April 24, 2023 - All the ingredients are there for another fabulous season on Croatia's premier island, beginning with the opening of the largest hotel, Hotel Amfora.

I admit it, I fell in love with Hvar all over again this Easter.

Having lived there for 13 years full-time, Hvar will always be close to my heart, but it seemed the right decision to move back in 2016, and it was. But then when you return each time... 

Hvar in pre-season is among the best times to visit, and I thoroughly enjoyed the spectacular weather and the traditions of Easter. It really does have a unique atmosphere. And one of the best months of the year to be in Hvar Town is just around the corner - May. 

Back when I started writing about the island with the Total Hvar blog, May 10 was regarded as the unofficial start of the season in Hvar Town, for this is the Feast of St Prosper, the patron saint of the town, an occasion of processions, events and some fabulous food put on by the town's restaurants. It will be the start of a great week to be in the town, for five days later, May 15, is an important anniversary - 155 years since the birth of organised tourism in Europe with the founding of the Hvar Health Society back on May 15, 1868. The society catered to the needs of the convalescing Austro-Hungarian aristocracy on an island which had the nickname, the Austrian Madeira. The location of the first hotel is where luxury Palace Elisabeth Hotel stands today. 

If St Prosper used to unofficially hail the story of the tourism season back then, today there is a more practical indicator - the opening of Hotel Amfora, the largest hotel on the island and previously included in Conde Nast's top 30 resorts in Europe, and a great family getaway with its cascading pools and spectacular views. Part of the Suncani Hvar Hotels group, the opening of the hotel is closely related to bookings, and Hotel Amfora opened its doors this weekend for what promises to be a fantastic season.  

April 13, 2023 - Hotel food seldom lives up to the quality of surrounding restaurants, but there is a rather delightful exception in Hvar Town - Val Marina in Hotel Adriana.

One of the many quirks I had running my first portal, Total Hvar, over 10 years ago, was to report on the weekly listings of the island's restaurants on TripAdvisor. And for at least two years, the undisputed number one, both in terms of ranking and number of reviews, was Dalmatino. 

Time passes, and I found myself staying at Hotel Adriana last week as a guest of the hotel. I was curious to see what the dining options were these days, and I was rather surprised that there was a new king in town, Hotel Adriana's very own Val Marina. 

The Val Marina terrace has always been my favourite spot in Hvar Town, but never for lunch or dinner. The food was never that special, at least in my experience. 

For it has always had - at least in my opinion - the best breakfast experience on the island.

An unbeatable combination of a quality, healthy and diverse breakfast offering, attentive service, and THAT location. 

What a great place to watch the town waking up, the first boats going out, and the people watching in this glitzy destination. For a complete detox from life, there are few greater pleasures than a leisurely breakfast on the Adriana terrace. One of those hidden gems that never make the guidebook, and few know that it is open to non-residents. 

I was a little surprised to be approached by a lady from the Netherlands on my second morning. She had seen the photo on my Facebook with the info that it was open to non-residents. She had been walking past for years and decided to treat her friend. They looked very relaxed as I left.

So far, all was familiar territory, but did the new Val Marina really deserve top spot? I decided to try the 3-course dinner option that even, having skipped lunch and walked over my breakfast along the coast to Podstine. 

A welcome glass of Prosecco came with the menu and wine list, as well as this nice little appetiser.

Ah, yes, olive oil - we must be back in Dalmacija.

I went with the waiter's recommendation for a seafood starter, one which had quite unusual texture and taste combinations.

Capaccio de sepia. Black cuttlefish, green apple, grapefruit, fresh marinated zucchini, yuzu, caper berry grilled focaccia bread.Capaccio de sepia. Black sepia, green apple, grapefruit, fresh marinated zucchini, yuzu, caper berry, and grilled focaccia bread.

And the tanginess of the grapefruit was a splendid foil for the cuttlefish. 

A classic for the main.

Tuna steak with asapagus.

Lightly cooked, superbly tender. 

Ably supported by the delicious asparagus side and washed down with a very drinkable Pinot Grigio. 

I am not usually a dessert person, but the VERY attentive waiter made the case for a splendid finale to the meal. 

Chocolate marquise cake - snickers ice cream and strawberry. It tasted three times as good as it looked. 

I haven't tried other Hvar restaurants this year, but they will have to be pretty good to knock Val Marina off its top perch. An excellent restaurant, which comes attached with rooms in a four-star hotel, which comes with the inclusion of that incredible breakfast. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. 

