Hotel Vela Vrata

I stayed here for 4 nights. I had a hire car and used this as a base to visit other Hill towns in Istria and to do some hikes and riding.||I spent a month in Croatia and this was my favourite area for sure. Scenery is stunning, the people are much more friendly and it has a very relaxed vibez Its small little town but interesting and it is lovely & quiet at the end of a long day. ||I couldn’t fault this hotel. From the minute I arrived the staff were nothing but helpful. It is in fabulous condition with lovely pieces of furniture everywhere.. I had a beautiful room with a lovely view, breakfast was fresh and plentiful each morning. I was given a bunch of wild asparagus by a local and the lovely lady in the kitchen. cooked this for me and put it in an omelette for breakfast, it was just divine. ||I didn’t use the pool so I can’t comment. I would highly recommend stay here and I would love to come back if I ever have the opportunity thank you to everyone for a wonderful four days.||PS I had dinner at the restaurant every night and the food was amazing. I found both the hotel and the restaurant very good value.

I had a really horrible/disappointing experience at this hotel. I chose it specifically because it was close to my event and promised parking, which was one of the main reasons I booked. However, when I arrived, there was no parking available at all — despite the receptionist promising and the listing clearly saying otherwise. (everything was extra full, even their private, so called, reserved parking) To make matters worse, I arrived late and the hotel was completely locked with no staff on site. There was no one to ask for help or directions about where to park or how to check in (i knocked on the door and couldnt see any sings of bells etc). Since the hotel is located on a hill in a rather specific, tight area, I did my best to park nearby, it took me almost 45 minutes to find a spot (also, "nearby" is 5-10mins walk from my room, mind you) in a spot where cars could still pass and it looked okay traffic wise. Unfortunately, the next day the police showed up, as it turned out that the place I parked wasn’t technically legal — something I had no way of knowing without guidance. Overall, this was a very stressful and frustrating experience. A four-star hotel should at least provide clear instructions, staff availability, or accurate information about parking. I wouldn’t stay here again and wouldn’t recommend it unless they fix these serious issues.

Another hilltop hotel we visited as part of an InnTravel walking holiday in Buzet. Our smallish room was comfortable and offered a lovely view over the road across the countryside.|We also had dinner included – four set menus to choose from. We had fish one night, meat the other. Both were nice, and the local wine was as ever well priced, plentiful and eminently drinkable. Buzet is a small place, and we wondered around and had a drink down the road – the town is full of little side streets and plaques giving little details about the place. Really good spot at the top of the hill to rest and recover and well placed for walks. The climb up is steep but not too bad, and a cold glass of Malvazija is just reward.|The pool was a great place to cool down after a long day of walking, and there is a spa, although we did not use the additional facilities.

A lovely hotel in the heart of old town Buzet. The rooms are beautiful and the restaurant delivers high quality food and wine. The staff were friendly and helpful. ||From the moment we arrived we were warmly welcomed by friendly, accommodating staff. The rooms are spacious and the bed was incredibly comfortable. The excellent shower in the bathroom included lovely shampoo and beautiful body lotion. The pool was lovely and clean and we enjoyed it at the end of each day. Breakfast was delicious and plentiful.

Real old town hotel with modern facilities and old charm. No lift, so prepare to walk up the stairs. Bathroom is compact but functional, standard room is standard, but the terrace area and drinks/food are brilliant. Excellent quality and service, a great place to visit and stay.

This was a wonderful experience in the mountains of Istria, close to the border with Slovenia. A truly charming hotel atop a winding and narrow road in the Stari Grad from the modern part of town below. The surrounding scenery presented a range of stunning views of the hills and valley below. Amazingly, we were able to park outside the hotel without charge and I remain confused by the one parking meter 10 yards away which appeared not to be necessary for anyone parked in front of the hotel ! On the first evening, we dined in the restaurant on the ground floor. Service and food both excellent and entertainment provided by a group of male Austrian Cyclists (12 in number) relaxing after a testing day on the hilly terrain around, whom we got talking to. As they were offered a post-dinner schnapps, we felt it only proper we should be considered honorary members of the group and were similarly rewarded by the waiting team, which we very much appreciated. This led me into a conversation with head waiter, Dean, who turned out to be a fan of English Premier League and, amazingly, a particular fan of Arsenal. We thank him in particular for his attentive service and good humour. Thanks also to the endlessly helpful lady at reception who provided us with some details of a local walk which took us down the very steep hillside and along the valley of the River Mirna towards Buzetski Canyon on Saturday ensuring we had a most healthy appetite for dinner that evening. We dined just as well as the first evening at a lovely restaurant just round the corner and up the hill from the hotel, Vero Tartufo, I think, famous for truffles. Breakfast was served on the top floor in a large room with a most abundant presentation of food and very helpful staff. I particularly enjoyed the pre-made cereal/fruit and yoghurt jars and wide range of breads and croissants. The old town is very charming and easily walked around in 15 minutes with plenty of history recorded on various plaques.||Minor point : why dinner in restaurant couldn't be charged to room ? Is it a different ownership ? By the way, there was also excellent outdoor seating with beautiful views.

The wellness center was beautiful and calming. We had the best time ever. It is very private and comfortable. Have nothing to complain about :)

I wasn't a guest of the hotel, only a restaurant guest. Food was awesome and also not too expensive. View and mood and staff is absolutely top. :-)