We took our meals here H/B whilst renting a self-catering 4* appartment, which I have written a separate review about. The hotel lobby area is big and multi level. the reception staff are helpful - it's like a busy street. Plenty of organised activities for the guests, young and old. They call it "animation"! Music in the evening, a bit old-fashioned, the Germans like to do proper quick-step, rumba and all that. Bring your cash, if you are not resident within the hotel itself, but dining there like we were - they have no flexibility over charging drinks at the bar to your room. The whole area is run by one company, but no systems in place other than offering H/B in your price. Visa is NOT widely accepted in this area and there is one cash machine at the bottom of the hill. If that breaks down, (like it did for a day with us) you have a long walk ahead. Sports facilities were NOT included in the price, and I found the guys at the sport kiosk bordering on the rude.
Anyway foodwise: For the English palette I would say families will not be disappointed, but the scurrying around of evreyone in high season would mean that you would have to watch the kids don't get knocked over! We laughed and compared it to have your meals every day in the middle of Oxford Street ! Everyone was milling around all the food servery areas in all directions, and queuing for the frying pan chef in the mornings. There are a number of meat, dessert, cold food, hot food areas, and you've got hand it to the Croatians they like to mix and match and feed the tourist ranks with a certain joyless resignation and efficiency. I didn't meet one Croatian who seemed to enjoy their job. There are flowing drinks machines, wine, beer, cola ( very good, like the Real thing!) You are seated promptly, if a little authoritatively - felt a bit like a structured cattle market overall! The staff were churning out the hot food like anything, emphasis in the management was on not running out of anything and replenishing the vast trays of food.
First morning the pan chef was frying what looked like a ton of mushrooms on a 4ft pan, second morning fried eggs, for 2 hours with a constant stream of takers - then right after you've loaded your plate with the fruits of his labour you have white and sparkling wine on your left in coolers, a type of champangne AND for breakfast! Be careful or you will go to the beach feeling worse for wear by 10am! There is a dizzy mix of continental meats, cheeses, and olives, next door is fruit , with the butter and marg, then cereals, yogurt, 15 baskets of bread, croissants, crackers. Then there's greasy scrambled eggs and tiny squares of thick cooked fatty bacon, rather thicker than what we would dress a salad with and tough in the mouth. Tea and coffee machines are close but at the other end. But it fills you up. The decor is very dated 70's, and not exactly relaxing if you get my drift! Lots of busy "clearer-uppers"
Dinner again some more frantic dining. Food here I see has been popular with Trip Advisors, and I will say there is something for everyone and no-one will leave hungry! Croatian food is a fusion of South German/ Italian/ English/Russian. Check out the meat counter carefully and do ask what's what. They usually have two men there to deal with queries! What looks like chicken can be fish, and what looked like pork was rabbit, along with the real things, and beef braised. They have liver and onions! Drinks are flowing again in the eveningand the kids just loved the never ending stream of available coke, and for the adults wine and beer ( and it's not bad at all!) There's ice cream and desserts I found very sweet, and bit "plastic" cream-ish. Personally, after 4 days, eating there was too much of a manic affair overall, and with a tiny bit of people regimentation from the staff, the place would do justice to any army camp. I simply could not stand this for a week, or even longer, but that's me. At least I didn't have to cook, and wash-up.....

We spent nice 2 weeks in this hotel. The room was clean and tidy, but rather small - this is why I also recommend to everybody to add 2 euros per day and take bigger room with sea view.
The location of the hotel is perfect - there is something for everybody: swimming pool, rocky beach, "cultivated" rocky beach, sunny rocks, woody shades... The sea was clean and hot - this is the area with a lot of blue flags. Downtown Porec is 15 mins of walk away, and you walk all the time by the sea.
The food in the hotel was exceptional, far above the hotel three-star class. Many kinds of vegetables, fruit, meat, sea food... are served every day.
The weather in August was "tricky" - we had two days with low temperature, heavy rain and strong wind, like it was February, but then again, tomorrow we were swimming in the sea and got sunburns.
We will surely come back to this hotel, just next time, we might come in July...

