Last summer Martijn and I went to Croatia for the last two weeks of our summer travels and absolutely loved it. We did have to do it on a very tight budget as we were still broke students but because everywhere we went was so beautiful the basic accommodation did us just fine for getting some sleep...we never stopped exploring. This year My Mam surprised me with a family holiday to Croatia at the very end of August to celebrate my Masters and the trip was just perfection. Of course, because it was a family trip the accommodation was a lot more luxurious so this post will give those of you with more of a budget some inspiration on potential places to stay etc.
Once we arrived to Split airport we took an Uber to our hotel in Podstrana which was around a thirty-minute drive from the airport. Do be warned the taxis right outside the airport arrivals do charge a lot more so Uber is 100% the way to go. We spent six nights in Podstrana, one on the island of Hvar, and back to Split for our last night. Below I will go through each place with more info on each :)
PODSTRANA
ACCOMMODATION
For our first six nights of the trip, we stayed in Podstrana at Hotel Eden, Podstrana. We had breakfast and dinner in the hotel restaurant every day so we really used this time to completely relax and enjoy family time. If you are booking Hotel Eden I would highly recommend requesting a room in the new part, it was just perfect and a couple of steps from the water. The hotel service is based on a personal approach and you can really see that from the second you arrive which we loved! The staff could not have been more accommodating throughout our stay and the view from the pool was out of this world which you will see in the pictures. I also can't mention the hotel without talking about the sunsets we experienced every night, they were INCREDIBLE!
For our first six nights of the trip, we stayed in Podstrana at Hotel Eden, Podstrana. We had breakfast and dinner in the hotel restaurant every day so we really used this time to completely relax and enjoy family time. If you are booking Hotel Eden I would highly recommend requesting a room in the new part, it was just perfect and a couple of steps from the water. The hotel service is based on a personal approach and you can really see that from the second you arrive which we loved! The staff could not have been more accommodating throughout our stay and the view from the pool was out of this world which you will see in the pictures. I also can't mention the hotel without talking about the sunsets we experienced every night, they were INCREDIBLE!
FOOD & DRINKS
Like I said we used our time in Podstrana to completely unwind so a lot of our meals were at the hotel restaurant and bar, however, we did venture down at night to some of the bars in the area.
Like I said we used our time in Podstrana to completely unwind so a lot of our meals were at the hotel restaurant and bar, however, we did venture down at night to some of the bars in the area.
- Gooshter beach club - More of a high-end spot that serves food & drinks. They serve a good G&T which is very important ;)
- Lifes a beach cocktail bar and bistro - A nice cocktail spot a five-minute walk from the hotel that overlooks the water.
THE AREA
You really are spoilt for choice staying in Podstrana. Our hotel was twenty meters from the beach, and a twenty-minute Uber to Split which is where we also took our ferry to the island of Hvar. Ubers are so reasonable so you can take one in and out of Split as much as you like but we only went into Split for a day trip. Our hotel offered the most incredible views of the Adriatic sea and the Dalmatian islands which just made the hotel that extra bit special.
SPLIT
ACCOMMODATION
For one of our days in Podstrana, we took a day trip into Split but went back to our hotel that evening, however, for our last night of the trip once we came back from Hvar we stayed in Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Split as a treat and WOW my Mam did really good with this one! The hotel did kindly give us an upgrade in exchange for some content however, even our original room was just beautiful! Our room was the premium suite with terrace sea view and wow! The hotel could not have impressed us anymore and was the definition of a treat. As you will see from the pictures below not only was our room incredible but the breakfast, pool and overall grounds were just perfect with Split city center only three kilometers away. Our booking was made through Booking.com but you can also book directly with the hotel on their website here.
For one of our days in Podstrana, we took a day trip into Split but went back to our hotel that evening, however, for our last night of the trip once we came back from Hvar we stayed in Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Split as a treat and WOW my Mam did really good with this one! The hotel did kindly give us an upgrade in exchange for some content however, even our original room was just beautiful! Our room was the premium suite with terrace sea view and wow! The hotel could not have impressed us anymore and was the definition of a treat. As you will see from the pictures below not only was our room incredible but the breakfast, pool and overall grounds were just perfect with Split city center only three kilometers away. Our booking was made through Booking.com but you can also book directly with the hotel on their website here.
