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offerendum Feb 19, 2026 10:45 am

Grand Park Hotel Rovinj
 
I wanted to stay in Istria next. I was a bit torn when choosing a hotel, but the location alone was a clear argument in favour of the Grand Park Rovinj. What's more, there were two Michelin-starred restaurants in the hotel and the top suite looked great with a fairly large private paddling pool.
When booking, I actually wanted to book through Virtuoso, but then a very favourable rate appeared on the Leading Hotels of the World website, which was over €300 per night lower("only 1.417€) than all other offers. I quickly seized the opportunity, and such a rate has never been available again.
Shortly after our visit, the hotel was ranked 48th by ‘The World's Best 50 Hotels’. Well, everyone who knows me knows what I think of these lists. Without giving too much away, here's a guessing game: what sentence did I actually say during our stay?
1. Wow, that's world-class luxury!
2. Well, it's not a real luxury hotel, so you shouldn't expect too much.

offerendum Feb 19, 2026 11:02 am

Grand Park Hotel Rovinj
 
The journey from Trieste went quite quickly. The hotel is located on the outskirts of Rovinj in a kind of hotel complex. Maestra Hotels (a Croatian chain) has nine hotels in Rovinj, four of which are located close together here.
After pulling up in front of the hotel, we got out of the car and nothing happened. The doormen didn't seem to know what to do, but when we opened the boot, one of them eventually came over to us. That´s real class and the perfect start of the stay. I guess not more than 47 hotels worldwide are able to do it better. Otherwise, you could see that the hotel had a modern design. If it´s beautiful is another question.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c6a0dc3860.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...de69027800.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...03de684d3f.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...dabf0ba8b1.jpg


Incidentally, there are charging stations opposite the hotel. They are not operated by the hotel itself, but by Telekom. None of my charging cards worked at the time; you have to pay in advance. I did so, with a minimum charge of €10. But when I had charged €6, I realized that you can only charge with a minimum credit of €5. Great thing, I would put something like that in front of my door as a luxury hotel.
We then went to the large reception desk, where we waited our turn. This can take a while, but I don't mind waiting. In fact, I love it – what else would I do with my time? Check-in was very technical, and we weren't offered an escort to our room (which is also really in the luxury sector, only offered in the best 46 hotels of the world).

offerendum Feb 19, 2026 11:32 am

Grand Park Hotel Rovinj
 
The lobby extends over two floors with lots of glass. The main restaurant is located on the lower level.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...44ea34c868.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ad78677d69.jpg
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https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...97d7945042.jpg
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https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...200c00683d.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...40aaff9653.jpg


offerendum Feb 19, 2026 1:04 pm

Grand Park Hotel Rovinj
 
With the key cards in hand, we headed to the third floor. The hallways are completely windowless.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...92790b615c.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7823764e23.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5fa8e5520f.jpg
Here's an overview of the floor. It's a long way to the room, but that doesn't matter.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...bf845e7104.jpg


offerendum Feb 21, 2026 10:15 am

Grand Park Hotel Rovinj
 
Then let's go to the suite. Let's take a look at the suite. As you can see, the Signature Suite is significantly larger than the other rooms. It measures 173 square meters and extends over two levels.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...282060d192.jpg
When you enter, you first find yourself in a hallway with a cupboard.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1a726e0184.jpg
The guest bathroom is also located there. They installed a nice heavy door here that always closes quickly. Once it caught my heel, which is not so great.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c88cb1bda9.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a2c9d71e45.jpg
The living room was large, although the large counter, for example, is not really necessary. Another point of criticism is the furniture. It all looks quite nice (well, the concrete walls are not necessarily to my taste), but the sofa, for example, was extremely uncomfortable as well as the chairs.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...d54ff285d8.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...63eecbf50d.jpg
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https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...65346510c2.jpg
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Small kitchen.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7407236fb7.jpg
The real highlight was the glass windows and the view, especially from the balcony.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3792488cba.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b48fb48f6a.jpg
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https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...cb704a678c.jpg
But the glass windows also had their downside. When I looked outside, I saw a dead bird (yes, I attract them) lying in the roof garden, having met its end on the window pane. That's not so nice.
Since we had already been waiting for our luggage for quite some time, we called the reception desk to inquire about it and request that the bird be removed. Someone came immediately to deal with the bird (kudos for that), but we had to make another inquiry about the luggage, which took over an hour (no kudos for that).

