14 Best Hotels in Istria, Croatia

On the main road leading up to Labin's Old Town, this stylish boutique hotel offers fresh and playful designer interiors in a beautifully renovated palazzo with thoughtful facilities at the ready, such as saunas, steam baths, bicycles, and one of the absolute best restaurants in town. The 14 contemporary rooms all come with elegant interiors, hardwood floors, en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning, satellite TV, and Wi-Fi. Free parking and a delicious breakfast with Istrian specialties complete this pretty picture.

A communal wine cellar until 1990, this Hapsburg-era stone building today houses a sophisticated hotel and restaurant to complement the high-tech family-run winery below. Stunning expansive views of the Mirna Valley greet you from one direction and the magic of Motovun from the other. Every part of Roxanich tells a story of high-style creative design, family heritage, and whimsical wonder. Producing wine was a passionate hobby that—18 labels later—continues to evolve, many winning international awards. Additional amenities include wine tastings, cellar and vineyard tours, a large pool area, and a cigar and whisky lounge.

Its outstanding location on the head of a small peninsula in Poreč’s Old Town sets this historic hotel apart; built in 1910, it housed the very first hotel in town. The original architecture has been preserved, but the comforts are contemporary: stylish furnishings, heated floors in the bathrooms, flat-screen TVs, and high-speed Internet. On-site facilities include a small outdoor pool, spa area with saunas, restaurant, casino, and bar.

Nestled in a cloistered niche at the very top of the hilltop town sits this peaceful old-fashioned boutique hotel that makes an ideal retreat if you prefer quaint streets and rolling green hills to sea views and island escapes. Out in front of the hotel there's a small garden and pretty summer terrace. Rooms differ in their level of comfort and amenities; all rooms have flat-screen TV, Internet access, and air-conditioning. If you're here in summer, it's well worth paying extra for an upgrade for a balcony or private garden access.

These seven bright modern apartments and studios have Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, and kitchenettes. The location is convenient in the heart of Pula's Old Town, just a couple of blocks from the Arena, Forum, and the Golden Gate.

Set in a beautifully restored old house in the center of Fažana, Heritage Hotel Chersin is a small and cozy family-run hotel perfect for couples. Rooms, which have partly exposed stone walls, are spacious, clean, and nicely decorated. All rooms are air-conditioned and come with flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, minibars, and en-suite bathrooms with showers.

This boutique hotel is in a converted three-story town house just two minutes from the Roman Arena and one block from the seafront and has rooms with smart minimalist furniture, free Wi–Fi, and spacious modern bathrooms. In addition to its amazing location, a generous continental breakfast is included, and the hotel restaurant serves creative vegan-friendly Mediterranean cuisine for lunch and dinner.

Rovinj's first boutique heritage hotel is housed in a beautifully restored 16th-century building on a cobblestone street in the heart of the Old Town. All rooms and common areas have been updated to a chic modern standard, but they still embrace their original elegant old-world charm with well-placed antiques and warm residential decor. Free breakfast is served in the courtyard garden, as is the afternoon aperitivo; the area transforms into a late-night lounge after dinner. Some spa services are also available. Although the hotel's parking lot is outside the Old Town, a posh golf cart will collect you and deliver you to the front door.

The stone facade of this hotel is part of the medieval Old Town wall; inside, a glass-covered vestibule imaginatively separates the ancient wall from the modern hotel lobby. The location in the heart of Old Town Novigrad—right on the marina and 50 meters from the beach—couldn't be better. The air-conditioned rooms are bright, stylish, and clean, with pine floors, balconies, and silky bedspreads. This family-owned hotel is also known for its friendly staff and warm welcoming vibe.

Nine km (6 miles) up the road from Novigrad in Brtonigla (on the road to Buje), Hotel San Rocco is a real change of pace from the coast: among rolling hills surrounded by olive trees and vineyards, this upscale boutique hotel makes an impressive entrée to the Istrian interior. It's in a renovated farmhouse with exposed stone walls and wide wooden ceiling beams. Rooms are decorated with warm colors and rich fabrics, and the outdoor pool and patio area has stunning views of the hilly towns nearby.

Located on Sveta Katarina Island, just a 15-minute boat ride from the Old Town, Island Hotel Katarina is partly housed in an old family castle from the early 20th century with basic and outdated but spacious rooms, some with breathtaking views over the Old Town. The well-landscaped 20th-century parks on the island are beautiful, and boat rides to and from the island are free.

Formerly a fisherman's cottage, this 100-year-old waterfront hotel in Verudela offers stylish hotel rooms, a posh penthouse apartment, a modern sauna, and an outdoor pool. For generations, dignitaries, businessmen, tourists, and locals have come to the koliba because it dishes up some delicious seafood. You can also venture up to the chic rooftop bar for a tapas-style menu of local cheese, prosciutto, and crudo, all while enjoying stunning views over a sailboat-filled marina.

This lovingly restored turn-of-the-century villa 30 minutes east of Rovinj is an excellent place to stay—and a good example of what you're likely to find if you venture into the agritourism section of the Istria lodging scene. A stay here gets you in tune with the countryside, breathing fresh air and seeing the stars at night. The agri part of the tourism here is a highlight; plenty of what you eat comes from the garden. The grounds are laced with stone walkways, and leafy trees provide shady corners to grab a lawn chair and doze in. Quiet it is—and in that sense, you are a world away from the crowds back on the coast. There are three immaculately furnished apartments, each with a private terrace, plus a full-fledged two-story house for rent. A generous breakfast is included in the price of the rental. The owner's meticulous attention to every detail of your surroundings ensures that no doorknob is left with grease or dirt. The farm is in the tiny village of Smoljanci, just beyond the picturesque Renaissance-era town of Svetvinčenat (5 km [3 miles] from Kanfanar, which is near Dvigrad).