Boutique & Design Hotel Navis

“Beautifully quirky and warm”

My husband and I stayed here for five nights on a nostalgia trip to several of my childhood holiday haunts. It proved to be a fantastic choice! The hotel is quirky in every respect. It is just the right size (about 40 rooms) – intimate but not in any way intrusive. Every single staff member was gen… more

My husband and I stayed here for five nights on a nostalgia trip to several of my childhood holiday haunts. It proved to be a fantastic choice! The hotel is quirky in every respect. It is just the right size (about 40 rooms) – intimate but not in any way intrusive. Every single staff member was genuinely warm and super-friendly and we felt pampered and almost part of the family! In fact, we learned that the Navis was actually family-owned and got to chat briefly to the owner ourselves. He also runs an olive-oil business and we received a bottle of olive oil as a parting gift. A lovely touch! Our room was modern and we had the most beautiful view of Kvarner Bay and the Adriatic Sea from our balcony on the fourth floor. While there was no kettle in the room, there was an excellent Nespresso machine with regular refills being provided. Another minor niggle was the shower above the bath (luckily, we are both fit enough to climb into the bath but it could be an issue for somebody with mobility issues). The parking garage under the hotel was unfortunately way too small for our rental SUV (not our choice of vehicle!) so we parked on the slope right outside the hotel. We loved the pool terrace and beach area which always had plenty of sunbeds. Knowing Croatia well, we were prepared for having to climb down a ladder into the crystal-clear sea (there is also a very small pebbly bay but you’d need swim shoes to go into the water there). We both got great massages from Alma, definitely the best of our holiday! It is a little bit peculiar that in order to access the sun terrace, guests have to walk through the spa – which is not conducive to creating a tranquil atmosphere in the spa. The Navis’ restaurant is simply outstanding (separate review). We enjoyed one superb dinner on the terrace. The included breakfast buffet was great and offered a lovely variety of dishes. I especially loved the fresh breads and pastries (the cheesecake and cinnamon strudel were to die for!). The fruit and cereal selection was a little bit limited and it was difficult to find fresh milk for the cereals. They also offer a very good selection of cooked egg dishes which are ordered a la carte but are included in the breakfast. The cleaning ladies were great and very prompt in the morning. As others have remarked, the hotel’s location is perfect for accessing Opatija’s 12-km coastal promenade and you are spoilt for choice for lovely restaurants in walking distance (our favourite was Mandrac in Voskolo). If we ever return to Istria, we would not hesitate for a second to choose the Navis again as the perfect base!

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