In order to change something, you first have to know the thing you’re changing. If you want to see how the concept of luxury can be redefined, a great idea is to visit the Maslina Resort on the island of Hvar, especially if you’re sailing the Adriatic on your yacht
Opened two years ago, in the middle of the pandemic 2020, Maslina Resort, located in Stari Grad on the island of Hvar, has already earned a spot among the most unique hotels in the Adriatic. It stands out for the quality of service and refined amenities, thanks to which it became part of the Relais & Châteaux hotel association as well as a prestigious Virtuoso partner.
Apart from being loved by guests from all over the globe, it partly also caters to yachtsmen, as it’s a great destination to visit if you’re near Hvar, even if you must spend the night on your own luxury yacht. You might find yourself wanting to trade it, even for a second, for this magical complex. The term luxury takes on a whole new meaning here, the owners call it ‘mindful luxury’, and we would define it as a feast for all the senses, with complete environmental awareness. Admittedly, this is not a new concept, but its Dalmatian rendition is.
The principle used when building this Resort is the same as when building a luxury yacht, attention was paid to every detail, forming an impressive final product. These ‘products’ are normally encountered at the Monaco Yacht Show but it is the first time we have seen an equally impressive result on land in Croatia, the island of Hvar. So, it doesn’t surprise us that the most luxurious of the three villas, the five-bedroom Villa Uvala, costs more than 7,000 euro per night in high season, but that’s not what this article is about.
Even though we can’t briefly summarize all the things the Maslina Resort is special for, a good example that illustrates the owner’s approach is the fact that the resort’s reception desk is a single block of Brač stone weighing 12 tonnes which was brought to Hvar and around which the hotel was built (the special Japanese technique called Kintsugi was used to fill in the cracks).
Another example, one that illustrates environmental awareness, is the fact that all olive trees were saved during construction and moved to new locations within the hotel complex, so you can see original old olive trees surrounding the new buildings. Things that are even easier to spot are wooden bicycles belonging to the Resort, or, if you go into rooms, wooden bathtubs, inspired by Japanese tradition and designed especially for the Maslina. It’s simply unique, with many details like this, testifying to the criteria of excellence that the Maslina Resort was developed on.
The hotel’s wooden façade blends in perfectly with the surroundings and the soft and unique interior design style is complemented by carefully chosen natural materials (drawing inspiration from the four natural sources), forming a unit that also has French touch. Even though the space is meant for tourism and not Zen Buddhism, you are bound to feel peace and good vibes at the complex.
The construction has been executed to perfection, but the resort itself would not be as valuable if it weren’t for the skilled staff, who, by their own account, strive for synergy between a personal and professional approach (just like a yacht, right?). On the other hand, the facilities are perfect for visitors, especially for people looking to enrich their Croatian cruising trip with a special experience. Yachters can visit the resort’s Michelin recommended restaurant, which can be described as offering a Mediterranean Diet with a contemporary flair, with many ingredients harvested from their 7,000sqm Organic Garden (!). Promoting a ‘garden to plate’ philosophy with more than 80% of products locally sourced, Daily à la carte menus with tasting menu options are complemented by a selection of Croatian and French wines, spirits, and classic and craft cocktails inspired by the island of Hvar.
The equisite French wines from regions such as Bordeuax and Burgundy, are part of the owner’s private collection, which is undoubtedly one of the most unique selections in Croatia. For many sailing enthusiasts, this alone will be reason enough to visit the Maslina Resort. The resort is also home to A-Bay, a cocktail and tapas inspired bar open from 3pm-9pm daily, which is just perfect to watch the sunset over the Adriatic in the evening. Also available to book is the resort’s Pharomatiq Spa, which has a clear connection to the island visible in every sense.
In addition to a beauty salon where you can get your hair, or nails, done for a romantic dinner, the SPA has a number of regenerative massages that use organic Dalmatian herbs to heal the body and the mind. Apart from traditional massages, there are also intuitive massages that use Tibetan singing bowls, or an olive mask for the whole body. Oxygen facials are not our magazine’s speciality, but the quality that they provide certainly is.
Relaxation and wellbeing for the whole body have been taken to a new level here and we believe that they will become a favourite addition to many sailing trips because only when you visit the Resort will you realise that you will always go back.
Photos & video Maslina Resort
