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There are many places to stay around Croatia and I can’t even come close to claiming to have seen them all. From all the places I stayed while travelling around Croatia, I had some amazing, some okay, and a couple of absolute nightmarish experiences.
Out of all those experiences in my Croatian travels, I compiled this list of places to stay around Croatia so that others may have some amazing experiences as well. I also hope to help people avoid nightmarish ones.
Croatia is an amazing place that I not only recommend to anyone and everyone but also a place I can’t wait to visit again. So here are my recommendations for places to stay around Croatia and 1 you should absolutely avoid.
*Please note that all given prices are subject to change and are based on weekend prices in the high season*
Croatia’s Friendliest Croatian Host: Hostel Mimika in Makarska
It came as a surprise to me that there were only two hostels in such a lovely, touristic town. Yet even if there were hundreds, Hostel Mimika would still shine the brightest.
Sporting a gorgeous garden full of various fruit trees and a homemade bar, Hostel Mimika is an absolute oasis for the weary traveller. Yet it is neither of these nor the softness of the beds that makes Mimika stand out. Though those do help.
What makes Hostel Mimika stand out as one of the best places to stay around Croatia is the host Josip.
Jo goes out of his way to make every single person who comes through his establishment feel like a member of the family. With an overwhelming amount of positive vibes and friendliness, he ensures everyone who meets him has an experience in his hometown that they will never forget.
Jo goes above and beyond to make sure his guests are happy and feel like family.
Unfortunately for the time being Hostel Mimika is closed. I hope that before long they will be open and accepting guests again.
When they reopen don’t miss the chance to stay with Jo at Hostel Mimika in Makarska.
A Dog-Friendly Oasis: Hotel Lumbarda in Lumbarda, Korčula
Sitting less than 20 feet (6 Metres) away from the beach, Hotel Lumbarda boasts being the oldest hotel in Lumbarda. Although not the biggest hotel it still sports a very nice pool and patio right out front.
Hotel Lumbarda prides itself not only in being very pet friendly, but also in the cleaning measures they take to ensure there is no evidence of previous pets in the rooms. They go out of their way to provide excellent service and are working towards complete sustainability.
The cost of a night at Hotel Lumbarda will be dependent on the number of people staying. A standard double or twin room with a garden view costs ~61 Euros for one person or ~76 Euros for two. A standard double or twin room with a sea view is ~73 Euros for one person or ~91 Euros for two.
The good news is that they do also price matches which could lead to better pricing options. So if you are looking for places to stay around Croatia that accept pets this would be my recommendation.
A Hotel-Hostel Combination: Chillout Hostel and Timeout Hotel in Zagreb
If you are looking to party in Zagreb this is the place to be. Sporting both a bar in the courtyard on the ground floor and on the rooftop this place is a not-so-hidden gem.
The hostel and hotel combination is an interesting experience that was fairly recent for Chillout. Before combining with Timeout, Chillout was a stand-alone party hostel located around 160 feet (50 metres) away at the edge of a park.
Contrary to what I originally thought, combining with the hotel did not stop the party, but instead brought it to another level. With a welcoming staff that loves to party and two bars, one of which hosts live music, not even Corona has stopped the party.
Even if you don’t like to party, the staff alone makes this place worth staying a night or two. You may also be worried that the party may lead to it being too loud to sleep. Don’t be. My few nights staying on the first floor were astonishingly silent despite the party raging just a few metres away.
Staying in the hostel (Chillout) will cost you ~25 Euros (~30 USD) per night for a bed in a 4-bed dormitory and ~59-65 Euro (~70-76 USD) for a private room.
Staying in the hotel (Timeout) will cost you ~80 Euro for a basic twin room and ~85 for a deluxe 4-bed family room ensuite.
A Cute Apartment: Studio Apartman Tirkiz in Zagreb
An adorable little apartment in the residential area just outside of downtown Zagreb, Studio Apartman Tirkiz was super cozy, welcoming, and simple for those travellers who end up coming in pretty late.
After booking the owner sends you a code to unlock the key box holding the keys giving you access to the apartment. This made the whole process super easy for us as we had gotten here pretty close to midnight.
The apartment itself has a huge balcony, a small bathroom, a bedroom/kitchenette separated by sliding curtains, and a small bedroom. Both bedrooms are equipped with a double bed making it easily hold four people.
There are also some nice bars and restaurants located within a block of the apartment. Every street around has trams that go to various areas of the city making it quite convenient to go anywhere you want to on your visit to Zagreb.
A night here will normally run you ~45-50 euros a night.
A Home Away From Home: Dragan’s Den in Korčula, Korčula
Dragan’s Den is located in the residential area of the city of Korčula making it a decent location for those who want to explore more than just the old town of Korčula. Dragan’s Den is one of the few hostels on Korčula as well as one of the places I spent a lot of time in during my last trip to Croatia. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there despite the few negatives. It is a place deserving a full review.
