritage.

After the extensive renovation, worth over 40 milion Euro, the largest hotel in Hvar, Hotel Amfora, renamed to Amfora Grand Beach Resort, has received its first guests.

The newly refurbished luxury hotel Amfora Grand Beach Resort now features a exciting cascading pool area surrounded by beautifully groomed gardens, a Sensori Spa wellness center, as well as the romantic new Sunset Restaurant, state-of-the-art conference facility, latest video and audio equipment, wireless interent, full disabled access, which all makes it ideal for family vacations, team building and large conferences.

Amfora, Hvar’s grand beach resort, conference and wellness centre is tucked into a tranquil bay, surrounded by a lush pine grove, and only a short ten-minute walk from the historic town of Hvar. 

Click to see more photos and Hotel Amfora booking info

Following the reconstruction of Hotel Riviera in Porec  – Istria, that began in early February, this oldest hotel in town located in the historical town core, will be renamed to Hotel Palazzo and will completely change its appearance.

The old part of the hotel, which cannot be modified for its architectural value, will remain unchanged, with two new wings to be added giving it a touch of modern style.

The new Hotel Palazzo will have a total of 70 rooms and four presidential suites – the smallest will have an area of 85 square meters, and the largest as much as 400 square meters.  Around 5 million euros is to be invested.

Surrounded by the sea on three sides, the attractive hotel will have an outdoor swimming pool with seawater available all year long, a beauty salon, an extensive wellness and fitness offer, a night club, a premium restaurant and more..

The new hotel building, offering a high four-star service, should get its exterior contours by the beginning of this year’s summer season. However it is unlikely it will be able to receive its first guests by that time.

Porec Town Tourist Board  www.istra.com/porec

The flattering award, which has been presented for 30 years, was presented by the international tourist organization Trade Leaders Club, whose members and awarding committee are former winners of the award.

For over 20 years, the owner of Hotel Waldinger, Berislav Mlinarevic, has set new benchmarks in Osijek’s hospitality offer with his hospitality company Romos Comerce, and this award is a formal acknowledgement of his work.

About Hotel :
Hotel Waldinger is located in the very centre of Osijek, just off the main city square and the famous Osijek Promenade that lays along the bank of river Drava.
It is decorated in the secession style, and the interior consists of a combination of traditional and modern equipment. The quality of the rooms, a diverse offer and a high-level service were certainly among the reasons for the award.
The large multipurpose hall on the first floor, seating 100 people, is extensively equipped and suitable for banquets, seminars, receptions, promotions and other formal occasions, and the small hall seating 20 people is ideal for business meetings. The hotel also has a gym and a sauna.
It has 15 rooms, a suite, and a 3-star annex with 7 accommodation units.
The hotel particularly focuses on food preparation, treatment and combination of ingredients, decoration and serving, staff, and the overall attitude toward the guests. The hotel produces it own food and pastries, and a restaurant by the name of Klub Waldinger is available within the hotel. The chef constantly introduces novelties in line with the gastro trends, while a first-class sommelier from Argentina tends to 116 different wines. The hotel is also a true gallery with around 80 original paintings of Osijek’s academic painters, and the layout is changed on a monthly basis. Hotel Waldinger, Osijek info and booking