April the 24th, 2023 - The cult Split Bellevue Hotel now has brand new owners, the Retoi company, which is also from Croatia's second largest city and has close ties to... shoes.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the brand new owner of the well known Split Bellevue Hotel is the company Retoi, which is also from Split, and which offered a massive price of 14,111,111 euros for it. The company is owned by Alex Birkenstock, who also owns the renovated Ambasador Hotel in Split.

Bids were initially opened at the Commercial Court in Split on Friday, and Retoi offered the highest among the six bids received. The company Rico Coca offered 13,100,000 euros, and Ruzarija from Zagreb had a total offer of 13,130,000 euros.

The company Tu doma submitted two identical offers of 9,109,000 euros, Porto Hvar offered 8,008,008 euros, and Mediteran trade offered 7,423,002 euros. Klaus Alex Birkenstock, one of the world's largest shoe manufacturers, otherwise the owner of the huge Birkenstock brand, bought the equipment and furniture of the hotel with the Laurus building, including 23 works of art that decorate its walls, writes Vecernji list.

The Split Bellevue Hotel was sold in the bankruptcy estate of Laurus, and the lowest total price could not be lower than 7,167,031.65 euros. All bidders also had to pay a 2 million euro bond.

This complex is otherwise one of the oldest Croatian hotels in the most prestigious location in the City of Split. It was first mentioned around 1875 under the name Hotel de la Ville. It was run by Spiridone Tocigl, and was known for its famous coffee house and medicinal baths. It has hosted numerous very notable personalities during its time.

Back at the beginning of the 20th century, J.L. Crown became the owner of the cult Split hotel and changed its name to Grand Hotel Bellevue. The first major renovation was carried out in 1933, when the hotel got heating, hot water, a lift and bathrooms next to the rooms, the greatest luxury one could thing of back at that time. Among other people, Agatha Christie, Anatole France, and Orson Welles have all stayed in the Split Bellevue Hotel.

For more, make sure to check out our news section.

September 15th, 2022 - The much anticipated Split Hotel Ambasador is now officially open! Split's high-class tourism offer has received an extraordinary boost in the form of Hotel Ambasador.

This brand new hotel received its first guests last week and is a true jewel in the crown of the city's hotel offer; the Split Hotel Ambasador was designed from the beginning as a link that connects the urbanity of the large city centre and the untouched beauty of the nearby Dalmatian islands.

Its position in the very heart of the city, on the promenade (Riva) from which you can cast your eyes over the most beautiful panorama of Split, and get a fantastic view of the harbour and the entire Split archipelago, are the reasons why the renovation of the Ambasador - in the first incarnation of the classic modern work from 1937 by the architect Josip Kodl - was from the beginning under the enormous magnifying glass held by the wider public. The ''old'' Split Hotel Ambasador was very much a part of the city's collective memory, and every change to it inevitably aroused considerable interest.

The new Split Hotel Ambasador will indeed offer more than any hotel in the immediate vicinity: this project by Nora Roja, Nene Kezić and Emil Šverk has been categorised as 5*, with 101 rooms (including three suites) - each of which has an open view of the city or the harbour. It is located in the Zapadna obala part of Split, which connects the famous Riva and Diocletian's Palace on one side, and the ACI marina, the city's most beautiful beaches and heavily forested Marjan hill on the other.

With its luxurious yet comfortable decoration, it invites you to indulge in some relaxation and permeation with the spirit of Split being the heart of the Mediterranean lifestyle.

The interior (designed by Pero Vuković from ARHIV studio) was created with special attention to natural materials. In its key accents, it brings the story of the tradition and exclusivity of the Split Hotel Ambasador. So, for example, all areas in the hotel, from the lobby to the rooms, are decorated with ''typically Split'' historical or recent scenes that were recorded or collected by Split photo chronicler Feđa Klarić.

