My husband and I just got back from a week in Korcula at the Hotel Park. We booked an all-inclusive package through Alltours in Germany. When we booked we paid a bit extra for one of the newly renovated rooms, 3-star rooms with a balcony on the sea side. We were hoping for one with a view and we got lucky. Not all the rooms with balconies have a good view, but ours was worth every extra penny.

During the early 80's we travelled extensively in eastern Europe, so the stay in this retro-communist style hotel brought back a lot of memories. Some of the reviews I have read held a lot of complaints about the decor, but on the hotel's own web-site they make no apologies for the look and are quite candid about it. Everything was clean and our room was nice. The bathroom could use a renovation, but again it was clean and adequate. The towels were changed every day and after hearing a tip from a fellow guest, we started leaving a 10kr bill on the bed and the it was nicely made up for us.

The food at all three meals was buffet-style. There was always plenty, but it was simple and not always hot. The Germans liked to complain about all the white bread and the Americans about the lack of variety at the salad bar, but the products are local and typical. The goat cheese in the evening with local olive oil was my favortie. There was fresh fruit available at each meal and always a soup and cake at lunch and supper. We never went hungry. You could eat on the balcony overlooking the harbor and the meal times were generous: 7-9-30/12-14 and 19-21. Twice we ordered lunches to take on day trips and they were adequate, too.

The area at the beach was great. Clean, sunny and plenty of lounge chairs and umbrellas, at least if you get out early! We didn't get much reading done, because the show of boats and yachts going buy was so interesting. This is the big plus of the hotel: it's location is worth 5 stars. The views are great, the walk into town short and lovely. We went to town everyday and never tired of seeing the same things on the was. We also enjoyed two hikes in the hills above the town and a day-trip to the nearby island of Badija. The taxi-boat dropped us back off right on the pier at the hotel.

Our one little complaint with the stay was the lack of information about exactly what the all-inclusive included at the bar and the neighboring Liburna and Marko Polo Hotels. The first two days my husband had no problem getting an expresso and on the third day he was told by another worker that he had to pay, but the cash bar wasn't operating. We never saw anyone paying for anything, but there were always tea and coffee available and cookies in the afternoon.

If we were guaranteed the same room with a view, we would go back!