CROATIA, Maslinica - Martinis Marchi 5*
A luxury castle hotel for all romantics on the Croatian island of Šolta - stay in the tower, it's a great experience
Address: Martinis Marchi Heritage Hotel 5*, Put Sv. Nikole 51, 21430 Maslinica, island of Šolta, Croatia
If you want to book some nice accommodation in Croatia for the best price, I will give you advice where to book. You can have up to 50% discount of the regular prices, click HERE. This link is valid for 1 month after your email registration. Do you want discounts on accommodation of up to 90%? Contact me.
Experience Croatia with Get Your Guide:
Location
Hotel Martinis Marchi is located on the Croatian island of Šolta, in the village of Maslinica. Šolta belongs to the lesser-known islands. I've been to Croatia many times, but I've never heard of this island. And that's what I like about my job, it takes me randomly even somewhere I probably wouldn't have thought to go. And if you're wondering where this island is (Croatia has 1244 islands, did you know?), it's directly opposite the Split, a ferry ride of about 50 minutes. So you can get to Šolta either by car and by ferry, or you can fly to Split, be taken to the port on the ferry and then catch a taxi or arrange delivery directly with the hotel, or you can arrive at the hotel in style by the hotel yacht from Trogir (the price is around 500 Euros). The hotel has its own marina, we were actually the only ones who arrived by car, the rest of the guests arrived by boat. If you have your own boat, you can arrange anchorage in the port, walk along Maslinica and have something good to eat in the bay, or directly in the fine dining restaurant in the hotel. The marina is very well equipped and very nice, it is definitely a beautiful place to stop. And it was full every day, so it's probably good to book a place here in the season.
If you go on the ferry, I recommend buying the ticket online at www.jadrolinija.hr. You pay per person and per car. You enter the exact type of car, the program calculates how many tickets it can sell so that all the cars go out there. You can also buy a ticket on the spot, but you risk not being able to fit in. In June the ferry ran 5 times a day, in July and August it runs 6 times a day. Departure port is Split and port of arrival is the city of Rogač. Remember that, everywhere in the port there are arrows pointing to the Rogač ferry, not Šolta. The ferry departs from the back pier, but it is well signposted in the port. You should be at the ferry 45 minutes in advance. But I recommend leaving much earlier. We drove the last kilometer to the port for over half an hour due to terrible traffic, and that was June (but true, it was Saturday, another day would have been better, there were too many people everywhere). I don't even recommend visiting Split in the summer months, it's overcrowded. In the harbor stood two of those huge ships for thousands of people, plus a lot of other ships. One more note, I recommend taking your own drink on the ferry. You can only pay in cash on the ferry and drinks are very expensive there - two half-liter cokes cost 13 Euros. As soon as you reach Rogač, exit the boat to the right, there are signs for Maslinica, it's about 10 km.
Martinis Marchi Heritage Hotel 5*
Martinis Marchi is located in the small village of Maslinica, in the west of the island of Šolta. Only around 250 inhabitants live here and there is amazing peace, tranquility, beautiful nature and turquoise sea. Maslinica was founded in the 18th century as a defensive fortress. Well, you will stay in this fortress!
A bit of history. The baroque-style castle reflects the legacy of its founders, the visionary Marchi noble family. In 1708, three brothers from this family, with the permission of the Republic of Venice, built a castle to protect the island from the Ottomans and pirates. They also built a village and a church. The brothers brought here art and culture from enlightened European metropolises.
Martinis Marchi is a boutique castle hotel that also has a fine dining restaurant with a beautiful view of the harbor, which also belongs to the hotel. So if you have a boat, arrive at the hotel in style. Or book a place in the port and admire the hotel from the outside. Or better yet, go to the hotel restaurant and try some of the local culinary specialties.
The Martinis Marchi Heritage Hotel covers 1500 m2 and is very exclusive. Although it looks big at first sight, there are only 7 suites, of which all are for two and one for 4, so theoretically there can be a maximum of 16 guests when the hotel is fully booked.
The hotel is not adults only, but I recommend it only to adults. I asked about it and they don't want to restrict anyone. But in my opinion it is not suitable for children. There is no children's entertainment and the pool is deep. And you also walk quite a lot of stairs, so you would have a lot of trouble with a stroller. However, they are also happy to accommodate you with your pet dog. They are ready to make any wish come true of their guests, and the staff is very nice, I kept having a million questions to write everything in detail and they were always very helpful, thumbs up!
