Vrbnik is a picturesque town located on the eastern coast of the island of Krk, which is part of Croatia’s northern Adriatic region, known for its medieval architecture, stunning views, and rich cultural heritage. It dates back to medieval times, with its first documented mention in 1100 AD, and has a well-preserved old town area, featuring stone houses and and a maze of winding, narrow streets, including its most famous claim to fame – Klančić, reputed to be the narrowest street in the world, measuring just 43 centimeters at its narrowest point. Definitely not a street to try and navigate if you are even slightly claustrophobic, or with bags and luggage.
We’ve been to Vrbnik before and loved the town, but where we stayed wasn’t the best. It maybe didn’t help that it was August and temperatures had soared, rendering the aircon almost useless. The apartment, although it looked good enough online, was a bit lacking in reality, so we vowed that next time we returned, we’d find somewhere better. And, over Easter we did, when we returned with family. Design Hotel Verbenicum is located just on the outskirts of the old town, about 700 metres from Kozica Beach – but it’s such a small town, that it’s only a ten minute stroll into it. The hotel is super modern, with a huge glass frontage – if you’re lucky enough to get a room at the front – which we did – you will have views of the town and the sea, from your balcony. If you have a rear view, you’ll be overlooking the pool area, and there is a lovely garden area at the front of the hotel, so you won’t miss out on the views. We had a double room and a suite and both were super stylish – designed to a very high standard and with absolute attention to detail. We had everything we needed for an overnight stay – including proper wine glasses, which is always a bug bear of mine, when you pay for good accommodation and have to resort to using the glasses in the bathroom. So, what did we find when we stayed here?
Unfortunately, when we stayed we were still two weeks away from the pool opening, and the hotel did have the feel of having just having opened its doors, after the winter hibernation. However, we thoroughly enjoyed our short stay – and the highlight really has to be the breakfast, which was included in the price. A huge choice of fresh pastries, meats, cheeses, breads and drinks, as well as eggs done any way you wanted – and as many as you wanted, too. The restaurant, where breakfast is served overlooks the terrace and the shimmering sea beyond, and it was an utter delight to relax into the day and have a leisurely, long meal. A pretty much perfect hotel – although be warned if you have mobility issues, it’s pretty steep in places, with lots of steps. This can be avoided by parking at the front and offloading luggage and then taking the car back up to the car park. Not a hassle really, but just good to know.