Dragan’s Den is equipped with two shared kitchens and bathrooms. Most of the private rooms have their own bathroom. All bedrooms have their own AC unit as well. There is a huge yard with a pool for people to lounge the day away.
If you want to go into town it is about a 30-minute walk along a gorgeous shoreline to get to the old town or a 45-minute walk to get to Lumbarda. The nearest beach is only a 5 to 10-minute walk away as well. If you aren’t up to walking there is the ability to rent bikes, mopeds and even cars in town. There are also some fairly good taxi/ electric golf cart taxing services for about 50 Kuna( <10 Euros/USD)
The host, Dragan, is quite friendly and very chatty. The other ‘workers’ are Workaway people who are travelling themselves and will only be there for a limited time. While they are there they handle check-ins, housekeeping, and whatever else may be needed. Dragan is also always around to help if people need it. Both by giving tips or advice and by giving people rides to where they need to go.
Of all the places to stay around Croatia, Dragan’s Den is a home away from home on the island of Korčula.
A night here will cost 10-25 Euros (12-30) USD for a bed in a dorm depending on the night and availability.
One of the private rooms will usually start at 50 euros (58 USD) and can go up over 1000 (1168 USD) depending on the number of people. See all room types here.
The Host of Nightmares: Zagreb Creative Apartments in Zagreb
There is not much I can say about this place. In fact, due to the circumstances, we didn’t even end up staying here.
In a nutshell: We arrived to check in a bit past the check-in time. We were in contact with the owner the whole time and updated him on our being late due to unforeseen circumstances several times. Even though we had stayed in contact with him the entire time the moment we got there he started screaming at the person wanting to check in.
When I defended her he told us to “F*ck off and find somewhere else to stay”. So we did and that is how we ended up at Tirkiz. After this, he tried to label us as a “no-show” on booking.com.
Of all the experiences with places to stay around Croatia, this was by far the worst.
Avoid this place like the plague. It may be nice inside, but the owner is more than willing to treat people like garbage. Not only that, but it appears the building next door was being completely renovated. Which could lead to some early mornings due to noise.
Paradise Apartments: Luxurious Apartments Marina in Makarska
A bit more on the luxury or travel as a group side for places to stay around Croatia, Luxurious Apartments Marina has it all! Located only 30 metres (~100 feet) and the option from 4 different apartments L.A. Marina is allowed to boast about its gorgeous view, spectacular location, comfy living areas, and amazing hosts.
In fact, one of the two main hosts is Josip from Hostel Mimika! Jo is one of the greatest guys I know and the most hospitable and friendly guy I have ever met. This man has dedicated himself to upholding the best level of hospitality possible. He has blown me out of the water on several occasions. If you need any advice on things to do or eat, history on the area, or just someone to talk to Jo is your guy.
Now we can’t forget the apartments! Whether you are in an apartment with a mountain or sea view it doesn’t matter as both are stunning. Especially at sunset. They also thoroughly clean between each guest up and beyond the standards of the enhanced cleaning that some websites are requesting.
There are 4 options.
1. A 3 bed/6 person apartment that runs 300 Euro (~350 USD) a night.
2. Two different 1 bed/ 2 person Queen Apartment suites that run ~70-90 Euro (~81-105 USD) each a night.
3. A 2 bed/ 3 person King Apartment Suite that runs 180 Euro (~211 USD) a night
Travel With and Meet New Friends: Hurricane Hostel in Split
Of all the places to stay around Croatia, Hurricane Hostel was by far my favourite. Although it is a smaller hostel sporting only 28 beds that just adds to its charm. In fact, it would only be a mash-up of 2 types of hostel, instead of three, if it got too much bigger.
Hurricane invokes and encourages a sense of camaraderie and friendship between people who have just met. It does so through the various events that are offered and run by the staff and even the owners themselves.
Not only that but there are also cool hidden achievements that can be unlocked by guests through various methods. These achievements in turn reward some cool prizes such as a free night in the hostel.
Most of the people who end up there tend to stay a long time. Almost all the guests I had met there had been staying for months. Even when they only intended on staying a few days. Chances are some are still there today.
There is so much I could say about Hurricane Hostel that it needs its own full review. Even with that, I am not sure that I can truly do it justice as a winner of the 2021 Hostel of Choice Award!
On average a night’s stay at Hurricane Hostel will cost you between 25-45 Euros (27-52 USD) per night. A bit pricier, but it is definitely worth the price!
In Conclusion:
I can’t say I have been to all the places to stay around Croatia. Not even close. I’m not sure anyone could as there are just so damn many. However, what I can say is from all the places I stayed these were the best (and the worst!).
Chillout Hostel and Timeout Hotel in Zagreb
Studio Apartman Tirkiz in Zagreb
Zagreb Creative Apartments in Zagreb (Worst experience here!)
Luxurious Apartments Marina in Makarska
Are there any you would recommend to others or think I should review? Let me know in the comments below!