Suites
The hotel has only 7 suites. Each suite is named after a historical figure who was somehow related to the castle. Because the details make up the whole, careful attention was also paid to the furnishings of the suites. Here you will find restored furniture imported from Paris, London, Vienna or Venice. In the suites you feel like you are in another century, but there is no lack of modern conveniences, so of course there is electricity and running hot water, air conditioning and wifi, plus all the amenities you expect from a 5* hotel.
All suites are beautiful and have their own charm. You can choose from standard, superior, deluxe or royal. We were lucky enough to be accommodated directly in the royal suite in the tower, which is the best suite in the hotel, and I will describe it to you now. Bad luck that I couldn't take pictures of the other suites as well, the hotel was fully booked (you can see them on the hotel's website). Even so, we had the feeling that we were alone there :)
Royal suite - The Imperial Tower of Karlo VI.
I don't know about you, but I've never lived in a tower before, so it was a huge experience! The suite is completely under the roof, and of course they didn't have elevators in the 18th century, and it's good that they didn't add it here, it would have lost its charm. I say straight away, you will climb a lot of stairs every day. But what wouldn't a person do for their figure, right! You don't have to worry, you are in a 5* hotel with all services, so they will gladly take your suitcases there. And the luxurious view of the harbor and the Maslinica, well it is worth the few steps. I think this suite is actually the only one with a balcony, and there are three of them, each on a different side of the tower.
The royal suite is two-story. The bedroom is on the top floor. The room is dominated by a large, extremely comfortable bed, I had a big problem getting out of it every morning :) And you will surely be captivated by the crystal chandelier. You will also find a desk and a coffee table with comfortable armchairs (those are exactly the ones you are not allowed to sit in during castle tours haha). There is a refrigerator with a minibar (several kinds of soft drinks, the minibar is included in the price of the suite). Nespresso coffee machine for capsules with a large supply of capsules, you don't need to keep your capsules here. Wine corkscrew, wine and water glasses. There are two air conditioners in the bedroom, which you can control yourself. You will find here a TV, a telephone, a book with information about the hotel. There is also a toilet on the floor with the bedroom, so you don't have to go downstairs at night, because the giant bathroom with a shower, bath, two sinks and a second toilet is one floor below. Of course, everything is private, only at your disposal. There is a large mirror in the bedroom and all the furniture is stylish, just like in a castle.
The bathroom is hand soap, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, hairdryer, bathrobes, slippers, vanity kit, tissues. And lots of towels. Cleaning is done daily.
The wardrobe is also one floor below, in front of the bathroom. We had 3 suitcases and there was still plenty of space in the closet, it's really huge ... I guess I have to go buy something :) There is a safe in the closet and the closets are well lit.
Upon arrival, a welcome drink was waiting for us in the suite - champagne and water in a bucket with ice, the hotel really has style! And we took champagne to the pool in style :)
Pool, wellness, beaches
The outdoor pool (heated in the colder months) is absolutely gorgeous, it's big enough for swimming and it's in a courtyard so you're walled off from the outside world and it's wonderfully peaceful. It is not suitable for non-swimmers because it is deep, I did not reach the bottom. Around are luxurious metal cushioned sunbeds with beach towels and umbrellas. In the building next to the pool, in the inconspicuous blue door (with no sign), there is a shower, toilet, massage parlor (if you would like to order massages or cosmetics), a Finnish and steam sauna and a treadmill. We preferred to run up the stairs :)
One small pebble beach is located right at the marina next to the hotel. A larger beach with a gradual entrance to the sea and very small pebbles (almost coarser sand) is at the end of the bay opposite the hotel, approx. 5 minutes on foot. There is also a beach bar. The sea is crystal clear.
Food
Breakfasts take place from 8.00 to 10.30. You can sit inside or outside on the terrace above the pool. You won't find tables overflowing with mountains of food here. When there are a maximum of 16 guests, it makes no sense. However, the selection is very decent and most of the ingredients are from high-quality local sources. My measure of a good breakfast is freshly squeezed juice, champagne, smoked salmon and good coffee. And this is all they had here :)
They will prepare hot meals for you on request, such as scrambled eggs, omelets, etc. I asked if they would make also pancakes, although they were surprised by the question (doesn't anyone eat pancakes for breakfast or what?), but the boys said that they would make them for me, and I like that, they have no problem with anything. They will also make you coffee and tea. To drink, you can take juice, water or local medicine - some secret alcoholic liqueurs :) Butter, extra crispy pastries, croissants, fruit, vegetables, salami, cheese, ham, jam, honey, nutella, muesli, milk, homemade chia yogurt with fruit, local olives and olive oils, dried fruit, nuts. Breakfast changed a little every day. I think that no one will have a problem having a good and quality breakfast.
