Idassa Palace

This Idassa Palace might suit someone looking for a semi-cheap place in Zadar's old town that's not a hostel, and who doesn't care much about quality. You may see more value if you know what you're paying for. I didn't, so I wouldn't recommend it. I might only stay again if I were pinching pennies. There didn't seem to be many staff around to help if you needed something. The rooms were smaller than we expected, and a few things made ours uncomfortable. It was hot, and you have to put your only key in for the electricity to work. I understand saving energy, but the room was 26 degrees Celsius every time we came back from touring Zadar, since taking the one key when we left shut off the air conditioning. The unit wouldn't cool the room below 24 degrees even when we lowered the setting, and the air conditioners were moldy, as my pictures showed. One of the things I enjoy about a hotel is finding a freshly made bed, but we had to put the sheets on ourselves. We stayed only one night, so I can't confirm what I saw in other reviews about cleaning staff just leaving clean sheets without doing anything, though I can imagine it being true. The place looked a little run down too. A glass pane in the annex door was broken, which looked unprofessional. The annex apartments were a little quieter, though we still heard some noise from people going out at night. It can be noisy here. And if you're driving, there's no parking, which we knew. You'll probably need to park just outside the old city. There's an all-day pass that's not too expensive if you can find a spot.

The staff made the stay especially easy. They answered messages, booked our airport shuttle, let us leave our bags after checkout, and pointed us toward some fantastic restaurants and places for a drink. They even told us what was worth seeing. The room blends an older building with modern furniture, glass, wood, and brick, so it felt both elegant and cozy. Our two single beds were pushed together and were very comfortable, with soft sheets; extra duvets were in the closet if we got cold. The air conditioning worked well, and we could leave the window open without hearing the nearby music and bars. The bathroom was fully equipped, if a little small. Clean, comfortable, and a lovely place to stay.

Handy location and the place was clean. The downside was how cramped the room felt, with the toilet barely separated from the bedroom.

The staff were nice and everything was clean. Just be aware the bathroom wall and door, including the toilet and shower area, are glass, so you can see through from the bed space. I'd ask for a room without that setup, or only stay with someone you're comfortable being that exposed around.