March 3, 2018 - A new season approaches, and a rather impressive hotel company in Istria is expanding its quality offer, as the latest Aminess upgrade in Novigrad is unveiled.
The hotel business on Croatia’s Adriatic coast is highly competitive, and hotels need to constantly evolve in order to compete. For some, of course, location beats everything, while others combine location with the latest trends to produce some of the best holiday experiences on the coast.
I first came across a hotel group called Laguna Novigrad a few years ago. Located in the pretty Istrian town of the same name, Laguna Novigrad had two hotels and two campsites in and around the town, as well as a hotel each in Orebic on the Peljesac and Brna on the idyllic southern shores of Korcula.
I remember being struck back then at the friendly nature not just of the staff, but also the guests to each other. After 15 years of customer service in the Balkans, here was a hotel atmosphere where things were different. There was something about the hotel atmosphere with this company that transcended the sometimes fake friendliness one encounters in hotels – there was a genuine warmth here, a warmth that was reflected perhaps in the high rate of long-term repeat guests. Once you find your slice of Adriatic heaven, why go anywhere else?
I managed a large internal smile when I heard that the company was rebranding. Having hotels in southern Dalmatia and a company name related to a town in Istria did not quite sit properly, and when the brand was announced, I had to conclude that those branding maestros, Carli and Sosa, had got it absolutely right. Goodbye Laguna Novigrad, hello Aminess (The root of the word AMINESS is AMI – a lovely, warm French word for “friend”, which is a synonym for the approach they have nurtured for years).
A brand is one thing, but living up to it is quite another, and I was not surprised at the recent Adria Hotel Forum in Zagreb to find the company’s name on a slide highlighting the 16 top hotel success stories in Croatia. Four hotels and two campsites may not be the biggest portfolio in the Croatian hospitality industry, but there can be few companies which maximise their resources as well as the team from Aminess.
While many hotels close for the winter, the Aminess season is almost year-round in Novigrad. In addition to the regular tourism market, Aminess is one of the market leaders in sport training tourism, with world names such as Wimbledon champion Serena Williams and the Manchester City Football Academy among the many international individuals and teams who have either stayed with Aminess and/or used its excellent training facilities.
As impressive as those facilities are, and as welcoming as the hotels continue to be, it was in the campsites of Aminess that I saved my greatest admiration. Not being a modern camper, my scarred memories of Scout camp back in my youth has probably tarnished my judgment, but as I wandered around Aminess Sirena and Mareda campsites, I came across that sense of community again. A community which is engendered by several guests having permanent annual pitches, and with so many facilities and activities in fabulous natural environments, that I could easily see how the Aminess camping experience could be a lot of fun, from the simple tent to the high-quality holiday homes on offer.
I took my kids a couple of summers ago to check out the new Miramì Family Village at Aminess Park Mareda. The first in its kind in a hotel environment in Croatia, Aminess introduced the concept of edutainment to the campsite experience, a delightful community of 2-bedroom, spacious holiday homes with communal pool, close to the sea and campsite facilities, and with a full educational entertainment programme for the little ones. Stimulated kids make for happy holidays, and it was one of the most relaxing in quite a while. Read more about the Miramì experience here.
Aminess continues to invest, and 2018 will see a wonderful new addition to Aminess Park Mareda Campsite, with the opening of several new aspects of this waterfront natural paradise. The most arresting of these is the new Amber Sea Luxury Village, 25 brand new holiday homes right on the coast, all perfectly positioned to enjoy both the sea and those legendary Istrian sunsets. You can learn more about the village here.
While the holiday homes will be offering their version of luxury, there will also be 115 premium pitches, all with hook-ups, available, including several luxury pitches on the coast, complete with umbrella, grill and solar shower.
Providing accommodation is one thing, providing the experience is another. This year, Mareda guests will be able to enjoy a significant increase in activities. These include a restaurant-shop concept, with cooking shows and all-day availability of the finest Istrian gourmet delights, from craft beers to its world-famous olive oil. A separate grill zone will be an essential for meat lovers, while the lounge bar will serve cocktails, tapas and snacks.
There are plenty of new things for the family too, including a multifunctional sports pitch for football, handball and basketball, a teen room with lounge zone, outdoor fitness centre, and even a fenced dog run for your favourite pet. There is good news also for the self-catering camper, with a new supermarket on site, as well as fully upgraded sanitary facilities.
Aminess in Novigrad – a camping and hotel experience very much dedicated to the guest and the future. Learn more about Aminess Hotels and Campsites on the official website.
