Maistra Select Island Hotel Katarina

This was our second visit to Hotel Katerina, which says it all. We love the fact that it's on its own island, just a few minutes' free boat ride to Rovinj on the mainland. The rooms are comfortable with great views. The breakfasts are excellent. There is a small shingle beach with swimming (take beach shoes for the rocks) and plenty of sun loungers for guests. You can sit under the trees in the shade if preferred. And Rovinj is a beautiful town with lots of interesting shops and fab restaurants.

Everything was truly great. Starting from the beginning, the organization with parking was excellent. You arrive at the marina, unload your luggage, then follow a van with your car to a larger parking area. The van then brings you back to the marina. The ferry to the island runs every hour. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful with the luggage and provided everything we needed. We were accommodated in a beautiful room with a view of the town of Rovinj. The food was very tasty — I especially appreciated that it wasn’t too crowded and that the food was nicely presented. The island itself is beautiful and feels far removed from the hustle and bustle of the mainland. Due to a recent storm, a few trees had fallen, but the staff are working hard to clear them. The island also has a good tennis court, which made playing there very enjoyable. We’ll definitely be coming back.

This is obviously a resort hotel that I imagine gets rammed between June to September. However, despite staying in April for just two nights, we were still treated well and got to do everything we wanted to do. All facilities were available for guests to use (including the clay tennis courts which were a personal first for me and my wife) aside from the outdoor bars and poolside hot tub which is understandable when staying out of peak season. There is a guests only hourly boat that runs to and from the island and two locations in Rovinj from morning until late at night which is also useful. The views of Rovinj from the island are absolutely stunning and the kids loved climbing on the rocks that circle the island, collecting abundant sea glass on the pebble beaches and dipping their toes in the Adriatic.

Best buffet breakfast I've ever seen and eaten. Pools spotless and interesting. Island location was great for peace and quiet and the beach was lovely. The ferry service was reliable and hourly. We needed the air con. because the temp was in high 30's and it delivered blissfully chilled air.

The hotel staff is great! Every interaction was pleasant, and everyone was nice. No motor veichle traffic on the island was a great thing I did not know I needed! The island is quiet, there were no crowds, and it gave us a great setting for peaceful relaxation. Both the pools and the main beach are great for families with kids (we has no needs to test out the other beaches, but they look cosy, as well). Ferry lines ran on time, and the trip to Rovinj took like 8 minutes, which was great for impromptu tour of Rovinj or hitting the market. Hotel buffet for dinner and breakfast was pretty rich, there were a lot of options at all times to choose from. All in all, great!