We have just enjoyed an excellent stay at the Varamar Crystal. The recent refurb has resulted in a very stylish, clean, comfortable hotel with all the amenites you can can ask for. The standards were high, equivalent to an english 4* at least. (Not so attractive from the outside though!)

We don't have children but there was plenty to keep all the chldren there occupied which resulted in peace and quiet! Lots of activities, sports, watersports, spa etc within a few mins walk. Plus lots of daytime and evening activities for children and adults onsite.

Its a lovely stroll into Porec through the woodland walk. Porec is very clean with a nice harbour and traditional shopping area with chic shops. The resort itself reminds me of a combination of 'centre parks' on the sea with an italian influence in terms of architecture and food but with eastern european culture. Very unique.

We also visited Lim Fyord and Rovinj which were very nice too. Will definately return to Croatia in the future.

This Hotel was excellent value for money,our first visit to Croatia and we loved it.The Hotel has been recently refurbished , very nice rooms with air-conditioning and comfortable beds.Whole complex was kept very clean.We stayed half-board,the dining room is huge and we always found a table easily,large choice of dishes,all self-service,ate too much at every meal! added bonus of free drinks,including wine and beer.Every evening there was entertainment and a variety of activities during the day as well.The adjoining Hotel Diamont has a nice gym and indoor pool which you could use for a small charge.There was also an excellent dentist,(had a filling done and she reconstructed my toooth ,I was well impressed!) .A short walk took you into Porec which is very pretty.We did a couple of boat trips just walk along the harbour and see which one you fancy,we went to Rovinj on one trip.We are already planning to re -visit Croatia.

We enjoyed our stay at this hotel which we thought was good value for money. The evening buffet was very nice with a large selection to choose from. We stayed five nights but ate out 2 of the 5 nights as the dining room is very large and noisy which gave it a bit of a butlins atmosphere I thought. Other drawbacks were bingo on the first night in the lounge which is not my cup of tea and also smoking in the lounge, but I would imagine that the other hotels would be the same. Apart from that I thought the rooms were a good size and there is a nice pool area. The weather was quite hot when we were there which was on 20 May 07, so sun bathing was not a problem if that's what you want to do. We had a hired car from Italy (we drove from Venice) so we toured the coast of Istria and I would say that Porec is the place to stay, it really is a lovely little town and so clean with lots of narrow pedestrian streets with shops and restaurants and has a very Italian feel to it. I have to say the Italian food in Croatia was better than in Venice. Take a boat trip to Rovinj which sets out at 10am from Porec and returns at 5pm, you can wander about Rovinj for 2 hours and then have lunch on the boat with wine, this all costs150 Kuna (£15) each. Well worth it and very relaxing.

We Booked our Holiday through Thomson and was good value for the money.

The Kristal is a 1960s Concrete hotel.
Although only rated 3* The welcome, service and Hospitality at this hotel is of the highest order. The hotel rooms although not large are well kept and clean with well appointed bathrooms. The public areas are recently renovated and very well maintained and cleaned almost constantly.

The Buffet style restaurant was on a half board basis with a wide plentiful range of tasty food available at the evening meal all being carefully cooked and nicely presented .we enjoyed free self service local wine, beer or soft drinks with our evening meal. In the restaurant the tables were laid with table cloths and linen napkins. The staff in the restaurant were cheerfull & welcoming . There is a wide choice of Hot or cold buffet style breakfast plenty of fresh fruit available at all meals.

The swimming pool is larger than most ,with a good sized sun terrace pool bar sun beds and sunshades (but you will have to supply your own mattress for your sun bed as they are not supplied). The pool dates from when the hotel was originally built and will probably renovated in the near future.

On Most nights there was live music/dancingwith a duo or trio in the hotel lobby bar but the sound did not travel to other parts of the hotel, so this did not disturb us.

Hotel is pleasantly situated in a district called BRULO near to 3 other hotels: Rubin Diamand Mirreaedian and situated up a short slope amongst the conifer forest that stretches down to the edge of the sea which is about 3 or 5 minutes stroll.

Near to the water there is mini golf, Tennis, Table Tennis etc. available at a small charge and there is a choice of cafes/tavernas near by where you can enjoy a snack/lunch away from the hotel . The town of Porec is 15 minutes walk away throught the trees or you can follow the coast line which is then a 30 minutes stroll.
( you can also walk along the tree lined coast path in the other direction ) which will take you to other hotel complexs and cafes. If or when you are too tired there is a mini train sevice running along the costal pathway linking the various hotel complexes with town of Porec. (There were two trains running this, when we were there-so the service was about every half hour).

The fare was 100 Kuna( £1 ) for the a single one way fare from Brulo to Porec or Porec to Luguna was 150 Kuna (£1.50)

Food and drink in the cafes was not cheap but also not very expensive.

£1.50 for 0.50 litre of local beer £1.30 for a coffee £ 5 for a fish or meat pizza with salad garnish.

The hotel Kristal is managed by Valamar who look after many of the other Hotels around Porec and they seem to be a well run Company.

It was my wifes birthday whilst we were there, so I gave here a card,which she left on the dressing table in our room. When we returned from our day outing the was a complimentary bottle of wine and a card from the Hotel Management which was un-expected by both myself and her and was a very nice gesture.