The hotel also includes an outdoor fine dining restaurant, which is located in the foreground of the hotel overlooking the marina. At the reception you will be asked every evening if they should reserve a table for you. So of course we had to spy on the local offer. You can choose from local and international specialties and there is a counter with fresh fish prepared for you on the grill, you can choose which one you like the most. I had delicious mussels of St. Jacob. Treat yourself to local quality olives and olive oil, honey and wine. The food was delicious and the sunset is simply breathtaking. If you don't want to eat but just have a drink, the restaurant also has a bar. You can sit on the comfy couches and enjoy the boats coming in, I could watch that for hours.
There are also several other restaurants and a grocery store in the bay, you can have lunch or dinner somewhere else every day. There are quite favorable prices here. In one pub, a large beer was only 3.5 Euros, in most other parts of Croatia a beer cost more than 5 Euros.
Hotel premises
The hotel has beautiful gardens where weddings often take place, it is really a very romantic place, so if you want to have a wedding by the sea, in beautiful Mediterranean greenery and also in a castle, I highly recommend this place. Those photos will be stunning. And you can leave by hotel boat.
Another stylish space is the hotel lounge or conference room, where smaller corporate events or celebrations can be held.
And when wine is grown here, it would be strange if the hotel didn't have a wine cellar, wouldn't it. Here you will find top wines of domestic and foreign production. Tastings are also held here.
Martinis Marchi Marina
Cars are usually parked in front of the hotels. Here park boats. The hotel has its own smaller modern marina, and it was full every day, so if you have your boat and want to dock here, it would be a good idea to make a reservation. The marina provides a high level of service and cares about the environment. In 2018 and 2022, it won the title of Best Small Port in Croatia. You can charge your boat or car here. You can rent e-bikes and take trips to the nearby area. The staff will provide you with tour tips. If you don't come with your boat, you can rent the hotel's yacht and set out to discover the beauty of the surrounding islands, such as Brač, Hvar, Vis, you can go to see Trogir or Split. Or you can go diving or just snorkelling, the program is entirely up to you. There are many restaurants in the bay, a small grocery store and a small clean beach right next to the harbor. The place is very quiet, there is no loud music playing here in the evening.
Trips
As already said, you can order a hotel boat at the port or rent electric bikes (even with a guide) and go on a trip. It was easier for us, we had a car, but just tell the reception and you will have a car with a driver and a guide in one person. I really like that the hotel lives in symbiosis with local farmers, takes their products and you can then go visit them and see how the products are made right on the spot. These are mainly honey, wine and olive oil. It is not far by car, the island is quite small. We explore wine in the Czech Republic quite often, so we were interested in the honey and olive farm. We were unlucky with the olive one because the main building was being completely renovated, however, have you ever visited the beekeeper? That was extremely interesting!
Tvrdic Honey
Address: Put Krajna 68, Grohote
The farm is about 10 minutes by car from the hotel. It is better if you arrange a visit at the reception so that someone is waiting for you. The Tvrdic family has been involved in beekeeping since 1934. Now the third generation of the family is spreading awareness about why bees are important and what dangers they face from humanity. The unique honey from Šolta, which is obtained from the wild rosemary flower, has been sought after and appreciated since ancient times. Honey has a number of awards. Mr. beekeeper will welcome you personally, he speaks English, but we spoke with him partly in Czech, some of the words were similar, he will explain to you and show you how the entire process of honey production actually takes place. Behind the glass we also saw the bees in the hives at work, we learned a lot of interesting things, we went to look in the garden and then we were able to buy purely natural homemade beekeeping products, and that's exactly what I like best straight from the source, I believe that nature heals. You can buy various honeys (especially don't put them in hot tea, you will destroy all the benefits of the honey and you will only get expensive sugar), honeys with pollen, lip balms, propolis as a natural antibiotic, ointments for dry skin, sprays for abrasions, honey soaps... you can buy here perfect gifts. Payment can only be made in cash.
Well, that's all about this fairytale castle of Martinis Marchi. So what, have I convinced you to visit this unique place?
My rating 10 / 10
Check out the videos from the hotel on my YouTube channel or on Instagram, links below.
The article was created in cooperation with the PR department of Martinis Marchi, I am very grateful that I could test this extraordinary hotel and write this detailed article for you.
If you like to travel, follow my travel accounts on social networks:
Instagram @hamiczech
Facebook @hamiczech
Youtube @hamiczech