Hôtel Croatia Cavtat 5

Hotel Croatia in Cavtat is visually stunning, with an incredible setting and elegant design, which made it seem like the perfect venue for our wedding reception and stay. However, the overall experience fell far short of expectations due to poor service, disorganisation, and a general lack of accountability from staff. Despite agreeing a set fee for an extra room on the day of our wedding and late checkout, we were charged twice, both on our room bill and again via a separate inflated invoice days after check-out. Worse still, bar and restaurant charges were added to our account on days we weren’t even at the hotel, and it became clear that other guests, not part of our party, had been allowed to charge items to our room. Several important wedding items went missing and were only recovered after days of chasing, thanks not to hotel staff but to our wedding planner’s intervention. Sentimental belongings left in our room were also lost and never returned. The hotel lifts are painfully slow and inadequate for the number of guests, and the food in the main restaurant is mediocre at best. On top of that, some guests were arbitrarily charged extra for “refurbished rooms” while others received them without charge, leading to a sense of unfairness and inconsistency. For a venue that markets itself as a luxury wedding destination, the lack of professionalism and care was deeply disappointing.

A Monstrous Hotel with just short of 500 rooms and over £1,000 guests. It’s 5 star status is probably because it has indoor and outdoor pools, gym and conference centre. There was a conference when we stayed, people blocking the ( only 4 lifts wearing lanyards does not contribute to a holiday atmosphere) The whole hotel lacks any soul or ambience. The dining room is for mass feeding, food often dried out under lights and generally not the best. The terrace is a more pleasant experience than eating inside the cavernous dining room. However, despite the fact there is a view of beautiful Cavtat Harbour it is blocked by a concrete wall which has a hedge added to ensure you can see nothing while seated. The night we arrived we went in quite late but well before end of service. No one could be bothered to set the table or serve us wine, had to ask three times, no napkins which when requested were slapped down one on top of the other. There is no dress code in the dining room, expect to see men in singlets. We were on 9th floor, tramping down endless carpeted corridors to wait for the lift, hard for my elderly Mother. We had updated rooms, they were very smart in a classic hotel way, no nod to any suggestion that we were in Croatia by the sea, there is no cultural feeing antwhere, one could be anywhere in the world. Room service is as mentioned above, same water glass by my bed for 5 nights, towels not even folded never mind changed, sheets the same all through, no milk in one fridge. Air con confusing. Beds comfortable, nice soft pillows and two small harder ones. The pool is lovely, good for laps and salt water, but guests are allowed to block sun beds. Next to me someone blocked two with personal towels before 8.30 am, they didn’t arrive until 4, this selfish practice is outdated in most hotels now. My Mum slipped in the pool and went under, becoming v shocked, there appears to be no life guard. The one ‘in service’ buggy down the steep hill was regular with very pleasant drivers. One one journey they piled too many people in which is dangerous. In short, if you like concrete brutalism and an anonymous experience. Stay here.

Not a great welcome upon arrival, plenty of staff milling about but you have to go to them they do not come to you, the aircon in the room is set at 23 degrees (this is heat not cold air) you have to ask at reception to get it turned down and then they only set at 20 so again you have to keep asking. There was only 1 Buggy Cart in Operation and sometimes this was not operational and when you call the number (Reception give you) they growl at you as if you are a nuisance and come up with some excuse for not running. The Piano Bar staff are very good at short measuring you and sometimes your lucky to get a smile (Exception Mato) Pool Towel shortage and Sun Bed shortage at the hotel pool, you have to be early to get a Sunbed at the platform by the sea too. No daily towel change in the room unless you ask at the again not so friendly staff at reception. After 1 weeks stay we did not get clean sheets either. Toiletries not re-filled in the bathrooms. Watch your final bill as we had a number of snacks/drinks added to ours of which absolutely none were taken.

We stayed at Hotel Croatia on the recommendation of a friend who has stayed there twice before. On arrival, we were greeted by Ana at reception who was helpful and polite. We had a wait until we could check in but Ana suggested things to do in the meantime such an exploring the hotel and surrounding area, drinks in the piano bar and where to leave our luggage. During our stay, it was our wedding anniversary and, on checking into our room, we found a complimentary bottle of fizz waiting for us on ice. Such a kind gesture. Our room was a superior sea view room with a balcony overlooking the sea and rocks. It was perfection. Waking up to the sounds of the waves each day and sitting on the balcony was so calming and peaceful. The room was spotlessly clean. The only criticism we found was that the pillows were extremely soft and not supportive. Also cups and glasses were not always changed and we had to call room service to do this, although it was mostly done immediately. We stayed half board and enjoyed eating alfresco. The menu was varied and we found something we enjoyed each time. The chefs make use of the abundance of fish from the Adriatic. The waiting staff were quiet and efficient but we found that if we chatted to them, they were happy to engage. It was nice to see the chefs in the dining room, preparing the food so it was fresh. We also used the piano bar for drinks in the evening and occasionally for lunch (club sandwich-yum!) and received great service from Ros. Each evening there is a local performer/band which was enjoyable. There was a conference on during our stay but this did not disrupt our experience at all. The hotel is closed for the Winter season, so it’s understandable that they have to make the most of the Summer season. The hotel literally sparkles, but it’s not surprising as the cleaning staff are constantly working, all of them were keen to say hello and smiled. Both the indoor and outdoor pools were salt water and very cold. I don’t think either were heated but we still managed some swims. NB. No lifeguards on duty, though my son is a lifeguard and swim teacher. We mostly walked into the town, including up the steep incline on return but the buggy service runs very frequently and swiftly. Cavtat is a beautiful place. We walked round the peninsula every day, up to the mausoleum using the quaint backstreets and found wonderful Škatulica for souvenirs and local produce. We travelled to Dubrovnik by bus for 4€ each. Reading a recent very negative review, I fail to see how this person can have stayed at the same hotel as us at the same time as our experience was the complete opposite. We would return here without hesitation.

The rooms with seaview are nice. Disappointing was the thing that we booked seaview and we knew seaview from the week before when we stayed there but when we came back the Madame at the reception on fridayevening last week wanted toplay with us some joke and gave us first the room with view to Cavtat then an old suite and after the next complaining we got the room that we booked for 450 Euro! Per night! The Madame from the reception sent us to 3 different rooms. Itwaslike a playing with us in a 5Star hotel. But I have to say that the view from the seaview room is breath takening nice. The final room was new and perfect. The older woman at the reception was not nice but the room and baggage boys were helpful and nice. The dinner costs 35 Euro per Person and is not worth it. And not much different meals. Better no dinner and eat in Cavtat. Also breakfast is disgusting. Little Croissants from the mashine. The eggs are too long cooked. The pool is too cold for children. The playground has many defect playtools and our daughter was injured because of the unscecured playground. It is a nice place for staying in Cavtat but you should learn in Service and hospitality from Companies like Valamar in Dubrovnik.