Liburna Hotel Reviews

The Liburna hotel is clean comfortable and well positioned. For the first day or so we had a meal menu with about 5 choices. After that there was a buffet self service arrangements. I would estimate the alternatives doubled. Lots of fresh vegetables and salad desserts, fruit etc. It really was excellent. Similarly a wide variation of choice at breakfast. The staff were friendly and helpful. The room was comfortable. I could have done without so many German channels on the tv. I guess that the lack of air-con will be a disadvantage in the height of summer. The room was cleaned everyday and bedlinen changed frequently.The resort itself is beautiful. Some people with young children may find the lack of a sandy beach a handicap, but Lumbada is a short bus ride away. The sea-side 'beach' at the front of the hotel is not suitable for young children, but a safe shingle beach is available a few yards away.

When you arrive at the landing jetty just yards from the Liburna, hotel staff carry your bags in for you which is very welcome since the journey by bus and ferry from Dubrovnik takes around 3 hours 30 minutes. This sounds like an arduous journey, yet the breathtaking views along the coastal road are like taking a free excursion before you arrive. Staff here and throughout Croatia generally don't expect a tip - restaurants usually add a service charge to the bill, but the service is as friendly and courteous as you would find anywhere, and if you do decide to tip you're thanked profusely.

I was lucky to have a room that faces the medieval town across the bay, and the view was one of the finest I've had from any hotel balcony anywhere. Since the water is so calm and the mainland is a little over a kilometre away, together with the densely wooded hillsides you feel more like you're staying in an upmarket resort in the Swiss or Italian lakes. The rooms on the other side overlook the area where buses turn around, but beyond that there is still a fine view of forests and the sea.

The room was comfortable and clean but not luxurious. There is satellite TV and a well-stocked mini-bar that is very reasonably priced - 150 kuna (£1.50) for a beer or glass of wine. The bathroom was clean with a good shower, and although the water is solar-heated, even in October there was plenty of hot water.

The food was adequate, with a self-service buffet at breakfast and waiter service for evening meals which included a choice of starter, main course and dessert. You choose the following day's main course at the end of your meal. It is simple fare - grilled or stewed meats or a vegetarian option usually limited to stuffed peppers. Veggies should note they are not very well catered for - even the vegetable soups contained small pieces of meat. A bar is open all day and closes at 11pm, so you'll need to head into the town if you want to stay up late. Hot drinks are readily available, although the local coffee tended towards bitterness.

Facilities for children are limited - the pool is very small and although the sea is just yards away, the coastline is very rocky with just one or two tiny shingle beaches. It is advisable to buy something to wear on your feet if you venture into the sea as there are sea-urchins amongst the sharp rocks.

Overall, the staff were very welcoming and did all they could to make the stay as pleasurable as possible. The general location couldn't have been better, and is perfect for those who like to watch the sun go down from their balcony with a drink or two. If you're looking for a quiet romantic break, you will be very contented with a stay here.

Eating out is limited to a small number of restaurants serving seafood and pizzas, but they're delicious and not like anything you'd get in more popular resorts. You can have a huge plate of mussels for around 40 kuna (£4) and there are a couple of other Italian-influenced dishes available too. One or two places in the old town serve traditional Dalmatian food in very atmospheric surroundings - one I used on more than one occasion was Morski Konjic, which is open-air and has great views across to the mainland.

There aren't too many bars to choose from. My favourite was Buffet Massimo, located in one of the towers of the town walls, where you climb up a ladder to get onto the roof and they winch your cocktails up from below using a basket and pulleys. Korcula only has one bar (Gaudi) that calls itself a nightclub, but you can mix with the locals in any number of small bars where there's music and dancing.

It might not be commercialised enough for some people's needs, but that was its charm for me. I'd recommend it for romantic couples of all ages.

Korcula is an island of outstanding beauty situated in the Adriatic sea off the mainland coast of Croatia.

The town of Korcula is an excellent well preserved medieval town, with lots of narrow lanes through which to wander.

Our holiday started at Manchester Airport , our flight was on one of ";First choice airways"; refurbished aircraft, apart from the usual lack of leg room on charter flights, we left on time, had a well presented inflight meal and arrived at Dubrovnik early.

