Park Plaza Histria Pula - Marina Wing

Top hotel.

Nice.

We had a very pleasant week on half board, and the rooms in the Marina Wing, the new building, are lovely. The pricier rooms are also spacious. Still, for what the hotel offers, we found the drinks, massages, and room rates too expensive. The prices aim to match Italy and Spain, but the service and facilities don't always live up to them. The app was advertised but didn't help us. It didn't even show pool or indoor pool hours, and its room key feature didn't work, which would have saved us from keeping track of our key cards. At reception, nobody asked if we wanted to register a credit card for charging expenses to the room. We managed because we had the card on a watch, but a hotel in this class should offer better reception service. Service was often very good, though sometimes unfriendly. After mealtimes, for instance, the head waiter rudely pushed us out of the dining room when we wanted to stay a bit longer. Bar service could take a very long time, and there seemed to be too few staff, with gaps in service quality and training. The setup on the terrace was confusing too: there are invisible boundaries between the two bars, which serve different drinks. Clearer signs or different furniture would help. Our spacious, most expensive-category room was good, and room service came daily. The bed had just one very wide blanket for two people, so I was glad I'd brought my own sheet. Cleanliness was okay until I moved the bedside table and found carpet behind it that was filthy and clearly hadn't been vacuumed in months or years. The food was good quality and consistently tasty, but often too cold. Keeping it warmer would be worthwhile. The dining room felt like a cafeteria, with a buffet scrum instead of a pleasant breakfast or dinner. Dinner from 7 to 9 pm also felt like too short a window. A longer service and warmer food might improve things. We couldn't, or didn't want to, use the pool because the rest of the place was relaxing and beautiful. There were lots of loungers, but they were all taken, and at peak season we often couldn't find any on the property. The pool, like the dining room, is too small for a hotel this size. The sea isn't suitable for everyone, with sharp rocks and a steep entry, and there are no loungers right on the beach. It must once have been a magnificent hotel, but now it feels dated, and the shared spaces don't have enough capacity to meet expectations at these prices.

The restaurant has wonderful people, with excellent waiter service and excellent maids. The hotel has potential, but it's crowded and uncomfortable, with big changes from how it was 35 years ago. It's excellent for mass tourism or business people passing through. Nearby Brijuni hotel feels like paradise, with a welcoming atmosphere and everything a guest could want. It has good staff, everything is excellent, and all the staff are friendly. A world-class hotel, completely.