April on Hvar is divine.

(Paul Bradbury was a guest of Suncani Hvar Hotels in April 2023) 

November 20, 2022 - The international media love affair with the island of Hvar continues, with Croatia's premier island nominated in 3 categories doe the prestigious 2023 Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards. 

When I bought my house in Jelsa on the island of Hvar way back in 2002, I had not heard of the island 2 days before I arrived. It looked very pretty, but I had no idea just how pretty. While walking by the harbour, there was a board with a map of the island, on which was written that the island of Hvar was one of the 10 most beautiful islands in the world. I had chosen well. 

That famous statement - I heard it EVERYWHERE after that - came from the 1997 Conde Nast Readers Awards, where Hvar made it into the top 10 islands in the world, as it does pretty much every year, sometime (as in 2019) as the number one island in the world. 

And it is not just Conde Nast that keeps Hvar in the spotlight - the island features regularly in various Best of lists. And the latest one is one where you can play a part - the 2023 Travel + Leisue World's Best Awards, where Hvar has been nominated in no less than 3 categories:

-              Best islands in Europe - Hvar

-              Best cities in Europe - Hvar

-              Best hotels in Croatia - Sunčani Hvar Hotels, hotel Adriana

Voting is open until February 27, 2023, and there is an extra incentive of cash prizes of up to $15,000 cash, as well as a luxury cruise for two fo those who vote. 

You can take part by voting here. 

Think you know eveything about this amazing island, or looking to discover more about Hvar? Just as I knew nothing about the island when I moved there, so I was blown away by the incredible things I discovered living there. Put the beaches and nightlife to one side for the moment, and check out 10 things that blew my mind about Hvar after I bought a house there - I am confident that 90% of locals on the island will learn something about Hvar from this video. 

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What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.

Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.

Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.

July 29, 2022 - Sunčani Hvar Hotels are the first group in Croatia to join the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge, or UNESCO's sustainable tourism program.

This program, promoted by UNESCO and Expedia, one of the leading online booking platforms, is the first of its kind created to promote sustainable tourism and heritage conservation on a global scale. Signatories implement sustainable practices in their business and encourage positive change in the travel and tourism industry.

Through this program, all Sunčani Hvar Hotels received the UNESCO "Sustainable Travel Pledge" certificate, which signifies their commitment to achieving international sustainable development goals. The aforementioned includes a whole range of activities such as supporting the local community and suppliers, energy saving through green renewable energy sources and advanced energy efficiency systems, implementing waste separation and disposal systems, implementing digital solutions for improved business processes, and minimizing the use of plastic packaging, to name a few. 

"As a company, we are proud to be the first hotel group in Croatia to join the UNESCO sustainable tourism program. Green entrepreneurship is the future of business and is the key direction of the long-term development strategy of Sunčani Hvar. So this year, we opened an eco-hotel in the town of Hvar, Beach Bay Hvar, designed according to the principles of sustainability, which offers guests a unique, luxurious, and ecologically conscious vacation," said the President of the Management Board, Gordana Tomičić.

Beach Bay Hvar Hotel is the first green hotel in the town of Hvar that strives to be environmentally friendly. It is located in a quiet bay in the center of Hvar town with carefully designed interior details and natural materials. One of the goals during the hotel's renovation was to achieve the hotel's energy independence, which was achieved by installing a solar power plant, the first of its kind on the island of Hvar. Through the efficient use of energy, water, and materials and by providing quality service, Beach Bay Hvar offers its visitors an environmentally conscious vacation based on natural resources.

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

May 4, 2022 - The new-and-improved Riva Marina Hotel by Suncani Hvar opens in Hvar town just in time for the summer! 

The start of summer is well and truly around the corner, though we're already feeling a breath of what it used to be with a tourism boom since the long Easter holiday weekend. With Covid measures lifted and travelers back to planning trips as scheduled, all forecasts reveal a standout summer ahead, which will be enhanced this year on Hvar thanks to the newly renovated Riva Marina Hotel. 

Namely, Suncani Hvar Hotels continues with intensive investments in 2022 to strategically reposition its portfolio towards high-quality offers and services. The most significant investment this year is the complete renovation of the Riva Marina Hotel, worth 40 million kuna. The planned opening of the newly renovated hotel is at the beginning of June.

