Plinarska 75, Split, Croatia
Charming, old part of town near all the attractions
Beautifully renovated rooms and apartments
Balconies or patios, some with private courtyards
Espresso machines and iPod docks in rooms
Most rooms have stocked kitchens or kitchenettes
Free Wi-Fi
Limited staff hours
Most rooms are accessed from the street
Small Standard Rooms with odd floorplans
No restaurant or bar
No fitness center
The Divota Apartment Hotel is a collection of rooms and apartments along the narrow ancient streets in the heart of town. Centered around a small main building with a staff that's absent at night, there is little resembling a traditional hotel here, but more adventurous travelers will find a stunning marriage of modern design and old-world atmosphere. Though some of the Standard Rooms are bit small for the upscale rates, all of them are beautifully decorated with such modern amenities as espresso machines and iPod docks amid well-preserved original details. Restaurants, bars, and all the city's main attractions are within walking distance. In fact, living like a local in this part of the city is an attraction itself.
Scene
Old stone houses with modern decor
From the outside, there's nothing modern about the Divota Apartment Hotel or the individual houses that make up its rooms and apartments, but a 2013 renovation transformed the interiors into chic modern living spaces. The main building's entrance is an unassuming green door set in a rough-hewn white stone wall that opens to a small courtyard. The front desk is in a tiny, immaculately white room with a few tastefully arranged souvenirs and a large wine refrigerator; it feels more like a boutique jewelry shop than a hotel lobby.
Location
Spread across small quiet streets in the old part of town
In the charming Veli Varos neighborhood in the heart of Split, the buildings that make up the Divota Apartment Hotel are all clustered near one another on narrow streets with minimal traffic. All the town's attractions are within walking distance, and there are many restaurants and bars nearby. Split is one of the largest cities on the eastern Adriatic Coast, with a major harbor and a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site with roots dating back to at least the sixth century B.C. It's a burgeoning tourist destination with a rapidly growing hotel and restaurant scene, thanks to attractions like Diocletian's Palace and Mausoleum, the Grgur Ninski Statue, and natural coves that form several great beaches. Split Airport is west along the coast, about 30 minutes by car from the hotel.
Rooms
Unique apartments blend natural stone and wood with slick modernity
All the rooms, apartments, and the full three-bedroom house are beautifully designed, with gleaming white interiors and white furniture on rich hardwood floors. Contemporary artwork adds tasteful accents of color, and the centuries-old wooden ceiling beams and stone walls preserve the building's historic character. Some rooms have steep sloping ceilings, bizarre floor plans, and cramped spaces, but for the most part, these quirks add to the rooms' charm. Standard Rooms are small, and most lack kitchenettes, but many still have little balconies or quaint shared courtyard areas. The larger apartments and the house all have balconies or private courtyards and stocked kitchens with ovens and dishwashers, or smaller kitchenettes. Some even have their own wine cellars. All rooms have iPod docks, minibars, and espresso machines. Bathrooms can be especially small, some with cramped walk-in showers -- in one room the balcony can only be reached through the shower -- but the 2013 renovations gave them all modern interiors and fixtures.
Features
Breakfast room service and a front desk wine refridgerator
As a collection of rooms within individual houses scattered nearby the main building, the Divota Apartment Hotel has few amenities and no facilities outside of what is already included in the room, or apartment. Some have heir own laundry facilities, and most have kitchens, but guests should be sure to check what is included in each (all have free in-room coffee and tea). The hotel has a breakfast service for an extra fee, which is delivered to the room, and the front desk has a convenient selection of wines for purchase.