Maslina Resort, Hvar, Croatia: conscious indulgence

At the new Maslina Mindful Luxury Resort, laid-back Mediterranean style meets contemporary French influences. The resulting design characterises the whole of the expansive hotel and promises to lift your spirits.

The island of Hvar is renowned for its rich history, untouched nature, culinary delicacies and cultural heritage. In the breath-taking Maslinica Bay, you will now also find the spectacular Maslina Resort. It is nestled amongst two hectares of lush pine forest, whose striking tones of green, grey and dark blue radiate towards the sun, with the crystal-clear waters of the Adriatic in the background. The UNESCO- protected town of Stari Grad, one of the oldest towns in the eastern Adriatic, is only a 15-minute walk away.

The people behind the Maslina Resort  took inspiration from all of these elements to create a very special high-end hotel experience, while still maintaining genuine respect for the environment – trees have been replanted and local species protected, regional and seasonal suppliers have been supported and the spa products have been manufactured locally and without any artificial ingredients.

Vertical rythm

"It was a hugely complex challenge when you consider that we wanted to create a large hotel without impacting the existing natural surroundings. That added an environmental aspect to the project. The aim of the design was to retain as much of the Mediterranean landscape as possible and incorporate it into the building",

explains architect Tomislav Alujevic.

The outcome of this is a hotel where you have the impression of being in a large private home - with the added bonus of  a sea view.

At 65 square metres, the rooms are surprisingly and comfortably spacious. The dominant architectural feature of the facade are the elegant vertical strips of timber, which depict a visual harmony between the vertical rhythm established by the brown tree trunks and the hotel facade. Natural materials were also a key component of the interior design by Léonie Alma Mason.

"When choosing the materials, I reflected on what would work best with the colour of the ground or the contrasting dark green tones of the trees. The initial idea was to use the large rocks from the area to anchor the project firmly to this unique island. You'll therefore find local stone from the island of Brac that has been used for all of the basins and in the lobby,

explains the architect

Rich shades migrate from their natural habitat into the restaurant, whose design features Italian black terracotta on the walls combined with dark green lava stone tables. Brushed brass adds visual highlights.

In sync with the market

Leading the culinary team at the Maslina Resort is multi-award-winning chef Patricia Yeo.

"The idea is that guests come to A-Bay for breakfast, eat a croissant and drink a coffee, then go to the beach and come back later on for a sandwich or a pizza. We want guests to be able to spend the whole day sitting on the beach and take out small dishes with them. We'll prepare tapas dishes and make traditional Croatian recipes smaller and simpler. When it's hot, you just want to eat simple food on the beach."

Patricia Yeo, chef of Maslina Resort

In the evening, it's a bit more formal in the main restaurant. There are eight starters and eight main dishes to choose from on the menu, meaning a group of four can order and try one of everything. The menu is changed slightly every day according to which fish has been freshly caught and brought to the market. There are also terrific pasta dishes besides the fish and meat.

"I don't think you can go far wrong with pasta, no matter where you are",

laughs Patricia Yeo

She's right - pasta's great no matter where you are, but make sure you're at the Maslina Resort.

Maslina Resort is a Member of Lifestylehotels