Hotel Riva, located in the center of Hvar, is one of the first hotels in Hvar town, opening in 1914, precisely 15 years after the historic Hotel Elisabeth. It was named Hotel Kovačić after the initial founder of the hotel and named 'Riva' in 2006 when it was completely renovated. In 2022, this century-old hotel with striking and original architecture will change its name to Riva Marina, emphasizing its first-class position in the heart of Hvar's marina. The hotel is intended for guests who expect superior service and high-quality accommodation and will primarily be focused on the British and American markets.

"Today, trends in the hotel industry are changing rapidly, and it is important to keep up with new challenges and competition, both in Croatia and in the wider world market. The Riva Marina hotel renovation confirms the company's development strategy, aimed at continuously improving the quality of portfolios and services for high-paying guests, which will further raise the competitiveness of the entire Hvar destination," said Gordana Tomičić, President of the Management Board.

Thus, the Riva Marina Hotel will have 50 new unique rooms and suites ready for this season, providing every guest with complete comfort and enjoyment. Carefully designed and executed interior design further emphasizes the historic building itself, and its quality continues the direction harmonized with the most prestigious Hvar hotel Palace Elisabeth. The newly renovated hotel will also have a new restaurant and bar concept, designed according to the latest standards and adapted to modern world travelers. Guests will enjoy a variety of delicacies and drinks on the iconic outdoor terrace that offers a unique view of the yachts and marina.

The project was entrusted to the architectural studio Tissa from Poreč, the interior design by Oto Blaha, and the contractor Kvantum from Zagreb.

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

March 4, 2022 - Because you don't have to wait until the summer to visit Croatia's sunniest island. Sunčani Hvar Hotels Spring Specials are here! 

It's no surprise that the glamourous Hvar town is one of the busiest summer hotspots in Croatia. Still, many may not know that the popular town is also a gem in the offseason months - and you get to experience it without the peak season crowds. 

As a way to tempt travelers to Croatia's sunniest island in the calm before the tourism storm, Sunčani Hvar Hotels Spring Specials are here, with enticing offers at two of its most in-demand hotels - Adriana & Amfora!

Namely, spice up your Easter break with a minimum 2-night stay at Adriana spa hotel, with prices starting from 59 EUR per person and breakfast included! But that's not all. Adriana guests will receive a bottle of house wine and a 10% discount at its restaurants and bars during their stay. This offer is valid for the month of April with a free upgrade upon availability. 

And if you can't make it in April but still want to explore the charms of Hvar this preseason? 

Amfora resort has also announced a Spring Special during one of the most beautiful periods to visit the island. From 51 EUR per person with breakfast included (and a minimum 2-night stay), guests also receive a bottle of house wine, a 10% discount at its restaurant and bars, and a free upgrade upon availability. This offer, however, is valid from April 20 to June 1, 2022! 

And should you need another reason to visit Hvar? 

The island Hvar was voted the #1 island in Europe according to Condé Nast Readers’ Choice Awards, with readers naming its abundant nature, culture, and rich history as to why you should visit. 

“With warm summers and mild winters, the island of Hvar is the sunniest spot in Croatia—there are over 2,800 hours of sunshine annually. It may be known for its beaches and turquoise water, but there’s another side to this resort island. From the town of Hvar on the island’s southern shore, make the slow, uphill climb to Tvrđava Fortica, a 13th-century fortress with the best views on the island. Pro tip: To see Hvar’s spectacular fields of lavender in full bloom, visit in early summer. The harvest takes place in late July, but you can buy all sorts of scented souvenirs in the local markets year-round,” writes Condé Nast Traveler.

Need we say more?

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

August 10, 2021 - With the Pharos Bayhill Hotel on Hvar full at the moment, TCN looks back at how the hotel started out back in 2016 and the newest adaptation in 2021. 

The tourist season is going well for Croatia in 2021, and if the crowded streets of coastal Croatia are not enough proof, the guest count of Pharos Bayhill Hotel in Hvar Town, one of Croatia's top island destinations, says it all. Every room is filled as a fantastic season continues for one of the swankiest accommodations on the island.

Dating back to the 60s, Hvar's Pharos Hotel, a member of the Sunčani Hvar hotel chain, received a makeover in 2016. As TCN reported on the opening party five years ago, not only did the event see Hvar's VIP and locals attending the main event, but the hotel was already filled with guests who had started arriving two weeks before the official opening. And from the very start, it targeted young people.

After a decade of no investments, Pharos was the first hotel to stand out for Sunčani Hvar. From the start, its concept was adjusted to the younger crowd, those we'd now call millennials (both those who fit the group age-wise and for anyone who feels like one).

