Family vacation and soaking up the sun in Croatia – that was the plan. Lying on the beach a little, our son wanted to fish, Lara wanted to romp on the playground, and everyone wanted wellness. So we set off for the Maistra Hotel Istra in Rovinj, which seemed to combine everything for us. Here are our experiences:
The Maistra Hotel Istra in Rovinj
The Hotel Istra is beautifully situated on the island of Sv. Andrija (St. Andrew), which is connected to the mainland daily by boat from 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. In Rovinj South (Marina) is the Delfin pier near the information desk of the Hotel Katarina, where we could comfortably unload our luggage from the car. Using a shuttle bus service, we were able to safely park our car in a parking lot that is only a 5-minute drive from the harbor. My husband was brought back to the harbor by shuttle bus. The boat comes every hour and brought us directly to the Hotel Istra.
The trip alone is an experience, especially for the children. On the return trip, we were able to watch dolphins – a truly great experience.
Once on the island, the luggage is transported to the hotel by luggage cart. The entrance area is large and modern. Here you can sit down and consume snacks and drinks. At the far end, you reach the beautiful terrace, from where you can get to the beach and the pools.
Room
We decided on a family room and were thrilled. It was 2 hotel rooms with a connecting door. Each room was furnished with a double bed, balcony, and bathroom with a toilet. One bathroom had a large bathtub and one had a shower. Each room also had a flatscreen with international channels.
The rooms were large, with plenty of storage space and seating. The balcony was also large and offered space for 2 people each. We were on the 1st floor and had a pool and sea view. There were many large elevators to get to the room.
Using a practical card, you could easily get into the rooms.
There are several buildings on the island. 3 different hotel suites can also be booked: the Garden Suite, the Executive Suite, and the Deluxe Suite.
Wellness
In the spacious Otok wellness center, you can relax wonderfully. On over 16,000 square meters, you can enjoy exotic treatments or swim in the indoor pool. Here you can book cosmetic treatments for the face and body, as well as special massages. Furthermore, a pedicure or manicure can be booked.
Relaxation can be found in the Finnish sauna with Mediterranean herbs, the Turkish sauna, massage showers, or the whirlpools. You can also find an indoor and outdoor pool in the spa area. You can rest in the relaxation room on heated beds and waterbeds.
Those who prefer it more active can work out on great equipment in the adjacent fitness room. It is motivating that the treadmills are oriented with a view of the sea and the 2nd island.
For our children, the indoor pool was the hit. Here there was a slightly cooler large activity pool for swimming and a smaller whirlpool with very warm water. The water bubbled again and again at the benches on the edge. Right at the entrance to the indoor pool are changing rooms, toilets, and showers. Very comfortable loungers (with headrests!) are set up around the pool. At the far end, you can go through the door to the terrace, where loungers and parasols are also set up. From here you have a wonderful view of the sea and the 2nd small island.
Beaches
At the Hotel Istra, there are many different beaches to be found. There is the most beautiful one for me: the sandy beach right near the hotel and the children's playground. Here you can dive into the wonderfully clear water very shallowly. We spent most of our time on this beach. Right next to it is a small 'terrace' with a railing, where you can enjoy the view. Just around the 'corner' is a stone beach, where you can also lie down and go into the water. Here I recommend bathing shoes, especially for the children.
Via the paved path, you get to the 2nd island, where there are many places. Some even have showers and benches. Depending on your taste, you can also enjoy swimming fun here away from the crowds. The children naturally liked climbing on the rocks very much. There are many offshore rocks here, where you can sometimes get into the sea quite well. Often there are also entry aids to be found.
Andreas and Mark tried to fish, but there were hardly any fish to be seen. Instead, there were huge seagulls, some of which were nesting on the ground. ?
Pools
Those who prefer to go to a swimming pool are in the right place here. Two large pools, as well as 2 children's pools, are located right by the hotel. The pools are with sea or fresh water.
Here there are plenty of loungers and umbrellas that can be set up around the pools. On the very side, loungers are set up on several levels, where the trees provide natural shade.
There is also a bar right by the pool where you can buy cool drinks, cocktails, and coffee.
Right by the pool, there is also the possibility to rent a pedal boat; these are equipped with a slide.
Towels for the beach lounger can also be rented here. For this, a card must be obtained at the reception, which can be redeemed at the stand by the pools.
Offer for children
For children, there is plenty to do and experience. In addition to the beaches, the discovery of the island, and the many pools, there are also great facilities just for the children. In the hotel, there is a great indoor playground, which is a hit not only on bad weather days. Our children found the big slide great: you go up via stairs and can slide down in a winding slide. Next to it is a climbing paradise in the form of a ship. Here you can play and climb. At the very bottom, there is even a small ball pit. On the far right outside, there is also a bouncy castle where the children can let off steam.
Outdoors, there is also a nice playground with many play equipment: a slide, a Tarzan swing rope, rocking horses, and much more. The playground is right by the sand and stone beach as well as the Pizzeria Birkin. Ideal for lunch; we could still eat in peace, while the children were already letting off steam on the playground. From the terrace, you always have a good view of the children. Older children (and of course adults too) will certainly be thrilled by a large chess game.
Food service
The day starts here right with a rich breakfast buffet in the hotel's dining room. The buffet is clear and well-divided, so that many people can also take something great. In the morning, there are hot and cold dishes, a very large selection of different egg dishes, bacon, vegetables, fruit, as well as muesli and many sweet things. As for drinks, there are rather sodas; most of them unfortunately did not taste good to me personally.
For lunch, we were always at the Pizza Birkin right on the beach. Here you can enjoy good Mediterranean cuisine on the terrace, and the children could let off steam on the playground in the meantime.
A highlight is certainly the fish and seafood restaurant, which can be found very elegantly in the premises of an old castle. We did not try this with the children. We were always at the buffet in the evening: Here there are often theme nights and a really large selection of dishes: salads, meat, fish, side dishes, vegetables, soups, and of course the great dessert buffet of cakes, tarts, pudding, creams, fruit, and ice cream.
On the 2nd island, there is also a restaurant in summer. In May, it was still very deserted, but it is certainly great to eat here on a mild summer night and then take a walk on the island. In the middle of the island is a small pavilion that you can visit.
There are enough bars in the Hotel Istra: Fresh Bar, Aperitif Bar, and two pool bars by the pool can be used.
Conclusion
We liked the Hotel Istra very much. Everything was right for us. It was still pre-season, so you noticed that things were still being prepared (restaurant on the 2nd island was, for example, still closed), but that didn't bother us. The hotel was very well attended, and yet it was never a problem in the evening and at breakfast. Everything was always replenished, and there was enough crockery and seating. In terms of nationalities, there were many Germans and English people at the time of our trip. In summer, I think many boats will certainly come to visit. On Saturday, there was even a wedding in the lower area of the hotel, and there were some business events in the conference hall. But that didn't bother us at all; everything is quite well 'separated'. Our room was great with the connecting door. We can recommend the hotel and want to come back ourselves, but this time in summer.
Photos Sabine, meinhaushalt.at
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