Hotel Aurora Plava Laguna

We came in expecting a budget stay, but for what we paid each night I still expected basic service. On our first night the roof leaked and soaked all my clothes. Reception said a handyman would come sometime during the day, so we spent the morning waiting. Nobody apologized. By the afternoon the room was still wet, and I had to insist on being moved. The staff we dealt with over the four days were unhelpful and often rude. Getting pool towels was a struggle because nobody was there, and reception again told us to wait for the handyman. The room felt gross and the place didn't seem clean. Everyone in our group developed skin rashes after drinking cocktails from the bar. I can't trust the cheap alcohol they use. The location is great, and we enjoyed sitting by the sea each day. Getting a lounger was another hassle, though. They're locked away and often there's no one around to open them. If you're okay with the bare minimum, you might still enjoy swimming here, but go in with very low expectations.

The trees and the sunsets were lovely, and we liked that the hotel removes towels when people leave them on loungers to hold the spots. Room cleaning was good, too. The grounds have loungers under the trees and on rocks by the sea. The water gets deep right away from the slabs, and there's a paid inflatable play area for kids farther out. Nearby, a small train runs along the beach to Umag, though it costs 4 euros each way per person. There's no shuttle, and walking there takes about 45 minutes one way, through a dark forest that felt scary in the evening. There are lots of rooms, but the whole building and the rooms feel old and need renovation. Parking costs extra, and it was not recurred. The gate to the beach closes at night on weekdays without warning. There's no drinking water available or for sale in the hotel. After the bar shuts, management suggests tap water that smells rusty. Service was a problem. I'd read reports of hysterics and rude reception staff, and found them true, especially with Milica. The owner should teach the staff to be polite and welcoming. The animation staff had the same issue, though the bassers in the dining room were friendly. Food was hit or miss and seemed geared toward saving money. The fruit was often spoiled and moldy, desserts weren't tasty, and decent meat or fish only appeared on weekends. Coffee wasn't good either. Earl Grey was the tea people wanted, but they wouldn't restock it and put out other teas nobody was drinking instead. Meat nights are paid events and get rescheduled, so if you've paid and your stay runs an extra day, you can miss one when the date changes. The all-inclusive option isn't worth it. Cocktails were awful, and a mojito was just lemon, ice, and Sprite. The alcoholic versions used low-quality spirits. The bike rental process was odd: you sign a contract but aren't given a security key. When returning a bike, there's never a staff member there, even though you're required to hand it back to them. You end up leaving it without the key while searching for someone, which seems easy for thieves. The slot machines seemed rigged and took money without giving tokens or offering refunds. We saw two other families have this happen. The evening entertainment felt stuck in the last century. It was there, but mostly suited drinkers whose goal was to get drunk at the bar, older guests, or families with children. The hotel has potential, but it has plenty of problems.

The setting is beautiful, but I've never had service this bad. We were a group of friends visiting near the end of the season, and it was obvious the staff didn't care. Even simple requests seemed to annoy them. The AC was broken, and when we asked for a fan, the answer was no. We couldn't exchange towels because no staff could be found. There was no beach chair or umbrella for us in the blistering sun, and the activities were shut on our last day even though it was still the season. When we asked reception for help, they laughed at us. We paid €220 a night. Knowing how poor the service would be, I wouldn't have come even if it were free.

The beach was beautiful and well looked after, and the hotel food was fantastic. The place was very clean, and staff were consistently polite and helpful. I had a great time and would definitely recommend it.