We were through customs, on the coach and away in an amazing forty minutes.(try that at Naples or Malaga )
The transfer time was shown as three hours, in reality it was three and a half. a long coach journey ? yes.. but well worth it just to see all the amazing scenery ( sit on the right hand side of the coach ) culminating in a twenty minute ferry crossing.

The ferry docks just below the hotel Liburna. and its a short walk up to the hotel reception, but beware there are lots of stairs. With Eclipse Direct
( part of First Choice Group ) you do get your luggage taken from the dock up to your room, and the same on return. This was definately a plus as other guests had to carry there own bags.

There are only four hotels in Korcula Town, the highest grade being three star.
The Liburna Hotel is a three and is probably the best.

The Rooms are basic and the beds soft! bathrooms have bath/shower, basin and wc. they are spotlessly clean. One drawback!!! If you take a bath when you remove the plug the pressure is too great and water floods up through a drain cover and floods the bathroom and bedroom !!
however a brain wave!!! We got a pebble from the beach and put that in the plug hole ...it worked a treat... even the hotel manager was impressed.

The food by Croata standards is very good, lots of choice on buffet breakfast, Dinner offers waiter service with 4 starters 6 mains a desert and salad bar the only drawback ...you have to pre-order the previous evening.

The Island is surrounded by the crystal clear Adriatic, with lots of rocky coves in which to laze and swim from, and if nudism is your thing there are ample places to get that all over tan !!

If people watching is your thing, this is the place, two harbours, boats in and out all day, pavement caf'es , Friendly people ( most speak english ) but if you want discos and hectic nightlife KEEP AWAY. Most hotels provide entertainment in the evenings.

There are ample opportunities to see the island on cheap busses and water taxis as well as the ferries to Dubrovnik and beyond.

There is virtualy no crime on the island and not a larger lout in site!!!!

I understand that the island is heaving in July/August.. its where the Italians take there vacation... so if you want a relaxing holiday amidst fantasc scenery and lovely people give Korcula a try.

And finally Prices .. Go whilst its still cheap... two weeks half board under £400 !! cant be bad.

The island of Korcula is stunningly beautiful. It has been referred to as a mini Dubronik and I agree with this sentiment entirely.

The old town is beautiful and small enough to sauter around and get to know really well. However it is set on a hill so there are many narrow passages with steep steps and quite slippy paving stones so it's not always easy for people with walking difficulties. The harbour is wonderful to stroll around and there are lots of good eating places where you can sit outside to eat and watch the yachts, etc. The 'mareska' sword dance takes place twice weekly and is well worth going to see at £6 per ticket. We went on the organised island tour which included several wine tasting sessions - I would recommend this trip as you see the most wonderful scenery and get to find out alot about the island.

Don't be fooled into thinking that Korcula is a quiet place - it isn't - it isn't a night club capital obviously, but when we were there it was quite crowded with tourists from yachts, etc in the harbour and many arriving on the daily car ferry.

It is quite a long transfer from Dubronik airport, but to be truthful the scenery is wonderful all the way on the coach and the ferry crossing only takes 20 minutes from Oribec.

We stayed at the Liburna Hotel, which has a wonderful view of the old town and is only a short stroll from the centre. The hotel is clean and quite adequately furnished. However we suffered from the lack of air conditioning and the food was not wonderful. You have to choose from a menu the night before and even with all that warning the chef still struggled to produce the meal hot. The bread (Croatian bread is usually wonderful)was stale and some meals were unusual to say the least. Always eatable, but nothing to get very excited about. The Gala dinner was lovely though - the staff seemed to shine that night, there was a folk group and the food was great.

The swimming pool is fresh water and my daughter didn't like it at all. Also it is a round pool with no shallow part and so was not suitable for tiny tots. The hotel is linked to two hotels nearby - the Marco Polo and the Park. I got the impression from people we talked to that we had picked the best of the three.
The staff and people on the island didn't seem friendly at first, but do become friendlier if you keep smiling and encourage them.

All in all I enjoyed the holiday - we moved onto to Dubrovnik for our second week.
I would suggest that if you do go try to go on a bed and breakfast basis so that you can pick and choose where you eat.