Maistra Select Island Hotel Katarina

“LOVELY LUNCH BY THE SEA”

We went to spend the day on Katarina and chose to have lunch in the restaurant by the sea. The food was excellent: gorgeous prawn cesar salad and prawns with pasta. The service by Benjamin was fantastic. A great lunch in a beautiful location. Thank you Benjamin for your help.

“A very good hotel, that just needs some spending to make it great”

We recently spent a week at the hotel. Getting the boat over to the mainland and back is easy, with reliable timing. And it makes for fabulous views of Rovinj. There's a large range of food at the buffet breakfast, and we found the staff at reception, the lobby bar and housekeeping friendly and pol… more

We recently spent a week at the hotel. Getting the boat over to the mainland and back is easy, with reliable timing. And it makes for fabulous views of Rovinj. There's a large range of food at the buffet breakfast, and we found the staff at reception, the lobby bar and housekeeping friendly and polite. The pool looks great but we only used it once as it's unheated and freezing cold. Instead we went in the sea a few times, and there's a great roped off bit by the beach bar for this where it's easy to walk into the water (with water shoes on) and it feels safe. We had a Superior Room. The rooms are where the hotel could really do with spending some money on improvements. We've stayed at some really lovely hotels and were hoping for something a bit more plush than this, for what we paid. The room was pretty basic and old-fashioned. Having said that, it was large and clean with a comfy bed and plenty of storage room. The hotel could also do with a better bar area. The lobby bar isn't a great place to sit, as it's just in the reception foyer. And the beachside bar was only open until 4pm. There are a couple of disused buildings on the island that could be turned into a great bar/restaurant. What we did love was sitting on the sunloungers on the paved rocky areas by the sea. When parts of the island were very windy, there were some lovely sheltered parts to sit and read and listen to the waves and watch the lizards run around and the boats go by. All in all, a very good island and hotel that just needs a bit more investment and TLC to make it great.

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“Fabulous island!”

We stayed for three nights in June as half board. The ferry was easy to find and it’s just a short, comfortable trip across to the island. Check in was slow as there was just one staff member at reception and there were at least 15 people waiting to check in however, the staff member was very f… more

We stayed for three nights in June as half board. The ferry was easy to find and it’s just a short, comfortable trip across to the island. Check in was slow as there was just one staff member at reception and there were at least 15 people waiting to check in however, the staff member was very friendly and informative. Unfortunately our room was very basic and tired looking. The lounge area was fine and quite comfortable. The bed was also very comfortable however, there were no plug sockets whatsoever in the bedroom. We even tried to unplug the tv to use the socket but it was behind a wardrobe so unreachable. The bathroom and toilet are in seperate rooms. The shower is in the bath which is quite high so some people may struggle to get in and out. We had no view from our balcony. The room was very clean though and housekeeping always came early. Breakfast was fine. Dinner was very good! Plenty of choice and great tasting. Alcohol with dinner was reasonably priced. All the staff were very friendly and attentive. Service was quick. Try and get a table outside for the views but beware the seagulls!! We drank in the bar most evenings and again, found the staff to be attentive and extremely friendly. Plenty of sunbathing areas to be found on the beach. The sea is lovely to swim in but there are sea urchins so wear reef shoes! Plenty of activities on the island and the restaurant on the beach is good although a little pricey. There is no shop on the island so make sure you pick up any water or snacks from town. Despite the few niggles with the room, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would definitely return.

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“Lovely location but in need of investment”

As you arrive to the hotel on the ferry it is very exciting and attractive looking property. Unfortunately there is an immediate let down when you deal with reception. We arrived on a Saturday and they were inundated dealing with ferry queries and ticket requests from day trippers. The reception st… more

As you arrive to the hotel on the ferry it is very exciting and attractive looking property. Unfortunately there is an immediate let down when you deal with reception. We arrived on a Saturday and they were inundated dealing with ferry queries and ticket requests from day trippers. The reception staff themselves, whilst pleasant enough, seemed to not be very organised. A separate queue for arriving guests would be a good idea. The rooms were large with lovely balconies and great views, although the decor and facilities were rather basic. However the bathroom was very small. The shower cubicle was tiny and borderline unusable. On one evening the bar was closed for hotel guests, yet the staff were serving drinks to guests at a wedding reception, which made us feel very second class, which is unacceptable given how much we had paid to stay there. The bar also closed very early by normal hotel bar standards, and always before the final ferry had returned from the mainland. The pool area is lovely with fantastic views. However there is no pool bar area where you could get drinks or snacks, instead having to walk back into the hotel in your swimwear to get refreshments. Despite everything I’ve said above we actually had a lovely trip. Rovinj itself is beautiful. We were comfortable in our rooms and we enjoyed our days around the pool and the island. The potential for this property is enormous. The location is amazing and stunning and travelling to and from via ferry is a unique and wonderful experience. The seclusion of being on your own island is fabulous. But the property and the staff are clearly in need of major investment. Do that and they will have a real gem on their hands.

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