OFF THE BEATEN TRACK NEXT TO PLITVICE LAKES
LOCATION
Lyra Hotel is tucked away on the southern side of Plitvice’s tourist triangle comprising three villages – Korenica, Ličko Petrovo Selo and Čatrnja. Within the centre of this tourist triangle lie the iconic Plitvice Lakes, which have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List for forty-five years. The entrance to the park is some fifteen kilometres from the hotel. Although Ličko Petrova Sela is not renowned for its landmarks, its position is superb, a stone’s throw away from the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Slovenian tourist agency Happy Tours recognised the village’s development potential and began constructing a designer hotel in 2018 where a local school once stood. Regardless if you are headed south or east, plan to stay a few days or if you are organising an incentive or teambuilding, the hotel is worth stopping by. As apt for a profitable tourist triangle, this part of Croatia is home to a diversified spectre of activities. Several of them are ideal for event organisers, particularly incentive organisers.
ACCESSIBILITY
The hotel can only be reached by driving on the motorway and winding local roads. If you arrive from Zagreb, we recommend you take the exit for Lika at Karlovac, once the only route connecting the Croatian hinterland with northern Dalmatia. The iconic D1 motorway has its charm. Among petrolheads, it is famed as the Croatian version of Route 66. The road, stretching 420 kilometres, is famed for scenic nature, mouthwatering culinary delicacies (spitroast lamb) and homemade products. Do not be surprised if you end up detouring en route to Plitvice. The road is equally enjoyable if you arrive from the south via Šibenik and Knin or from the Udbin exit. If you come from the north, you can exit D1 at the Grabova exit or take the Prijeboj exit from the south. The hotel greets guests with a spacious and covered parking lot, protecting your vehicle from rain or hail and keeping your car pleasantly cool during the sizzling summer heat. To boot, Lyra Hotel Plitvice has two designated parking spaces for buses. We only missed an electric charging station, though the entrepreneurial proprietors will likely take care of that detail, too.
COLD STARTER - Architecture and aesthetics
Lyra Hotel was designed by architectural bureau P Plus under the helm of Ljubljana-based architect Primož Boršič. The hotel blends in with the mighty spruce forest around it in the heart of the small village. Given the allure of the lush green surroundings, the decision to use natural materials and refined style seems logical. What turns heads upon arrival is the facade and the vertical wooden slats that render the exterior elegant yet intimate at the same time. The patina on the wood gives the facade a touch of refinement. The common areas boast dark shades and luxury elements, including a stone reception desk and steel furniture in matte gold hues. The darker shades within the hotel are beautifully complemented by wooden slats on the ceiling. We found the use of granite in toilets charming. The tidiness of the exterior is praiseworthy, and soon, the hotel will unveil an outdoor pool. Although it may seem pretentious that the hotel promotes itself as a design hotel, its architecture is ageing like fine wine.
WARM ENTRÉE - The staff and the culinary experience
The idea of a hotel that will revive a war-stricken village came to life in Ličko Petrovo Selo. The reception staff hails from the three most affected countries in the Yugoslav conflict. The idea of healing the war wounds was also picked up by BBC in its detailed report. Today, the predominantly local staff works hand in hand with coworkers from the Far East. We were positively surprised by the generally welcoming approach and an unbelievably kind team working at the reception. Unfortunately, we could not dine in the hotel restaurant, as it was occupied by a group of tourists during our stay. A buffet menu seems more popular than the a la carte menu here. We deem the hotel breakfast to be in the golden mean for four-star hotels, with some positive and negative surprises. The homemade honey was a feast for the eyes and taste buds, while the selection of fruit was as diverse as apt for a four-star hotel. The devil lies in the details, though; the management could write where the food originates from, the omelettes were stale and prepared in advance, and the absence of local dishes (and desserts) was disappointing. In addition, the instant coffee from the coffee machine was below average, much like the juice from the beverage dispenser. These details, if amended, would correct the impression. The breakfast seems tailored only to tourist groups in transit and not individual guests with more demanding expectations.
