Friendly and professional staff, wonderful culinary experiences, surpluses in terms of design and aesthetics of living, adaptation to the needs of guests, rich additional offer, thoughtful design details, a story —and a boutique one at that—told by the destination … All of these sneak into my mind when I think about luxury tourism.
In luxurious hotels, which are an integral part of luxury tourism, I am especially delighted by the small details that brighten the day. For example, a hand-written note from the director of the hotel, homemade elderflower juice, real crafted coffee, a rich selection of room fragrances, which I can use accordingly to my mood, an unconventional book of personal impressions of previous guests which makes for a book of memories …
I wonder if it is even possible to think in the five-star direction without various investments in infrastructure, human resources and destination marketing. And I’m more and more convinced that to some extent it is. However, it is also true that sooner or later we arrive at the moment of truth, when it is not enough to only collect five-star experiences and tirelessly repeat marketing slogans.
The closest example of good practice is certainly Rovinj. Trapped in winter sleep it lives its own tourist story, which is increasingly becoming the all-year-round story, that is becoming more complete and more luxurious.
Maistra’s investment will be joined by the new luxury Park Hotel in April. An investment of more than 80 million euros will round up Maistra’s luxury portfolio of five hotels. It consists of Grand Park Hotel Rovinj, Hotel Monte Mulini, Hotel Lone, Hotel Eden, and Hotel Adriatic.
Practically all their stories are designed by the award winning 3LHD architectural studio from Zagreb. Creative agency Bruketa & Žinić & Grey is taking care of their creative image. Interior furniture, lighting and much more is a result of Croatian knowledge. Nothing is left to chance and reading the hotel directions alone presents a real creative pleasure. In this context, Hotel Lone is an exhibition of contemporary Croatian design and architecture. The authenticity of individual stories is guaranteed, which can also be understood from the sustainability point of view in the broadest sense. The result is that every hotel story is individual and deviates from the omnipresent generic hotel design on the Adriatic coast. This is also part of a new understanding of luxury, which is increasingly appreciated by tourists from all over the world and people are more and more willing to pay for it.
Hotel Monte Mulini
The first among Rovinj’s luxury five-star hotels was Monte Mulini. Hotel designers from the famous British bureau Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo have bet on their tested model of creating luxurious hotels with a touch of prestige, which has already been tested on many of the world’s top hotel chains. In practice, this means a mighty lobby, spacious rooms and superb horticultural arrangement of the hotel’s surroundings. It is a hotel designed for enjoyment to which the whole business philosophy is subordinated. There are only a few hotels that are as impressive as the Monte Mulini Hotel. A true five-star hotel in an excellent location that is suitable for the most demanding and exclusive incentive events.
Hotel Lone has perfectly passed the test of time and after eight years of operation the story of the hotel is still an experience that includes reflection and a very personal touch with the culture, nature and cuisine of the destination. Probably the creators of the first Croatian design hotel Lone were thinking similarly; less is more. Fans of glamour and kitsch will not be impressed, but everyone else will be. Luxury is hidden in small details, such as a rich room service menu and superb cuisine. In the congress centre, Croatian designers have taken care of the space that with just a little imagination you can adjust to the needs of your event. The hotel’s meeting room styled to resemble a luxury cruise liner is not just one of the hottest meetings venues on the Adriatic coast but is also very functional.
Every hotel has its own story. Hotel Adriatic is one of the best boutique hotels on the Adriatic coast. A hotel with more than 100 works of art is simultaneously a gallery. Installations, graphics and paintings, that 14 regional artists contributed, are found throughout the premises. The whole works luxuriously, eclectically and elegantly while being full of various textures and cold tones as well as experimentations with light which perfectly complete the look. A smaller, more demanding incentive group, which would combine various services provided by Maistra on site, would very much suit the hotel.
In April the hotel portfolio will be rounded up by Hotel Park with 209 rooms of the 5+ category. At the time of our winter visit to Rovinj, the hotel was a construction site, full of workers who were in the middle of the finishing works. This project was also designed by the 3LHD architectural studio, and the interior by the Lissoni studio from Milan. Cascade architecture works organically and blends nicely into the environment. Within the hotel a small congress hall for 250 participants will be built. It will include a magnificent view of Rovinj through a glass wall of 48 m2, the largest in this part of Europe. A wellness centre with a real Olympic-sized pool of 50 metres is being finalised as well. Six restaurants will be available for guests, including everything else necessary for a luxurious experience, plus a modern marina.
All hotels are gastronomic surprises. Maistra’s menus are compounded by experienced top chefs. Brasserie Adriatic in Hotel Adriatic is marked by Mediterranean cuisine. The boutique story continues at a breakfast service in a café atmosphere and is one of the best on the Adriatic coast. We recommend visiting the Kantinon tavern in the city. Part of Monte Mulini’s prestige is in the exquisite gastronomic experience at the Wine Vault and Mediterraneo restaurants. In Lone, the diversity of the guests is reflected in the fusion cuisine of the Restaurant E and Resolution Restaurants. Many come to Rovinj just for the sake of Maistra’s excellent cuisine, connected by the Out & About project. It is a programme of various culinary and other experiences that you can enjoy in Rovinj and its surroundings which also deserve praise.
Congress guests wishing to explore the culinary scene beyond bounds of the hotel will be impressed by some of the best restaurants in Rovinj and the surrounding areas. Among them is Monte, which received the first Michelin star in Croatia last year. You can find more in the latest issue of the Gault & Millau Guide.
Maistra, which is part of the Adris Group, invested about half of billion euros in the transformation of Rovinj and have turned it into a five-star destination in less than a decade. A typical example to illustrate this is the Cinderella story of Hotel Park, which will shine in the spring and leave a three-star story long behind.
The proof that the investment will pay off is confirmed by the fact of the above-average occupancy of hotel rooms, which also reach above-average prices. The public infrastructure is also marvellous and very well arranged, especially the promenade from hotels Lone and Eden to Rovinj. This is a kind of illustration of the ambitions of Rovinj tourism. Well-organised beaches, top events and an integrated offer that changes and improves the identity of Rovinj also contribute to the luxury tourism there.
