Pros

  • Beautiful seaside setting with private beaches
  • Located on a small island, a five-minute boat ride from Porec
  • Modern rooms with balconies/terraces, flat-screen TVs, and minibars
  • Many rooms have sea views and/or views of Porec's old town
  • Outdoor pool with two waterslides and separate kids' pool
  • On-site spa with sauna, steam room, fitness center, and indoor pool
  • Buffet restaurant serving free breakfasts and dinners, plus three restaurants
  • Lobby bar, pool bar, and several beach bars
  • Sports and entertainment activities, plus kids' activities and playgrounds
  • Free supervised children's activities and playgrounds
  • On-site beauty parlor and hair salon
  • Free boat shuttle to Porec
  • Free Wi-Fi all over the island
See More Pros

Cons

  • Remote location accessed by boat (pro for some)
  • Can get crowded during summer months
  • Meal times can get busy in the buffet restaurant
  • Use of spa facilities incurs extra fee
  • Open seasonally
See More Cons

Bottom Line

Valamar Isabella Hotel is one of the properties making up the Valamar Isabella Island Resort located on a small island just off the mainland from Porec's old town. Completely renovated in 2015, everything at this upscale hotel looks brand new and is decorated in a refreshing, modern style. The 180 guest rooms have balconies or terraces with scenic views, as well as modern amenities like 42-inch flat-screen TVs, minibars, and free Wi-Fi. This family-friendly hotel offers children's activities, outdoor and indoor pools, several beaches, and water sports. Other features includes a wellness center with spa, fitness center, and beauty salon. Half-board options are available, with breakfast and dinner served buffet-style. A free boat shuttle takes guests to the mainland and back. Travelers who prefer something in the old town might prefer Valamar Riviera Hotel & Residence, an adult-only property.

See More Bottom Line

Amenities

  • Cribs
  • Fitness Center
  • Internet
  • Kids Club
  • Pool
  • Spa

Oyster Hotel Review

Valamar Isabella Island Resort

Scene

Tasteful hotel with a private island setting popular with families

Valamar Isabella Hotel is one of the upscale properties making up the Valamar Isabella Island Resort, which occupies the entire island of Sveti Nikola (Saint Nicholas). This is a car-free private island of man-made pebble and sandy beaches, lush vegetation, manicured gardens, and scenic views of the sea and nearby historic old town of Porec. The island used to belong to the Polesini family -- an Italian noble family who built the Tuscan-style Isabella Castle as a summer home in 1888. Today the restored castle has been converted into one of the island's upscale hotels, and is a historic landmark. The Valamar Isabella Hotel underwent a complete renovation in 2015, and its public spaces have a fresh, modern look done up in the chain's trademark beige and blue color tones, with bright, contemporary artworks adding interesting accents. The hotel is popular with vacationing families thanks to its family-friendly features and many sports and children's activities, and can get crowded during the summer months. The setting may not be ideal for couples looking for a quieter scene, but the resort has other properties catering to them.

See More Scene

Location

Located on Sveti Nikola island, a five-minute boat ride from Porec

Valamar Isabella Hotel is located on Sveti Nikola (St Nicholas) island, and is easily reached by boat from Porec -- the hotel offers a free regular ferry service that takes about five minutes, or guests can take a private taxi boat. The hotel is one of the properties making up the Valamar Isabella Island Resort that encompasses the whole island. The island can be easily negotiated on foot and offers several lovely beaches. Porec's old town offers many restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, and tourist attractions, like the UNESCO Euphrasian Basilica Complex. There are regular bus services to towns and cities across Istria, and a daily ferry service to Venice. The closest international airport is in Pula, about a 45-minute drive away from Porec. 

See More Location

Rooms

Spacious and bright guest rooms with contemporary decor, balconies or terraces, and modern amenities

The guest rooms at Valamar Isabella Hotel are roomy and bright, decorated in a pleasing color palette of beiges, soft blues, and grays. Minimalist pale wood furniture is paired with designer armchairs that cleverly double as single-size sofa beds. Oversized beige curtains match the gray and beige striped carpeting, pearl-gray walls, beige bed cushions, and light blue bed runners. The walls are decorated with interesting abstract artworks or photographic prints. All rooms have balconies or terraces, many with floor-to-ceiling windows and scenic views of the seascape, the old town of Porec, or the island's landscaped gardens.