The reception desk is the handiwork of no less than Slavonian master carpenters, made of black oak, so-called Abonos (bogwood), which comes from the bottom of the Sava river and is 1850 years old. There is also a dedication to the architectural history of the Republic of Croatia in the form of chairs designed by Bernardo Bernardi, along with a number of other details that the trained eye will easily notice. The design of the rooms sees the use of top-quality materials and calming neutral tones combined with the lively scenes outside.

The common areas are oriented conceptually ''outside'', according to what is the greatest asset of the Split Hotel Ambasador - the sea and the city, from which the guests are separated only by a narrow strip of the promenade, and in this way, they communicate with the hustle and bustle of life in the second largest Croatian city, becoming an integral part of the city life.

Within the hotel lies the Méditerranée Restaurant with a total of 210 seats, which, under the leadership of chef Ivica Katić, will offer the best of Mediterranean cuisine - from Lebanon to Gibraltar, with the use of local organic ingredients from local OPGs (family farms) and small producers as a guarantee of top product quality. Right next to it is Bar Split, dominated by an imposing-looking bar which boasts a truly excellent selection of drinks and a comfortable interior that invites you to come on in and socialise. The terrace with the most beautiful view of the city contributes to this already extremely attractive offer, so this bar will surely become a favourite gathering place for many Split locals as well.

The open swimming pool with a view of the City of Split and the harbour and the associated pool bar is another in a series of effective advantages of this particular hotel, and the Split Hotel Ambassador's speciality is the multifunctional conference centre with a capacity of 80 people, which was conceived above all for high-profile business events, while the rooftop bar is designed as an exclusive space for private events intended for a smaller number of people.

The hotel, of course, also offers a whole range of beauty and spa services within the 500-square-metre Hacelia Wellness & Spa, the concept of which was designed by the consulting company Vita Vitalis. It offers guests various face, body and hair treatments and massages, all with the help of exclusive natural cosmetics, and a separate fitness centre with cardio machines ready for use.

Another feature that will make the Ambasador stand out from the current Split hotel offer is the ample garage space, which is a rarity for a hotel in the city centre.

''Given that the construction of the hotel took longer than initially expected, largely slowed down by disruptions on the global market caused by the coronavirus crisis, this large project, worth more than 35 million euros in total, was extremely demanding to finalise,'' they state from the hotel's management, who also thank all participants in this process which led to the opening of the Ambasador hotel this tourist season.

The market position of this truly exceptional hotel doesn't suggest excessive dependence on seasonal trends. The Ambasador was designed and constructed to offer the best of what Split, Dalmatia and Croatia have to offer all year round - relaxed luxury, stunning beauty inside that underlines the opulence boasted outside, gastronomic highlights with the best local ingredients, being classed as a unique destination on the world map, shining the spotlight on Split, and in short, a superior experience of the Mediterranean.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

June 27, 2022 - This summer, guests at Marvie Hotel & Health can win an incredible prize by filming and promoting the natural, cultural, and historical beauties of Dalmatia. 

This year, Marvie Hotel & Health in Split has decided to relaunch “Reel Story of Croatia” - its contest of the decade, and just like last summer, its guests have the chance to win an incredible ten years of hotel stays for two people! 

This intriguing prize includes 3 free nights at Marvie Hotel with breakfast for two, each year from 2023 to 2032! From June 1st to September 30th, all guests who spend at least one night at this hotel with the most beautiful panoramic rooftop pool in Split can participate in this exciting contest and win a decade of hotel stays in a Superior Room overlooking the islands. 

Hotel guests become ambassadors of Dalmatia's beauties 

Hotel Marvie has created this contest exclusively for its guests with the aim of promoting the beauties of the Croatian coast and its inland region. The task is simple: aim to capture the most beautiful moments of your vacation in Croatia via Instagram, i.e. via Reel videos - and just like last summer, the best clip, selected by the Hotel Management team, will win a decade of stays in a sea-view Superior room overlooking the islands. Last year's extremely successful contest involved many hotel guests and over 50 Reel videos generated more than 150,000 views from Instagram users all around the world. 

