Botel Marina - Hostel

Staying in a hotel on a boat moored in the marina is a cool idea. The boat is a little old, and the rooms are basic and somewhat cramped, though that’s to be expected on a boat. Breakfast is included, which is nice. For parking, you have to find a spot on the nearby streets. The staff were friendly and managed to arrange a late-night check-in.

My two-night stay was a really happy surprise. It was clean, incredibly well located, and such a good price. They even packed me a takeaway bag for my very early train. I’d recommend it for a quick trip to Rijeka, and everyone I met was lovely and kind. You can hear some noise, as other people have mentioned, but it’s an old boat, so that comes with the territory. I sleep with earplugs and a sleep mask, and I slept wonderfully.

The room was okay, though pretty expensive. I found some tiny water worms in a bathroom puddle and a couple more dead in the shower, but nothing else seemed out of place. Finding the place and checking in were easy, while parking nearby wasn’t. The breakfast had a good selection and looked great, but the bread and pastries weren’t fresh. It seemed like they’d already been sitting around for a day.

The staff were helpful and friendly. They let us leave our bags before check-in and after checkout, and the location is good. But we were very glad to leave after just one night, and I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re hoping to sleep well. Noise was the biggest problem. We heard a baby in the next room crying all evening, then at 4:30 AM and again at 7:00 AM. Sounds from the hallway carried straight into our room too, so people walking and talking felt right beside us. The room looked clean at first, but up close, especially by the bed and in the corners, it wasn’t. We’re both blonde, yet there were short black hairs in the bed. Breakfast was terribly disappointing: everything was cold and wet, and the coffee wasn’t good either. The idea of sleeping on a boat sounds fun, but the boat felt as if it hadn’t been maintained in years. Both inside and outside, it was very old and in need of renovation. All in all, it came across as a tourist trap, with too much noise, poor cleaning, and bad food.