In-room amenities include air-conditioning, 42-inch flat-screen TVs, minibars, safes, and free Wi-Fi. Electric kettles are available on request, and cribs are charged an extra fee. In the Classic Rooms, the bathroom is not a separate room; instead, large walk-in showers are enclosed behind partitions of frosted glass, as are the toilets, with double bathroom sinks in-between. In the Superior Rooms, the bathrooms are separate rooms with large walk-in showers, separate bathtubs, and double sinks.

The largest rooms at the hotel are the Deluxe Family Rooms that are made up of two bedrooms with connecting doors, each with a double bed and a sofa bed, sleeping up to six people. Upper-category suites, villas, and apartments are located in other properties on the island, including the Valamar Isabella Castle, Valamar Isabella Villas, and Valamar Isabella Miramare, which are being developed as luxury accommodation units for the 2016 season.

See More Rooms

Features

Outdoor and indoor pools with waterslides, spa, beaches, and several restaurants and bars

Rates at Valamar Isabella Hotel include breakfast and dinner, which are served buffet-style at the Isola Restaurant. Breakfast includes a variety of hot and cold items as well as live cooking counters with made-to-order dishes like omelets and pancakes. Dinner features a wide variety of dishes including local specialties, pastas, and pizzas. Gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and diabetic diets can be catered to by informing the hotel in advance. Other on-site dining options include the Bistro Vista, serving Italian fare, and Oliva Grill, which offers snacks, light lunch, and cocktails. There's also an a la carte restaurant, Miramare, that's in a quiet, hidden part of the island and specializes in seafood. Guests can enjoy drinks in the lobby bar as well as at the pool bar and several beach bars.

The large on-site outdoor activity pool is heated and has two large slides, and there's a separate kids' pool for small children. The large spa is open to adults only and incurs an extra fee. Facilities include several saunas, a steam room, aromatherapy showers, a beauty parlor, hair salon, fitness center, and indoor pool. The island has several man-made sandy and pebble beaches with sun loungers and umbrellas (free for guests), plus water sports available for an extra charge. Guests are also free to use the relax pool, an infinity pool overlooking the sea located behind the Valamar Isabella Miramare property.

The free supervised children's activities are organized according to different age groups from toddlers to teenagers, and include a variety of games, activities, and amenities like playgrounds, a soft play zone, and a teens' lounge. Sports activities include beach volleyball, basketball, mini-golf, table tennis, boules, an outdoor gym, and a jogging track. During the summer season, nightly entertainment and live music is provided at the hotel, as well as a weekly gala dinner with fireworks. Other services available include reserved parking on the mainland (charged extra), transport from the parking lot to the ferry, a free ferry service to the island and back, a souvenir shop, currency exchange, Internet corner (charged extra), and free Wi-Fi throughout the island.

See More Features

Things You Should Know About Valamar Isabella Island Resort

Also Known As

  • Fortuna Island Hotel

Address

Sv.Nikola Island, Porec 52440, Croatia (Hrvatska)

Website

Oyster Hotel Review

Valamar Isabella Island Resort

Scene

Tasteful hotel with a private island setting popular with families

Valamar Isabella Hotel is one of the upscale properties making up the Valamar Isabella Island Resort, which occupies the entire island of Sveti Nikola (Saint Nicholas). This is a car-free private island of man-made pebble and sandy beaches, lush vegetation, manicured gardens, and scenic views of the sea and nearby historic old town of Porec. The island used to belong to the Polesini family -- an Italian noble family who built the Tuscan-style Isabella Castle as a summer home in 1888. Today the restored castle has been converted into one of the island's upscale hotels, and is a historic landmark. The Valamar Isabella Hotel underwent a complete renovation in 2015, and its public spaces have a fresh, modern look done up in the chain's trademark beige and blue color tones, with bright, contemporary artworks adding interesting accents. The hotel is popular with vacationing families thanks to its family-friendly features and many sports and children's activities, and can get crowded during the summer months. The setting may not be ideal for couples looking for a quieter scene, but the resort has other properties catering to them.