Last year’s winner was London-based Patrick Whelan 

Last year, the Marvie Hotel Management team had the difficult task of selecting a winner among many great videos, and in the end, Patrick Whelan from Britain collected his decade of hotel stays with his creative Reel. 

The lucky Englishman received the official confirmation at his home address in London. The winning video in which he shared his hotel and destination experience in Split in just 30 seconds can be viewed below. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Marvie Hotel & Health (@marvie.hotel)

Although this was not the original plan, Marvie also decided to give out a second prize to guest Aine Webster for her Reel. Aine was awarded 3 free nights in 2022! 

What can we expect this year? 

"This year we expect even more views and Reels of our beautiful Dalmatia," says Marvie Hotel & Health GM Diana Rubić. 

Diana reveals that the guests' response last year exceeded their expectations and that they also fell in love with Dalmatia again while viewing the scenes of natural and cultural beauties recorded for the Reels.

“We are aware that most of our guests come to Marvie because of the beauty that our nature, history, and culture offer them. With this contest, our goal is to say thank you to every guest who has chosen our hotel and the city of Split as their summer home and give them the opportunity to stay with us for the next 10 years," added GM Rubić.

So, how to win 10 years of stays at Marvie? 

You already have and use everything you need to participate in this contest. The #reelstoryofcroatia contest takes place entirely on Instagram! Just grab your smartphone and be creative. To participate, record a Reels or Instagram video post which describes your holiday experience in Dalmatia in an inspiring, honest, and authentic way, then publish it via your public profile with the hashtags #reelstoryofcroatia and #marviehotel. In addition, make sure you follow Marvie Hotel & Health’s Instagram profile. 

Which moments you will choose to capture is entirely up to you - for inspiration, feel free to check out Marvie’s compilation of last year’s entries here. 

The contest lasts from June 1st to September 30th, 2022, and only hotel guests who spend a minimum of one night in the specified period can participate. The winner will be selected by the expert jury of Marvie Hotel, on October 10th, 2022. You can find more about the contest on Marvie Hotel & Health’s website.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

April 26, 2022 - Hotel Bellevue in Split is a symbol of the city, still frequented by locals for the old-school feel of its kavana. The hotel, cafe, and restaurant will close until further notice at the end of this week. 

Another former pride of the city is closing its doors. The famous Hotel Bellevue, restaurant, and cafe will remain open until the end of this week before closing until further notice, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

"It's true. We were told to work until April 30, and then we would all go to the bureau. This agony lasted too long. We signed contracts indefinitely so no one would get severance pay. We have a colleague who is only three years away from retirement, and here she is, going home without any compensation. We can't tell you anything anymore. Contact the bankruptcy trustee. Just write that workers are unprotected. And that we will all be at CES," Slobodna briefly heard from Bellevue employees, where there are about 15 left. Bankruptcy was declared at the hotel back in 2001, and it became one of the longest in the history of these legal entanglements.

The Slobodna Dalmacija team tried to book a room after May 1 this year, but no dates were available. Bellevue's description on Booking.com reads: 

"Hotel Bellevue is set in a historic building and enjoys a central location in Split. It features a restaurant with a spacious terrace and air-conditioned rooms. Free WiFi access is provided. All rooms are individually furnished and have a TV, a work desk, and a private bathroom. Room service is available on request. Guests can enjoy regional dishes in the restaurant and bar. A covered terrace and seating possibilities on the large terrace are provided. Hotel Bellevue has a 24-hour front desk and laundry facilities. The bus and train station, as well as the ferryboat harbour are a 10-minute walk away. This is our guests' favourite part of Split, according to independent reviews."

The bankrupt company "Laurus Bellevue" operated in the building, which intervened in the endless court proceedings, and the City of Split was also considered a co-owner.

Late last year, after an eight-year dispute, the High Commercial Court upheld a February 2013 ruling by the Split Commercial Court that "Laurus" d.d. acquired ownership of almost the entire hotel "Bellevue," a total area of 2209 square meters on the ground floor one and two, first, second, third floor and attic. It was announced then that the hotel would be put up for sale in an international public tender.

