Dalmatia shines with a new luxury: Villa Argentina and The Bristol Bol elevate the hotel product
Two hotel news from the past month show in which direction the premium offer on the Croatian coast is changing. Dubrovnik has once again received Villa Argentina after a multi-year reconstruction, while Bol on Brač has received the new boutique hotel The Bristol Bol.
They have something more important in common than five stars: both projects rely on existing architecture, local identity, and a smaller number of quality accommodation units.
Villa Argentina returns to the Dubrovnik market
Villa Argentina reopened on September 16 after a multi-year reconstruction led by the Croatian studio 3LHD for Adriatic Luxury Hotels. The renovation encompassed more than 10,000 square meters, including historic villas, a hotel building, gardens, and a wellness center.
The decision to reduce the number of rooms is particularly interesting. Today the hotel has 96 rooms and suites, compared to 131 before the reconstruction. Together with Villa Orsul, the complex has 109 accommodation units. Villa Argentina has now become part of The Leading Hotels of the World collection.
This is a fairly clear signal: value is no longer sought solely through capacity, but through a larger room, privacy, design, and the guest experience.
Brac has received a new boutique product
Just a week earlier, on September 9, The Bristol Bol welcomed its first guests as part of a short preview season. The hotel has 94 rooms and suites in a renovated historic building in the center of Bol, right next to the harbor.
Eagle Hills is behind the project, whose hotel portfolio in Croatia now includes 25 hotels and more than 4,000 accommodation units. The design is by Dean Franić, while the entire concept relies on Brač stone, local gastronomy, wellness, and connection with the destination.
For agencies, this opens up a different way of selling the Adriatic
For travel agencies and DMC’s, both hotels offer a product that fits well into the premium FIT, honeymoon, luxury leisure, and tailor-made programs. Brac is particularly interesting. The opening of a hotel of this profile allows Bol to be more strongly marketed as a standalone premium destination, rather than just as a summer resort or a day trip from Split.
In Ville Argentina, the effect is different. Dubrovnik already has a developed luxury market, but the return of one of its most famous hotels increases the choice in a segment where location, view, and the recognizable history of the property often have equal weight as the hotel brand itself.
