Page 225 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Croatia

WHERE T O ST A Y  223

represent an inexpensive
alternative to hotel
accommodation for those
travelling as a family or as a
group. Apartments usually
have a well-equipped kitchen
for those who want to self-
cater and there is usually a local
market or food shop nearby.
Private rooms and apartments
are frequently rented out
privately by their owners via
international booking sites like
Booking or Airbnb. They can
also be booked through the
various tourist agencies which
can be found in all the tourist
resorts. A tourist tax and commis-
Hotel Lone in Rovinj, Istria, a five-star option outside the major cities (see p227) sion are charged and in summer
landlords may require stays of a
Hotel Grading hotel restaurant food tends minimum of four nights.
Croatia has adopted the often to be based on rather Landladies and landlords
standard star system for standardized “international” often congregate at ferry
categorizing hotels common cooking, and may be lacking terminals and bus stations to
in other European countries, in local character. offer rooms to arriving tourists.
which ranges from one star, While this is a reasonably safe
awarded to the simplest sort way to secure a room, it is
of accommodation, to five Private Rooms essential to check the location
and Apartments
stars for a luxury hotel. and price before committing
The five-star category A good-value alternative to yourself in any way.
indicates hotels offering a staying in a hotel while in Croatia Otherwise you can seek out
high standard and a wide is to look for accommodation in accommodation yourself in the
range of services and facilities, privately rented rooms (privatne areas you would like to stay in
usually including spa and sobe) or apartments (apartmani). by looking out for signs reading
fitness facilities, a swimming Private rooms are usually sobe (Croatian for ‘rooms’),
pool and at least one gourmet doubles (single travellers may be Zimmer in German or camere
restaurant. There are not expected to pay the full double in Italian, hanging outside the
very many five-star hotels in price), and come in all shapes door. It is a good idea to begin
Croatia, and most of them are and sizes – the most expensive looking fairly early in the day.
in Dubrovnik and Zagreb. ones will have en-suite If you find somewhere you like,
Four-star hotels offer facilities bathrooms, but many will not. you can ask to be shown the
and services similar to those in Apartments come in all sizes room and, if you are happy
the five-star category, but the too, from 2-person studios to with what you see, you can
furnishings are less luxurious 6-person family flats, and arrange the terms and the
and more standardized and
there are fewer facilities.
Most of the hotels in Croatia
fall within the three-star
category, which indicates
hotels offering a good standard
of comfort. Two-star hotels are
generally cheaper and more
spartan in their furnishings
and offer fewer services.
It is common practice in
resort areas for hotels to offer
half-board (polupansion), with
the price including bed and
breakfast as well as another
meal (usually an evening meal).
Prices for half-board can be
very reasonable; often not
much more than you would
pay for just the room. However, Karmen’s self-contained apartments within a historic residence, Dubrovnik (see p228)

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