Contemporary boutique hotel with historic facade in cute Croatian town of Rovinj
The Melegran / Rovinj / Istria / Croatia
There is something very fascinating with border regions where national culture is less defined, where it feels like locals are cherry picking the best parts from the respective side. One of these regions which I have a long love affair with (as you might have figured out considering the amount of hotels I have stayed at here) is South Tyrol or Trentino Alto-Adige, the region on the border of Italy and Austria. Another region with a cultural and historic connection to Italy is Istria in northwestern Croatia. Here, in the immensely cute town of Rovinj (or Rovigno as the Italians would call it) is where you’ll find The Melegran.
The Melegran is a boutique hotel hidden in one of the narrow lanes in the old part of town, a lane sneaking its way up towards the highest point where you’ll find the scenic Euphemia Church. When you arrive, the hotel has a car park close to the old monastery from where they offer shuttle service to the hotel. If you like us visit Rovinj for the first time, it is a great way to get an overview of the town and some local insights from the driver (who is also the receptionist).
The hotel is small and cozy with a good amount of quirkiness. The exterior is all about historic local looks. pained in a soft pink, while the inside is modern with features like neon lights, (faux) plant walls and a contemporary color scheme. Our room was very cozy with low ceilings where the main stand out design features were the bright yellow headboard and the wallpaper, depicting an arty version of what could be the town of Rovinj.
This is a town and a region with a lot to explore and experience. One of the activities we really appreciated was to run along the coast, following the waterline on scenic paths lined with weather beaten pine trees. The scent from the trees in combination with the views of the sea were mesmerizing. And when we were done we took a dip in the (cold) sea followed by a burek feast. Which made us having to repeat the same thing the next day, like a delicious vicious circle.
Welcome to the Melegran, hidden in the narrow lanes of Rovinj.
I love how you have everyday life right next to the hotel, where fresh laundry has been hung out to dry.
The cute little bar, located right next to the reception.
Our room.
My favorite feature in our room was this bright yellow headboard.
One wall in our room was covered with this wonderful wallpaper.
Bathroom products from British brand Cowshed.
Loved walking around the narrow streets of Rovinj with my camera in hand. So much to look at and snap photos of.
When in the Balkans you have to have burek, basically filo dough filled with different stuffings. My favorite is the cheese and spinach version. We got ours at Mlinar, a short walk from the hotel.
The area surrounding town is stunning. We went for runs along the see on gravel paths, lined with pine trees.
Even though we were here in Winter, a dip after a run is a must. M diving into the fresh, salty water.
Sun is setting over town. This is right next to the Euphemia church at the highest point of town.
Simply stunning. Rovinj at sunset.
Back at our hotel room.
The view from our room.
Morning has arrived and the mandatory coffee in bed.
Breakfast is served in an off site trattoria, 100 m from the hotel.
RG inside info
This place is perfect if you…
…are into small, quirky boutique hotels with a lot of personality. If you are planning to spend most of your time out exploring (and not looking for a lot of in-house frills) this hotel is perfect for you.
My favorite thing about this place…
…is the location. When coming to a place like Rovinj you want to stay in the old town to really get the full experience. This hotel is located in one of the steep lanes heading up towards the church.
What not to miss when staying here…
…is to go for a hike or run along the water, heading south towards the peninsula where you’ll pass numerous cute beaches. And also, instead of watching the sunset from the church, I would recommend to watch it from the harbor where you’ll have the full view of Rovinj instead of only seeing the sun disappearing into the sea.
If you like this hotel you might also like:
Falcon Hotel / Bornholm, Denmark
Hotel Le Sud / French Riviera, France
Don Ferrante /Puglia, Italy