These adjustments to the younger market were casual, informal, and evident in every single detail – from the room design (with pop art comic strip decorations) to the uniforms and the attitudes of the employees.

The hotel's target markets were the UK and US, and the effort was rewarded with success back in 2018 when the Times magazine praised Pharos for being affordable and it made it to the list of top 30 best holidays to be had in Croatia that year.

Still, one could say the price is a relative term.

Affordable for an average UK citizen, it may not really be the case for the same target groups from Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, and Germany. Pharos provides quality accommodation, but for people who don't look for four or five stars hotels, but want a quality three-star accommodation. Of course you have to be ready to pay for it.

Inviting pool at Pharos © Pharos Hvar Bayhill Hotel

With a quality reputation building for Pharos, the dramatic plot twist in 2020 tourism required them to adapt the hotel to achieve the success it currently enjoys.

With a brief look around the terrace and lobby, one can see staff wearing masks and watching over the guests who, in return, can feel relaxed and safe and truly take a break from the virus. These adaptations aren't evident only in Pharos which managed to keep its relaxed and casual atmosphere, but in the other members of the Sunčani Hvar hotel group as well, as modelled by the best standards from the world's top hotel companies and chains.

New procedures and standards were defined in regards to COVID-19 itself. Every employee who enters the Sunčani Hvar system is either vaccinated or tested before entering, and special room cleaning procedures were introduced. Each room has a clean seal that guarantees that the room hygiene was checked and everything is good.

In addition, the unprecedented situation which dominated 2020 saw the hotel adapt in terms of pricing too and become more accessible to Croatian tourists. In 2021, the hotel also opened its doors a little further to being more family oriented, too.

As the summer season continues, every room is filled, and while that will depend on measures and other things, current announcements are good and could push Pharos as far as September. 

Croatian epidemiological measures also suspend events and gatherings, and regular DJ nights that used to entertain the guests at Pharos are for the moment a nostalgic memory.

However, with the aforementioned changes, the terrace is still alive, with more ambient music and the intimate socialisation of guests at the other tables.

With DJ nights not being appropriate to the current situation, Pharos experience is now switched to the Mediterranian ambient, to the Mediterranian garden. 

The offer of Pharos, which always attracted younger people, people hungry for adventure and recreation, also offers activities such as kayaking and surfing.

With sports and boat renting on offer, other activities Sunčani Hvar hotels offers include options known as ''Sun & Sea'' (where you can visit and cruise the islands, explore caves, and more) and ''Dine & Wine'' (which takes you on an impeccable journey of wine tasting accompanied by traditional Dalmatian Peka feasts), proving Hvar and its surroundings will never let you down when you want a holiday to remember.

Learn more about Hvar on our TC page.

For more about Suncani Hvar, follow TCN's dedicated page.

February 17, 2020 - The newly united Hvar tourism boards present their cycling credentials at the Cosmo Bike Show in Verona. 

Even though I no longer live on Hvar, I follow island life closely and still very much enjoy my three mandatory visits - Easter, summer and the family olive harvest in November. 

And it is nice to see how things are slowly changing for the better in many ways, and how some initiatives are starting to pay off. 

The main reason that the Total Project started way back in 2011 as Total Hvar was because the tourist infromation was terrible and the five island tourist boards acted independently and very rarely worked together. It has been a process to get there, but it is great to see that not only was Hvar one of the first clusters of tourist boards to unite as one Destination Management Organisation but that that partnership is really working. Joint promotion of the island of one umbrella may seem logical to the outsider, but it rarely happens in practice in Croatia. 

The cooperation is already working well and was on show last week in Verona, as the island presented its joint cycling credentials at the Cosmo Bike Show, where some 15,000 people visited the Croatian stand. 

"On the Italian market Hvar is an absolute hit this year, which is shown by more than 15000 visitors of the Croatian stand at the Cosmo bike show in Verona. And we are proud to promote Hvar bike tourism product with all Hvar tourist boards as one," said Petar Razovic, director of the Hvar Town Tourist Board. 

The development of cycling tourism on Hvar has been part of a coordinated attempt to prolong the island's season and to diversify its product beyond the stereotypical sun, sea and nightlife summer season. 

It is a strategy that has taken a few years to develop, but one which is beginning to pay dividends, thanks to the efforts of various island stakeholders. 