MAIN COURSE – The meetings offering at the hotel
Hotel rooms
The designer soul comes to life in the hotel room. When it welcomed its first guests, the open industrial-style furniture made it a pioneering industrial design hotel in Croatia. The open closets combining dark wooden gues and matte golden steel knobs still appear modern and ingenious today. Above all, everything is ergonomical. Illumination is one of the advantages, thanks to a colossal rounded chandelier and wooden lights casting a pleasantly dim light. We also noticed an industrial-style heater in the bathroom. Our room had a charming balcony, optically enlarging the space. The centrepiece is an excellent bed that ensures guests can rest after a day of venturing the cascading waters of Plitvice Lakes. Additional golden motifs crown the black-and-golden flooring in the bathroom. We thought a walk-in shower would suit the bathroom more than a bathtub. Regardless, we were impressed by the Croatian-based cosmetics line from Biobaza in environment-friendly shampoo dispensers. Managing the lighting was slightly clumsy and not very intuitive. We suggest the owners consider improving the air-conditioning. Despite our best attempts, we could not set it how we wanted. Considering pristine nature is within spitting distance, we would have preferred to sleep with open windows without air-conditioning.
Meetings centre
A boutique conference centre welcomes event organisers on the fourth floor, where two smaller halls for events can accommodate up to 50 attendees. The classic halls on the upper floor feature a classic design. Should you require more space for your event, the charming restaurant, with an adjoining outdoor terrace, can host some 80 guests. The space itself is flexible for a variety of events.
DESSERT – The extras
An outdoor pool under construction will be unveiled later this year. Perhaps the label design hotel is somewhat exaggerated. Still, Lyra Hotel is a modern and stylishly designed hotel. The history of the building, like that of the village, is nicely presented on their website. What more can one give to a war-torn village bereft of life?
FLOP – NEGATIVE SURPRISES
We were bothered by some technicalities, even though they did not impact the final impression. Among them were the AC, poor lighting on the work desk and a few unfinished construction details, such as a cable freely hanging from the ceiling in the hotel corridor or a few walls that scream for fresh paint.
TOP – POSITIVE SURPRISES
The broad array of products in the hotel shop Vega is commendable. Guests can purchase many local staples, including honey, cheese, spirits, wine and truffle products from Istrian-based company Zigante. Moreover, they can admire and buy artworks from local painters in the store. Such an additional offering is rare in similar hotels and is worth mentioning.
SUSTAINABLE ENDEAVOURS
The hotel is proactive in sustainability. The hotel website defines its sustainable strategy, aiming to become carbon-neutral by 2025. We must praise their decision to put zero tolerance towards racial, sexual and national discrimination first on the list of their initiatives. Their employees realise this undertaking in practice. The hotel was one of the first to put up a provocative banner to reduce waste food and promote itself as a beef-free hotel. Opting for local cosmetics from Biobaza, putting up solar panels on their roof and much more have put this hotel among Croatian sustainable hotel pioneers.
FINAL IMPRESSION AND CREDIBILITY
The guiding principle behind the construction of Lyra Hotel Plitvice was to erect a superb hotel for tourists on round trips across the region. They succeeded in their mission and filled the gap around Plitvice Lakes, which lacked quality hotels. Other government-managed hotels here are in dire need of renovation and, as such, unapt for demanding incentive groups. Regardless of its position, Lyra Hotel is a pioneer that heralds better days for the region. Hotels following suit began emerging two years ago. For incentive groups, the hotel remains the only practical choice.
The location in Ličko Petrovo Selo divides opinions. Putting the debate about the location aside, the hotel will impress you with its originality, ambience, functionality and easy accessibility. Undoubtedly, Lyra Hotel will cater to event organisers who previously avoided Plitvice because of the poor quality of accommodation. Although completely unpretentious in terms of luxury, the hotel ticks all the boxes for a four-star hotel. Combined with a surprisingly rich offering of teambuilding activities, it seems to be the ideal choice for event organisers, at least outside the high season.
FINAL GRADE: 4.79 TWO MEETING STARS⭐⭐ Boutique Meeting Hotel
3 MEETING STARS⭐⭐⭐ final score from 4.81 to 5.00
2 MEETING STARS⭐⭐ final score from 4.61 to 4.80
1 MEETING STAR⭐ final score from 4.41 to 4.60