In March, Slobodna contacted the bankruptcy trustee:

"A decision on the sale of the hotel has not been made yet, nor has an assessment been made. I hope that this will happen during the summer," said bankruptcy trustee Maroje Stjepović about the final settlement of Bellevue, including 150 former employees of 16 subsidiaries of "Laurus," who have been waiting for years to resolve this dispute. The "Laurus" company employed 1,200 workers in about 60 facilities back in 1990!

As one of the oldest Croatian hotels, Bellevue was first mentioned around 1875 under 'Hotel de la Ville'. It was run by Spiridone Tocigl and was famous for its cafe and healing baths under the supervision of a hotel doctor.

In the early 20th century, when tourism became “in” among gentlemen, the hotel changed its name to the Grand Hotel Bellevue. Historical sources say that the first major refurbishment was carried out in 1933 when the hotel received heating, hot water, an elevator, and en-suite bathrooms.

Many famous and unknown people stayed at the hotel, including Jacques Anatole François Thibault, better known by the pseudonym Anatole France, a French writer and Nobel laureate. The famous Agatha Christie even wrote that she spent a wonderful honeymoon at a hotel in Split - Bellevue - in her memoirs! the 

The building was also the backdrop for Miljenko Smoje's "Velo Misto," as well as the main base of the Split Festival in its golden times, and more recently, a great location for "Pričigin," a festival of storytelling. 

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

March 10, 2022 - AC Hotel by Marriott Split will open at the beginning of July in Croatia's tallest skyscraper - the Dalmatia Tower!

Split will be enhanced by another hotel this summer, housed in the tallest skyscraper in Croatia! Namely, AC Hotel by Marriott Split will be located in the 135-meter high Westgate building, a skyscraper known as the "Dalmatia Tower," reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

It will be the first Croatian hotel under the brand of one of the most prestigious hotel groups globally, and the opening is planned for the beginning of July.

"We are intensively carrying out works on interior design and furnishing following the high standards of the AC Hotel by Marriott brand. We plan to open the hotel in the first days of July. Since we want to provide top service and experience to guests, staff education and training are already underway, and AC Hotel by Marriott Split will receive its first guests in early July," said the investor Westgate Group.

AC Hotel by Marriott Split will have 214 rooms located on 11 floors, from the 17th to the 27th floor, and thanks to the specific shape of the tower, all rooms will have a sea view.

In addition to five modular conference halls with a total capacity of 300 people, guests will also have at their disposal a spa & wellness center with an indoor pool, a restaurant, bars, and lounge.

"The hotel will employ over 100 staff, and managerial positions have already been filled. For the remaining jobs, advertisements are currently placed on social networks, and will soon be on employment portals and local media, and of course, on the pages of Slobodna Dalmacija," they explained. 

The price per night is unknown, but they point out that it will be formed following the standards of Marriott International and the local market and will vary depending on the desired period of stay.

"We will soon open sales through the online channel and the official website of the hotel when the prices for different periods of stay will be visible to everyone," concluded the Westgate Group.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

December 19, 2021 - Numerous clubs, institutions, societies, associations, companies, and individuals have contributed to the development of modern Split, but only a few have worked for more than a century. The first meeting of Split centenarian institutions was held on Hotel Park's 100th birthday this week.

"We will leave the memories that are created with the great festival that befits our jubilee for some safer times, and now in this holiday season, we want to celebrate in a small circle, with 'our generation,' clubs, and institutions celebrating 100 years and more. They are all mostly considered symbols of Split," said Daria Schirmann, director of the cult Hotel Park before the start of the dinner, which symbolically started at 19:21.

Friendly and business cooperation, exchanging experiences, and mutual support and assistance are just some reasons why the meeting of Split centenarians at Hotel Park will become a traditional event.

"This idea is great, and I'm glad we got together for the first time. Gusar is one of the largest sports clubs in Croatia and the world. The club is a hotbed of talent, and what determines it the most is the upbringing and development of young people, most of whom graduated from college. When they grow up, they always return to their club and help," said Ivica Botica, president of HVK Gusar, which turned 107 this year.

