Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Child Friendly Hotels In Croatia

Croatia Online - Croatia For Children

Croatian children mostly thrive without the gadgets that seem essential for the amusement of their western European peers. A day on the beach provides all the fun kids need, and that’s how the family resorts and hotels have developed too – around beach activities. “Heritage” destinations, such as Dubrovnik and Hvar, tend to focus on upscale adult-orientated hotels, but the established resort destinations, with those long stretches of mostly pebble beaches, offer a staggering array of activities and facilities for all ages. You just have to accept the odd reminder of the package holiday era of old - the architecture for example.

The Borik area of Zadar provides some prime examples of child friendly hotels in Croatia. These are led in quality by Falkensteiner’s Club Funimation. This year, their Family Hotel Diadora, in the new Punta Skala resort in nearby Petrčane, with its adventure park and “Game Heaven”, could provide the ultimate in luxury family holidays. In Biograd, the Ilirija Group has achieved something similar, albeit on a smaller scale, with their three hotels and a vast, activity-packed, beach and woodland area which includes a large tennis centre and pool area. Olympia in Vodice and Azalea’s Zora in Primošten and are also good Dalmatian options, as is Blue Sun’s Hotel Elaphusa, in Bol on Brač, which has the advantage of one of Croatia’s best beaches on its doorstep.

Istria is perhaps the most established family resort destination in Croatia. In Poreč, Plava Laguna’s Hotel Laguna Park and Valamar’s Hotel Club Tamaris lead the way; in Rovinj it’s the Maistra group, particularly the Hotel Eden; and in Novigrad, Laguna Novigrad’s Hotel Maestral.

Most of the above offer modern four star facilities and organised activities for kids. On a tighter budget the options increase – the Solaris complex near Šibenik, for example, and a number along the Makarska Riviera and in Vrsar and Medulin in Istria. Wherever you go, it pays to check that the Children’s Clubs and activities are conducted in English rather than German or Italian. Also beware of confusing “family hotels” with “family run hotels” when doing your research. The latter is a government led initiative to encourage the development of small independent hotels. They may also be good for families, but not by definition.

This posting inspired us to consider the ins and outs of sailing Croatia for families and you can read about that on the Croatia Cruising Companion blog.

Meanwhile, below are links to some of Croatia’s best hotels for families with children of all ages. Croatia Online’s editor has visited most of them and just wishes she had a better excuse to try more of the facilities!

Falkensteiner, Borik near Zadar

Ilirija, Biograd

Azalea, Primosten

Olympia, Vodice

BlueSun, Brac

Plava Laguna, Istria

Valamar, Istria and Dubrovnik

Maistra, Istria

Laguna, Istria

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Today’s photo shows some of the fun provided by Ilirija in Biograd.

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