offerendum Feb 22, 2026 9:43 am

Grand Park Hotel Rovinj
 
Then let's go down the stairs.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b21aab291b.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2808d8445c.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...0055bae851.jpg
Here, too, everything is kept quite stringent and clean. Once again, the chairs were more for show than for sitting on.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ef9b548496.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3781e884b8.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...be016906dc.jpg
The dressing room looks quite simple, but it has plenty of space.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...cdb3a59459.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...dfc99a74c4.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1860dd2d51.jpg
The bathroom was large and fine (though not my style), but unfortunately the door to the toilet was slightly defective and creaked every time it was opened and closed.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2033d0461a.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...28715f704b.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...cf1f916d03.jpg
The high-gloss surfaces require a great deal of work, which was not always successful.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...40d4a3e312.jpg


offerendum Feb 22, 2026 9:52 am

Grand Park Hotel Rovinj
 
There is a small “garden,” but it is completely hidden from view. It is quite well shielded and can only be seen from the adjacent room.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...9286f36f5c.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...d3bbb90b0b.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...d024b7e22c.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...db9ae4ebf8.jpg
The pool was actually quite large, but unfortunately also quite cold. This meant that relaxing and splashing around was only possible to a limited extent, which was of course a shame.
Safety first!
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...699d034ab3.jpg


offerendum Feb 22, 2026 9:54 am

Grand Park Hotel Rovinj
 
The evening was really nice again.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c84088a96c.jpg
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https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7e88475ca5.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1f97c332d5.jpg
The suite from outside.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...d0c1a130f0.jpg


navneethdado Feb 22, 2026 10:17 pm

new and old
 
I’ve visited a mix of older and newer destinations, and each has its own charm. Older countries and historic cities feel rich in culture, architecture, and traditions, and you can really feel the history when walking through old towns and monuments. Newer countries and modern cities are more organized, with better infrastructure, transport, and modern attractions. I personally enjoy a combination of both, as it’s interesting to experience ancient history and modern lifestyle in one trip.

tom tulpe Feb 23, 2026 7:43 am

I haven't been back to Rovinj since the summer of 1994, when it was used by the Croatian Army for R&R. It looks different, your hotel appears to be in the place of the old Army facilities.

offerendum Feb 23, 2026 5:03 pm


Originally Posted by tom tulpe (Post 37612656)
I haven't been back to Rovinj since the summer of 1994, when it was used by the Croatian Army for R&R. It looks different, your hotel appears to be in the place of the old Army facilities.

That's very interesting. I can imagine it's such a development area.

offerendum Feb 23, 2026 5:05 pm


Originally Posted by navneethdado (Post 37612051)
I’ve visited a mix of older and newer destinations, and each has its own charm. Older countries and historic cities feel rich in culture, architecture, and traditions, and you can really feel the history when walking through old towns and monuments. Newer countries and modern cities are more organized, with better infrastructure, transport, and modern attractions. I personally enjoy a combination of both, as it’s interesting to experience ancient history and modern lifestyle in one trip.

Interesting interpretation of my title. I didn't had this in in, but it would also fit as explanation.

offerendum Feb 24, 2026 1:41 pm

Grand Park Hotel Rovinj
 
It was time to explore the surroundings, so we took the lift all the way down to the bottom floor. There is a second lobby there with a kind of library and a counter, but no check-ins or anything like that are carried out there.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7d79cb4e6a.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...dc4a885c8a.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...75b7df60e7.jpg
In front of the hotel is a promenade with a harbour, where you will find a 2-star restaurant, a café and several shops.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3dd13db153.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...cf6ebaa7d6.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...08afa2ba94.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b994a80c64.jpg


offerendum Feb 24, 2026 1:57 pm

Rovinj
 
Then we went to Rovinj. She wishes me a pleasant journey, as long as I leave her alone.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7fa166909a.jpg
Always along the water's edge.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...193f785de4.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b364686f9b.jpg
Republiq Square with the Venetian lion and the Balbi´s arch.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1d9f22cfa7.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1771341e39.jpg
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We made our way upwards through the alleys.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...f8fe62aa1c.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ad987939f1.jpg
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https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...148ac9002e.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...6842805953.jpg


offerendum Feb 24, 2026 2:01 pm

Saint Euphemia Rovinj
 
On the hill stands the Church of St. Euphemia.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...6d555ede0d.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7baf04e10f.jpg
Some views.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...f2220e4984.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5cbc7c3771.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5e17358af1.jpg
The interior of the church.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7d98c99c85.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a183fe9002.jpg
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https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5a79f15d6d.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1f3db6a603.jpg


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