Emin Sarajlić, president of the Cultural and Artistic Association Jedinstvo, which has existed for 102 years, said that the first 100 years were challenging. Then a pandemic caught them and limited their work: "We have a bright future ahead of us, we had a ban on rehearsals and performances for almost nine months, but when everything opened, on the first day of June, 70 members came to us for that first rehearsal, and we were thrilled. Young people are full of enthusiasm, and that is why we can say that Jedinstvo, like Hajduk, lives forever," said Sarajlić.

One year younger than KUD Jedinstvo is the Jadran Sports Association. President Srđan Kovačić pointed out that Jadran has finally returned to where it belongs, considering that it has been playing in the Champions League for the last few years, and reminded of the upcoming anniversary of the first European gold medal in Croatia: "In two months it will be 30 years. The first European medal in Croatia was in February 1992, when we won the European Championship, and Croatia was recognized a month before that," he said.

At the first joint gathering of Split's 'institutional' centenarians, HNK Hajduk was represented by a member of the Management Board, Ivan Matana, who, after congratulating Park and wishing to remain a recognizable symbol of the city, expressed hope that Split's centenarians, including sports, will bring a lot of joy to Split. "Next year, Hajduk will celebrate its 111th birthday. It is a symbolic number; there are a lot of units, so we'll see, maybe that means something," Matana answered the question about the chances of Hajduk winning the championship next year.

In the company of centenarians is Photo Club Split, boasting 110 years, whose president Maja Prgomet pointed out the merits of great colleagues and a team of people who volunteer on numerous projects for the end of this and next year.

The club of proud centenarians from Split, whose representatives took part in the gathering at the Hotel Park also included the Ethnographic and Archaeological Museum in Split, the Croatian National Theater, and the County Chamber of Commerce, whose official year of foundation is 1852.

The construction of Hotel Park in 1921, according to the project of architects Vjekoslav Ivanišević and Fabjan Kaliterna, coincides with the time when Split became a sought-after tourist destination, and even then, the hotel was an unavoidable place for social events. It has maintained this status and is part of the collective memory of generations of Split citizens. Numerous historical events and meetings have taken place at Hotel Park in the last 100 years, the most famous being the signing of the capitulations of fascist Italy in 1943.

The first meeting of Split's institutional centenarians is undoubtedly an event that will mark the hotel's history. 

For more on lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

September the 17th, 2021 - We recently reported on yet another hotel coming to the Dalmatian port city of Split, the Movenpick Split hotel, but that isn't the only thing the company responsible for that has up its sleeve for the Adriatic and the rest of the Mediterranean.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, recent news that the first Movenpick Hotel in Croatia is opening in the second largest city of Split, which is one of the premium brands of the global hotel house Accor, presented a relatively new investor, the development company MPPD, which has great ambitions to develop projects throughout the entire Mediterranean.

Their company, Split Peninsula Properties ,will be in charge of the Movenpick Split hotel project, which is worth 25 million euros and which should be completed by 2023.

After the opening of the MGallery hotel a few weeks ago in the same city, this is Accor's second project in Split. As Andrija Antic, a partner in MPPD and the founder of Split Peninsula Properties explained, the works on the location have only just started.

Business partners

"After we've dealt with obtaining all of the permits and paperwork, we'll be ready to start the work that should get going in a month or two. This partnership with Accor fits perfectly into our vision and philosophy of creating comfortable, exclusive places for guests and the local community. We're proud to be able to bring such a top quality brand to Split and the whole of Dalmatia,'' Andrija Antic said.

On MPPD's website, among current and future projects, only this hotel in Split is mentioned so far, although the company presents itself as a developer in the Mediterranean. Antic's partners in the project are Janko Vrgoc, the former director of GPD Zagreb and the company Arena centar upravljanje (management), and Tomislav Mustapic.