FOOD & DRINKS
Like I said we only spent one day in Split on this trip but because I had been there for two nights last year I was able to play tour guide which was great. The city is beautiful and 100% worth a visit but you don't necessarily need days to see it. Staying in Podstrana 100% gave us the best of both worlds. On our last night in The Radisson Blu, we had dinner in the hotel and enjoyed a drink on our terrace to wrap up the trip but the hotel was only a three euro Uber for anyone wanting to experience nightlife in the city. You can check out my Croatia blog post from last year for more recommendations and a little more info on what Split has to offer.
- Cool down with an ice cream from Gelateria Emiliana - So delicious!
- You can check out my post Croatia Travels Budget Edition from last year's trip for more on Split.
- Lunch with a view at Vidilica - I also went here with Martijn last year and loved it! It is for the view but 100% worth walking up even for a drink. We grabbed a bite to eat and relaxed after a lot of walking.
THE AREA
Like I said we only spent one day in Split on this trip but because I had been there for two nights last year I was able to play tour guide which was great. The city is beautiful and 100% worth a visit but you don't necessarily need days to see it. Staying in Podstrana 100% gave us the best of both worlds. On our last night in The Radisson Blu, we had dinner in the hotel and enjoyed a drink on our terrace to wrap up the trip but the hotel was only a three euro Uber for anyone wanting to experience nightlife in the city. You can check out my Croatia blog post from last year for more recommendations and a little more info on what Split has to offer.
HVAR
GETTING THERE
A lot of people want to go out to the islands but don't know how easy it is to get there. On our day trip to Split, we went to the ticket office at the harbour to check out times and ticket availability which I highly recommend doing especially in peak season. We booked tickets in advance with Jadrolinija which is a public ferry that brings you from Split harbour to Hvar town. You can also book tickets to other parts of Hvar like Stari Grad which is what we did last year but as our accommodation was in Hvar town we went straight there. Tickets to Hvar town were fifteen euro per person each way and the journey was only an hour which was great.
ACCOMMODATION
We stayed in Hvar for one night and our hotel could not have been any more perfect. We stayed at the Heritage Hotel Dea, Hvar however, if you are looking for a room for three people I would recommend checking out Boutique Room Kaliopi, Hvar directly which is also owned by the hotel. This place could not have been any more perfect both service and location-wise, 10/10 from me.
FOOD & DRINKS
There are obviously so many amazing places to visit for food & drinks on the island but some of the spots we got to visit in the 24 hours we were there really impressed us.
There are obviously so many amazing places to visit for food & drinks on the island but some of the spots we got to visit in the 24 hours we were there really impressed us.
- Breakfast at Dea Hvar Restaurant - We actually had breakfast included in our booking at the hotel restaurant & it was delish!
- The most perfect dinner at Park Restaurant - This is a must in my opinion if you are visiting the island. It is definitely more on the pricey side but the three of us loved it..really special.
- The best atmosphere, cocktails & live music at Central Park Club - We had the best night here, just a couple of steps down from the restaurant.
- A quick stop at Icy Bar - A fab ice cream & smoothie spot before hopping on the ferry back to Split.
THE AREA
I could not recommend Hvar enough! I have stayed in both Stari Grad and Hvar town and loved both so much. I would recommend staying in Hvar town if you are looking for more to do at night and still pay Stari Grad a visit during the day but that really depends on what you are looking for.
I could not recommend Hvar enough! I have stayed in both Stari Grad and Hvar town and loved both so much. I would recommend staying in Hvar town if you are looking for more to do at night and still pay Stari Grad a visit during the day but that really depends on what you are looking for.
As my last trip to Croatia was on a very tight budget I am aware a lot of the accommodation options would not have been for everyone. I really hope this post gave some more inspiration for those of you with a bit more to spend. An incredible holiday that I was grateful to spend with my family.
Until next time,
Éadaoin x