My husband and I live in Bosnia-Herzegovina, so we usually spend at least part of our holiday every year somewhere in Croatia. This is mostly Makarska Riviera, but this year we decided for the first time to go north - to Istria. We found this hotel on the web, and got some recommendation from friends.
Hotel is large (300 rooms), and situated in very nice place. It is situated in 'Plava laguna' (Blue lagoon), in the middle of pine forest, 20 minutes walking distance from the town. You can walk to Porec, or use nice touristic train, one-way ticket is 1,4 €. Rooms are clean, but pretty small and toilets need to be restaurated a.s.a.p. There is no air-condition, but as we spent 10 days here in august, it was already not too hot. Rooms have cable-TV, with 15 channels. If possible, try to get seaside-view, it absolutly worths to pay 2 € extra. Hotel staff is very kind, everybody speak Italian, English and German, and reception-staff also Russian. Food is buffet-style, very rich and including fresh fruits, as well as free-of-charge drinks (beer, wine, soft drinks). Swimming pool is nice, clean, with salt water, but a little bit small for 300 rooms in hotel... Sun beds and umbrellas are free-of-charge, but you have to get up early in order to 'make reservation' (leave towel on it).
Beach is 5 minutes walking distance, concrete. You can rent sun beds for 2,7 € per day. If you don't like sun, you can spend time on grass, in nice natural shadow, just few meters from the see... Very important is that most beaches in this region have 'blue flag' as very clean.
If you are sport-type, you can enjoy some water sports, as well as tennis, volley beach, table tenis. They have also some programs for kids.
You can enjoy entertainment/music on hotel's terrace every night, with special program 1-2 times per week. Or, you can sit in 'Havana' bar, in hotel, and drink some nice cocktails. Or, you can go to Porec...
Porec is nice old town, with small narrow streets in which you can find plenty of stores with nice souvenires. Euphrasius Basilica is under UNESCO protection and it is situated in the midle of old town. Many nice restaurants and caffe bars offer nice and not expencive food and drinks. You can get very nice full dinner for 20-30 €. Or, if you like, you can also go to some steak house and eat even for 10 €. Coffey is 0,8 € cappuccino 1,4 € beer 2 € alcohol cocktails 5-6 €...

Returned home this week form Porec. We wanted to make a return visit as we visited the area 22 years ago when the country was Yugoslavia and we were pleased to say that we weren't disappointed. The country is still very picturesque and the people very obliging and friendly. As Brits we were definitely in the minority in the hotel which suited us yet our needs were still met and understood. The hotel is very clean and spacious and even our room which slept 3 people was adequate in size. Unfortunately there wasn't any air conditioning which made the room hot at night but we left our balcony door open without fear of intruders and/or flying insects.... Food at meal times was excellent which so much choice and availability and the free drinks available were appreciated. The restaurant was on a buffet style service which meant you could have as much or as little as you wanted. Our son who is a fussy eater was accomodated with a choice of meal each time. The staff are friendly and helpful and all speak a little English with the reception staff being the most fluent. Spent most of our days by the pool which is large and has numerous sun loungers, although to make sure beds were available we had to join the 'Sunbed Brigade' and take our towels early in order to 'reserve' a bed each morning which we hated doing. A short walk leads to the beach where numerous sunbeds are available at a small charge and you can rest under the pine trees during the heat of the day. Also available at the beach are numerous sports activities including Para-fly and hiring of bikes. Porec is a 'olde worlde' town on the coast whith plenty of bars, cafes, restaurants and stalls and shops and everyone serving in them was very welcoming. Even if you decided not to buy or were just browsing the people wre still as friendly and you didn't feel as if you'd wasted their time. All in all a very comfortable holiday in a lovely country with lovely people and we even managed to bring home some spending money as prices were reasonable. Well worth a visit.........