Hotel Park Plaza Histria

Just returned from Park Plaza Histria, a 10 night break to celebrate our 40th anniversary, a first visit to Croatia. These are our thoughts/observations from our experience at PPH. Hotel location. Out on a peninsula with nothing much within easy access, except by bus, no local bars restaurants within easy reach off site, to walk too. PPH is one of 3 hotels on the huge sprawling resort complex. We did not know this was the case. There are 20 detached villas, 3 AI hotels & 1 SC complex which is quite expansive, with the approx 27 blocks of apartments. Each block comprising of 10 apartments these blocks being dotted around the headland, there are a few shops on site. There are 7 restaurants doted about the complex, and a supermarket. Some reviews we had previously read suggest the bus stop is outside the hotel, vague! Truth is that the bus stop to Pula is located outside the resort complex some 10 minutes walk from PPH reception. A bus ride to Pula is approx 10 mins and 11kn each, each way. The hotel is located in a lovely setting. There is a coastal path that takes you around the headland, with great views. The beaches are all pebble. Reception staff were always very helpful & polite whenever asked of their help. Bar staff/waiting staff. We never once came across any member that was rude, always very helpful, in fact they could not do enough to help you. All guests treated the same AI or not AI. It's not fair to single any out as they were all polite, welcoming. Cinema located in hotel for a nightly film. All inclusive. NO not really, not totally, we have been to better AI hotels that provide more as part of their package. The Lobby bar was the only bar that AI applied too, it opens at 7am and closes at 11pm. A wait to be served at the bar was always inevitable during the evening. Luna's bar only opened 4 days after we arrived, and closes at midnight, drinks have to be paid for at this bar. So why, when both bars which are located approx 150 metres apart in the reception/lobby area just opposite ends diagonally and yet both are not part of AI. Pool bar. Is only open from 10-6pm, drinks are free, food had to be paid for..cakes tea/coffee free between 4-6pm. Taverna Does not exist any longer and is used as a business room, and hotel documentation suggests it is still open! Yacht club. Not part of AI, payment for everything. Pula aquarium. Is located in the resort, well worth a visit, there is an entry fee. AI drinks are all local, the beer is ok, as are the shorts. There are a few cocktails that are included in AI. The better ones have to be paid for. Does this really fall into the all inclusive category! I think not, but we got by..lol Rooms. We paid extra for a superior sea view, as we were also celebrating our 40th anniversary. They supposedly had extra perks! We did not get a superior sea view room! We did not get the king size bed! We did not get WiFi that worked in our room! But we did get 2 single beds! WiFi that only worked in the bathroom! On day of arrival we waited from approx 10.30 until 2pm whilst our room was being prepared! Don't forget we had booked 11 months previous, not last minute, so I expected to get what I had paid for. We were allocated a room which on entering we discovered that trees obscured the view of the sea totally. We were then offered a choice from 3, one was directly above allocated room, this view was even worse. We were then shown a garden view (not a sea view). The last choice was 344, which was last room available as they were fully booked. This room overlooked a large black roof with small chimney stacks rising up. They could be the vents for the conference centre/restaurant, added to the view was the inlet leading to the marina (still not a sea view) land was on the horizon not sea. But as they were fully booked, there was NO offer of a move once rooms became available. I made my disappointment known to Iva Tui rep. I explained further to Iva what we had been offered and also explained that reception staff had stated these were the only rooms on offer as they were fully booked, there was a conference going on at the hotel. We paid for a superior sea view room which we did not get. House keeping. Beds & pillows were very comfortable, room cleaned daily, towels changed daily minus one hiccup. However, HK was very good. Shower. Shower cubicle is big, plenty of room, but could benefit from a grab rail as floor can be slippery. WiFi. In my case it only worked for me in lobby area, restaurant, when in our room it only connected when I walked into the bathroom! Food. Breakfast A good selection, no plum tomatoes, no fried bread, baked beans often run out and were not replenished. Bacon was very greasy and very streaky. Loads of egg choice, pancakes, fruit, yoghurts, cakes. Toast made using a toastie machine, which was different. Dinner/Evening meal. Always a wide variety of fish. Not once did I see chips...great... potatoes were always roasted/boiled/baked. Lamb, beef, pork on offer various nights. Selection of cakes, fruit, cheese, but no crackers! Ice cream was a rare showing! Entertainment. This was very, very low key in the evening at the start of our holiday. It started to become nightly the closer to our last few days. Not even bingo...lol. Sunbeds. Well the usual, towels placed on beds early, all packed like sardines in a can, very close together. Resident seagull. We must not forget that the hotel has a resident seagull(s) who daily show up during meal times. The 2 can be seen circling when staff lay the tables. If you are sitting outside, you may get a visit by it, too your table. Expect the unexpected, and watch your food! The hotel is too far out/away for our liking but had been told by Tui staff in local Tui office that there was lots around, this is not the case though in our opinion. There are lots of facilities onsite, 18 tennis courts, netball court, beach volleyball, shooting, table tennis, mini golf, crazy golf, bikes for hire. If you are AI you have 1 hr free of crazy golf, golf range. All activities use have to be paid for. There were lots of dogs being walked by their owners along the paths, with the inevitable poo being left by certain dog owners. So beware where you walk, obviously these guests are staying in the villas or apartments, or so I thought. The day before our departure, we did see a woman walking through the hotel with a small dog on a lead. Later in the evening it was barking/yelping in reception. The hotel website suggests 100% no smoking... certainly not the case. Would we return to this hotel..a definite NO! Would we recommend it, YES, but it depends what YOU want from your holiday. If you want a quite hotel and a fab location, and you are content to stay in one place, it is great for that Would we return to Pula, YES and we would certainly be looking at Medulin as an area to stay. Most likely in TUI Sensimar Medulin, which was our original choice, but going on advice from staff at local office we changed to PPH. A mistake. However, during a bus tour we passed by our first choice and having seen where it is located and all the facilities near by, we were disappointed by the suggestion that PPH was a better location, part of the learning curve. I can't sign off without mentioning the TUI rep Iva who was always very helpful with local advice, she even knew very well where we hailed from in South Wales, she had lived there! Such a small world.

Had a lovely 5 says here. Would recommend hotel. Take a trip to Ravinj it's beautiful. Got local bus into pula most nights which is really easy. Pula is a bit scruffy but we enjoyed it as not touristy or commercialised.