“MPPD is a development company with a number of projects going on throughout the Mediterranean, Greece and Montenegro. These are commercial real estate projects (not residential ones), including logistics and mixed-use projects, but at this moment in time, we aren't ready to reveal any details.

Along with us, several partners from various sectors, from construction, finance and development, the project is accompanied by "High Net Worth" individual investors from outside the Republic of Croatia, who also participated in the Movenpick Split hotel project,'' explained Antic.

Located on Split's very popular Znjan neach, Mövenpick Split will have 156 rooms with stunning sea views, two restaurants and a spa, as well as an innovative workspace and conference facility. It will also have 110 underground and above-ground parking spaces with a large number of e-vehicle charging stations, a rooftop restaurant, a lounge and a terrace with an infinity pool.

The project is signed by local architect Alan Plestina from the Pulsar Architecture studio in collaboration with Accor's design and technical services team. Plestina is, among other things, the author of the projects of the Arena shopping centre complex and the Arena Zagreb sports hall.

Twelve active projects

The Movenpick brand itself is part of the more luxurious part of Accor's portfolio, which was founded back in 1973 and currently manages more than 90 hotels across 25 countries. In Northern Europe, Movenpick is currently implementing a total of twelve projects, and Eastern Europe is considered very attractive for further investment. Accor took over the brand back in 2018 from Arab investors for a price tag of 482 million euros.

"We're happy to be able to present another hotel in one of the most prestigious locations in Dalmatia and thus strengthen our portfolio in the segment of leisure facilities in the region. Movenpick is continuing to grow strongly in Eastern Europe thanks to the continuous expansion of the resort's offer and top facilities,'' said Dilek Sezer, the Accor Group's development director for Southeastern Europe, in a statement.

For more, make sure to check out our business section.

August 7, 2021 - The history of Le Meridien Lav as the famous luxury hotel near Split celebrates 50 years. 

On August 8, 1971, today's luxury resort Le Meridien Lav opened its doors under the then (temporary) name Kairos in Podstrana near Split, reports HRTurizam.

Two hundred guests from Italy, France, and the United States were greeted by only one of the three hotel buildings planned within the hotel complex. The media reported that "the hotel could not resist the onslaught of tourists and was forced to start work" because the guests themselves "gave up one hundred percent comfort when they saw what kind of environment the hotel is in." It was then one of the largest hotels on the Adriatic and the most modern in the high B category. It had 373 rooms, a hall for banquets and meetings, lounges, a casino, a nightclub, a snack bar, a barber and hairdresser, an infirmary, various sports fields, a bowling alley, its own beach, a winter pool, and other recreational facilities, built by the Split company Lavčević.

However, Lav celebrates three birthdays on dates that, in a way, marked its beginning. That is why the current Le Meridien Lav resort will mark this great anniversary by connecting all these dates, from autumn 2021 to late spring 2022.

Except for August 8, when part of the hotel complex was "opened under the onslaught of tourists," important dates at the beginning of work include October 24, 1971, when the entire hotel complex was inaugurated on the 27th anniversary of the liberation of Split, and March 1972, when the then hotel complex "Kairos" was renamed into the now legendary "Lav."

To mark the 50th anniversary, a series of events and activities will be organized from autumn 2021 to spring 2022. At the very end of the celebration, in the late spring of 2022, a multilingual monograph on this legendary hotel in Split will be published.

Hotel Le Meridien Lav has been owned since 2016 by the private Czech equity fund Odien Group, more precisely its subsidiary, Odien Hotels N.V.

"We have owned the Le Meridien Lav resort for only a few years, but we are looking forward to this anniversary as if we were here from the beginning. Lav has a rich heritage and special importance in the identity and collective memory of residents, so it is important to us, in cooperation with our employees, partners, and associates, and our neighbors from Podstrana, with whom we share the most beautiful memories of our hotel, mark the first 50 years in a quality and interesting way. Furthermore, with our business plans and investments in the last few years, we have shown how important this resort and destination is to us and how we want Le Meridien Lav to continue to be the leading tourist brand on the Adriatic coast," said Mike Saran on behalf of Odien Group, which owns Le Meridien Lav from 2018.

