Apartments Caterina

You’re surrounded by nature here, in the countryside and away from the city noise, so it’s a really relaxing spot. The property has been carefully maintained. It’s also well placed, about five minutes by car from the center and only a few minutes from the lovely beaches north of Pula.

The rooms are quiet and have air conditioning, and you get a lot for what you pay. Our hostess was very friendly. In the evenings, people could sit and chat together in German, English, and Russian.

If you’ve got a car, it’s easy to get to Pula, Fazana, Kamenjak, Premantura, Medulin, and the more secluded swimming spots. The apartment was lovely, with a friendly hostess, a nice covered outdoor area, and parking spaces.

I booked five days before our arrival, including the weekend, and the owner didn’t want an advance payment. I’m emphasizing that because I would have paid one if she’d asked. We were in touch only by email. I clearly confirmed the booking and said we’d arrive Monday morning, and I received a reservation confirmation. After we arrived at noon, we learned she’d already rented the apartment to someone else. She said she’d emailed at 9:30 and took our lack of an immediate reply to mean we weren’t coming. Her message said, “Good morning, we are waiting for you. Where you came. Caterina.” I never got it because I hadn’t turned on data roaming. Besides, after 13 hours of driving, I wasn’t checking email on the road, especially since I didn’t expect a problem or think I needed to confirm again. A confirmed reservation should be honored. She should have waited at least until evening instead of giving the apartment to someone else before noon. Road delays happen, and you can’t predict arrival down to the minute. I suspect she found someone who’d pay more or stay longer, and didn’t care that she was cheating people. We’d already driven 16 hours, and in the midday heat at the height of the season, we spent five hours going door to door with a small child, begging for a place to stay even for one night. Over two weeks, we changed apartments three times and lost a lot of time each time. This person ruined our vacation. She did offer an alternative through a friend in a completely different town, but we weren’t interested, and that doesn’t make what happened okay. I strongly advise against dealing with her unless you protect yourself legally. I don’t recommend booking apartments with this person in Pula (Apartment Caterina) or Fazana (Apartment Bogoljub), both also listed on booking.