By far the biggest coup in this strategy has been the arrival for the last three years of Bahrain Merida (now renamed Bahrain McLaren), one of the biggest names in the sport, who have chosen Hvar for their winter training for the past three years. 

A key part of the strategy has been the opening of the first dedicated bike hotel on the island, which was properly road-tested by the team from Bahrain, as 75 members of the team stayed at Pharos, hvar bayhill hotel during their first stay - here is an overview of the international cyclists putting the bike hotel through its paces. 

The tourist board has developed a series of bike maps over the last few years, as well as marked trails, both for regular and MTB biking, and if you want to see true beauty and tranquiliity, I recommend you try the road right on top of the island - stunning. In addition to the official bike routes, plenty of enthusiasts are adding their own suggested routes. 

The international promotion of Hvar cycling has taken on several other aspects, including last year's successful Paros II Pharos cycle, which connected Hvar with the island of Paros in Greece, some 2,400 years after the Ancient Greeks from Paros first colonised Hvar.  

And with more than 4,4 million views on YouTube of the official Central Dalmatia promotional video of Brac and Hvar cycling, the message continues to spread. 

To learn more about the island, check out the Total Croatia Hvar in a Page guide. 

December 20, 2019 - Architectural Digest highlights some of the world's top hotels at the cutting edge of architectural design, including one from Hvar in their 2020 list. 

Leading architecture publication, Architectural Digest, has published its annual list of the best-designed new hotels for 2020, including Palace Elisabeth, hvar heritage hotel, on Croatia's sunshine island. 

Palace Elisabeth, part of the Suncani Hvar Hotels group and the first 5-star hotel on Hvar, opened its doors in September and has already become a member of the illustrious Leading Hotels of the World. Here is what Architectural Digest had to say:

A slice of royalty comes to Hvar Island in Croatia in the summer, when the former duke’s palace (dating to the 13th century), formally reopens its doors. Forty-five rooms and suites with Venetian and Austrian elements offer views of the Adriatic Sea; each room has murals hand-painted by the designer Oto Blaha—a rare touch. In 1899, the edifice was rebuilt for Empress Elisabeth, “Sisi.”

You can see the full Architectural Digest list here. 

The level of detail in the design is very impressive, and designer Oto Blaha explained the project in much greater detail in an interview with TCN earlier this year. 

The luxury hotel has made an impressive start since its 100-million kuna upgrade from the previous Hotel Palace and delightful opening party in October, and the international media are beginning to notice, with The Daily Telegraph the latest international media to endorse the historic hotel. 

That media interest is set to intensify across the Atlantic in January, as Suncani Hvar takes its message of luxury acccommodation on Croatia's premier island to the important North American market at the New York Times Travel Show in January. 

To learn more about Palace Elisabeth, visit the official website. 

To learn more about the island of Hvar, check out the Total Croatia Hvar in a Page guide. 

December 14, 2019 - Palace Elisabeth, hvar heritage hotel opened its doors in September, the first 5-star hotel on the island. A photo tour of a luxurious step back in time. 

It is a very strange experience being a tourist in the place you live. After ten years living on Hvar, I had that first experience a few years ago when the foodie media experts from Gastronaut came to visit. Accommodation in Hotel Riva, dinner at Garful, a speedboat transfer to taste Zlatan Otok wines before another speedboat transfer to Palmizana and lunch at Meneghello - top Hvar experiences form the viewpoint of the tourist. 

It was a life I could get used to... 

Such occasions are rare for a blogger of course, but I was delighted to accept an invitation to the opening of one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the year on the island - the opening of Palace Elisabeth, the first 5-star heritage hotel on Hvar, and only the third 5-star hotel on a Croatian island. It was quite a night, and having covered tourism on Hvar for 8 years via Total Hvar, a particular honour to witness the start of the latest initiative to move the Hvar tourism story in a more elite direction. You can read a report of the opening party here.  

So how does Palace Elisabeth look close up? Well, as you can see from the photo above, there are worse places to be sitting to take in another breathtaking Hvar sunset over the Pakleni Islands than on the balcony of the Penthouse Suite.

The hotel is a gorgeous mixture of modern luxury with intricate heritage detail. And it has quite a history, located on the place where organised tourism began in Europe back in 1868 and opposite the oldest public theatre in Europe, just across the main square, a theatre which also reopened this year after a 20-year renovation. 

Take a tour of Palace Elisabeth below, and learn more about it from the official Suncani Hvar website.