Arnoud Zaalberg, General Manager of Le Meridien Lav Split, does not hide his joy over this great anniversary: “I have been in Lav for almost a decade, and I am sincerely looking forward to this anniversary because it reminds me of all the interesting and beautiful moments I experienced with employees, guests and partners and the stories I have heard about Lav from past and present employees. Furthermore, we are especially proud of the fact that Lav celebrated its 50th anniversary in a new guise with many new and improved, high-quality content, which we strive to preserve the quality and values we have inherited daily."

Le Meridien Lav is a 5-star resort with a total of 378 accommodation units and 12 modern conference rooms in an area of 5000 square meters.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

July 12, 2021 - Works on Marjan hotel could begin by Rovinj's Adris Group already this September! 

By applying for a building permit on May 3 this year, which was completed on July 5 or became administratively filed, a new important step was made to prepare for the reconstruction of the Marjan Hotel, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

These data were published in the information system of the Ministry of Physical Planning. Slobodna Dalmacija received confirmation from the owner of the unfinished building on the West Coast, Rovinj's Adris Group, who stated that "in cooperation with the City and relevant institutions, they have completed the necessary documentation for the reconstruction of Marjan, after which the works on the facility itself will begin." 

A few months ago, amendments to the location permit to reconstruct a building for catering and tourism purposes, i.e., a tourist facility with 285 accommodation units and a 5-star category, were obtained.

Boris Marelja, the head of the city's Administrative Department for Spatial Planning, Development, and Environmental Protection, said that an e-conference had been launched that will last 15 days, with the participation of public bodies, including HEP, Vodovod i kanalizacija and MUP to make any remarks before confirming the main project. After that part of the proceedings, the neighbors and other parties will have the right to inspect the file, also with a deadline of 15 days.

The speed with which the permit will be issued and become final depends on the possible objections. Of course, Marelja did not want to go into forecasts, and a rough calculation points to 45 days if there are no major objections. According to the information available, there should not be any, primarily because the documentation is well prepared, and it is not surprising if it is known that the Adris Group is a serious and reputable investor in the hotel and tourism industry.

According to the mentioned calculation of 45 days, the first works could follow in September this year. However, it should be reminded that this will not be construction, but the removal of "unwanted" or "superfluous" parts of the building.

Of course, Marjan will not be completely demolished as it was announced in the media, but according to the plans of former owner Željko Kerum and Jerko Rošin, there should be apartments. There is no doubt that the glass will be removed from the facade.

According to the announcement in September last year, the new hotel tower should have a height equal to the previous one after the planned project, but with one floor less as they will raise the individual floors. Raising the floors is logical and necessary to set up installations for various facilities, which did not exist when the hotel was built.

Zagreb-based architectural studio '3LHD' and renowned Italian architect and designer Piero Lissoni are working on the demanding project. In a Jutarnji List statement last year, Sasa Begovic briefly commented on the Marjan project: "We are doing a creative reinterpretation of the hotel built by Perković. We are also planning a smaller number of rooms and terraces with a view."

The designer of the first A deluxe hotel in Split, with 220 rooms, was, in fact, done by architect Lovro Perković. Built in 1963, Marjan soon became the pearl of Split tourism and one of the city's symbols.

In 1979, before the Mediterranean Games in Dalmatia, it was extended, and 10 years later, in 1989, it had its last reconstruction. Soon after the start of the Homeland War, displaced persons and refugees moved in. From 1998 until the beginning of the new reconstruction, it operated with only 30 percent of its capacity.

In 2005, Kerum bought it in a tender for 170 million kuna, three times more than the requested 57 million kuna. A period of big plans and optimism followed when, after four years, a 20-year franchise agreement was signed with Hilton.

However, the owner of the facility was soon elected mayor, and the work of building and renovating the hotel was suspended so that in 2015 everything would end with the bankruptcy of the "Adriatic" company. The bankruptcy lasted for several years, and in November 2019, Marjan was sold to an Istrian company for 324 million kuna.