See More Scene

Location

Located on Sveti Nikola island, a five-minute boat ride from Porec

Valamar Isabella Hotel is located on Sveti Nikola (St Nicholas) island, and is easily reached by boat from Porec -- the hotel offers a free regular ferry service that takes about five minutes, or guests can take a private taxi boat. The hotel is one of the properties making up the Valamar Isabella Island Resort that encompasses the whole island. The island can be easily negotiated on foot and offers several lovely beaches. Porec's old town offers many restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, and tourist attractions, like the UNESCO Euphrasian Basilica Complex. There are regular bus services to towns and cities across Istria, and a daily ferry service to Venice. The closest international airport is in Pula, about a 45-minute drive away from Porec. 

See More Location

Rooms

Spacious and bright guest rooms with contemporary decor, balconies or terraces, and modern amenities

The guest rooms at Valamar Isabella Hotel are roomy and bright, decorated in a pleasing color palette of beiges, soft blues, and grays. Minimalist pale wood furniture is paired with designer armchairs that cleverly double as single-size sofa beds. Oversized beige curtains match the gray and beige striped carpeting, pearl-gray walls, beige bed cushions, and light blue bed runners. The walls are decorated with interesting abstract artworks or photographic prints. All rooms have balconies or terraces, many with floor-to-ceiling windows and scenic views of the seascape, the old town of Porec, or the island's landscaped gardens.

In-room amenities include air-conditioning, 42-inch flat-screen TVs, minibars, safes, and free Wi-Fi. Electric kettles are available on request, and cribs are charged an extra fee. In the Classic Rooms, the bathroom is not a separate room; instead, large walk-in showers are enclosed behind partitions of frosted glass, as are the toilets, with double bathroom sinks in-between. In the Superior Rooms, the bathrooms are separate rooms with large walk-in showers, separate bathtubs, and double sinks.

The largest rooms at the hotel are the Deluxe Family Rooms that are made up of two bedrooms with connecting doors, each with a double bed and a sofa bed, sleeping up to six people. Upper-category suites, villas, and apartments are located in other properties on the island, including the Valamar Isabella Castle, Valamar Isabella Villas, and Valamar Isabella Miramare, which are being developed as luxury accommodation units for the 2016 season.

See More Rooms

Features

Outdoor and indoor pools with waterslides, spa, beaches, and several restaurants and bars

Rates at Valamar Isabella Hotel include breakfast and dinner, which are served buffet-style at the Isola Restaurant. Breakfast includes a variety of hot and cold items as well as live cooking counters with made-to-order dishes like omelets and pancakes. Dinner features a wide variety of dishes including local specialties, pastas, and pizzas. Gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and diabetic diets can be catered to by informing the hotel in advance. Other on-site dining options include the Bistro Vista, serving Italian fare, and Oliva Grill, which offers snacks, light lunch, and cocktails. There's also an a la carte restaurant, Miramare, that's in a quiet, hidden part of the island and specializes in seafood. Guests can enjoy drinks in the lobby bar as well as at the pool bar and several beach bars.

The large on-site outdoor activity pool is heated and has two large slides, and there's a separate kids' pool for small children. The large spa is open to adults only and incurs an extra fee. Facilities include several saunas, a steam room, aromatherapy showers, a beauty parlor, hair salon, fitness center, and indoor pool. The island has several man-made sandy and pebble beaches with sun loungers and umbrellas (free for guests), plus water sports available for an extra charge. Guests are also free to use the relax pool, an infinity pool overlooking the sea located behind the Valamar Isabella Miramare property.

The free supervised children's activities are organized according to different age groups from toddlers to teenagers, and include a variety of games, activities, and amenities like playgrounds, a soft play zone, and a teens' lounge. Sports activities include beach volleyball, basketball, mini-golf, table tennis, boules, an outdoor gym, and a jogging track. During the summer season, nightly entertainment and live music is provided at the hotel, as well as a weekly gala dinner with fireworks. Other services available include reserved parking on the mainland (charged extra), transport from the parking lot to the ferry, a free ferry service to the island and back, a souvenir shop, currency exchange, Internet corner (charged extra), and free Wi-Fi throughout the island.

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Babysitting Services

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Basic Television

  • Beach

  • Beauty / Hair Salon

  • Business Center

  • Cabanas

  • Cable

  • Children's Pool

  • Concierge

  • Cribs

  • Dry Cleaning

  • Fitness Center

  • Free Breakfast

  • Full Kitchen

  • Gameroom / Arcade

  • Internet

  • Kids Allowed

  • Kids Club

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Mini Bar (with liquor)

  • Pool

  • Poolside Drink Service

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Spa

  • Supervised Kids Activities

  • Swim-Up Bar

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.