The Adris group refrained from commenting and replied:

"This is a significant project for Split, but also the further development of the tourist part of our company. Namely, this is a demanding project that will contribute to Split's further tourist affirmation and confirm "Adris" as the leading Croatian company in luxury tourism. Furthermore, as the public knows, and your paper has written about on several occasions, we want to thoroughly renovate the Marjan Hotel and join it to the group of luxury hotels ("Grand Park Hotel Rovinj," "Monte Mulini", "Lone", "Hilton Imperial" in Dubrovnik."

For more on lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April the 17th, 2021 - The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has shelved many a previously planned investment, placing business plans firmly on pause and waiting for better times. The Heritage Hotel Fermai Split hotel was just one project which faced delays, but didn't let the global crisis stop it entirely.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, the pandemic postponed the opening of a planned new hotel in the Dalmatian city for a year now, the Heritage Hotel Fermai Split, which will open its doors in May, and from July it will operate under the prestigious brand MGallery of the global hotel chain Accor.

This is the result of a long-term franchise agreement between Accora and Quatro Company, a local construction company owned by Ivan Pulic, for whom this is the first entry into the hotel business.

All on their own, they renovated the old rectory building a few steps from Diocletian's Palace, invested a total of 5.5 million euros in a boutique hotel with 35 rooms, a cafe and a garden terrace, and entered the popular MGallery chain. The building itself is the work of architect Petar Senjanovic from back in 1914, and the interior was signed by Studio Franic Sekoranja.

“The designers did a fantastic job and we implemented all their solutions, so the partners from Accor provided us with a contract without any adjustments as soon as they visited the facility, with praise for both the project and the performance, which makes us especially happy. We're in the process of joining and we'll enter the chain on July the 1st, we'll open the Heritage Hotel Fermai Split at the beginning of May,'' Denis Pulic, the sales director of the aforementioned company, stated. The hotel will employ about 25 people, and the name ''Fermai'' was given as an honour to a localism which means "stop, wait".

“Croatia, and especially Split, are the perfect place for all those who want a dream summer holiday. Each MGallery hotel offers its guests unforgettable moments and rituals of relaxation. The Hotel Heritage Fermai Split will provide the most authentic experience of Mediterranean culture to travellers coming to Split from all over the world,'' said Dilek Sezer, Accora's Director of Development for Southeastern Europe in a recent statement.

It's worth mentioning that Pulic started cooperating with Accor a few years ago when they had a plan to build a 150-room hotel in Split that would be carried by the Mercure brand, but this project is still awaiting GUP changes and is not currently in the company's focus.

Collaborating with Accor on the Heritage Hotel Fermai Split project was logical as it fits into the philosophy of the MGallery brand, a luxury 4 and 5 star hotel chain that promotes authenticity and local architecture and heritage, design and history. Back in pre-pandemic 2019, Accor removed Sofitel from the brand name, and their plan is to develop MGallery in new, undiscovered destinations in addition to global capitals.

"Through a franchise agreement with such a global brand, we get their know-how and sales channel, their reservation system, with our own pricing policy and management, which suits us very well," explained Pulic, who hopes that this tourist season the hotel will bring enough traffic at least to cover costs, although it is currently very difficult to make predictions because of the ongoing public health crisis.

Unlike the tourism business, which was devastated by the unrelenting pandemic, the sale of apartments in Split is going very well and the coronavirus crisis is failing to affect the growth of real estate prices, confirmed Denis Pulic.

The company is signing for a number of luxury residential and business projects in Split, including serviced apartments in the Bel Etage project, which worked in cooperation with investors from both Germany and Russia. The successful realisation led them to embark on Bel Etage 2, a similar project in which they entered independently, and the apartments are already sold at an average of 3.5 thousand euros per square metre.

For more on Croatian hotels and other forms of accommodation, from hostels to private houses and everything in between, make sure to check out our dedicated section.