Well! There is a large number of holiday villas in Croatia. You’ll find many of these villas to rent in scenic countryside, especially in Istria, a northern Adriatic region. However, you can find some villas in the center of towns, and even fewer you’ll find at the beachfront, particularly in central and southern Dalmatia.
Reasons to rent villas in Croatia
Villas for rent in Croatia offer so many advantages over hotels, apartments, or other type of accommodation. They are especially good fit for large families, or group of friends. They come with luxury furnishings, and quality fixtures, as well as with ample amenities. Besides, they are spacious, and they offer safety, privacy, and serenity.
Space
Space-wise there aren’t a better accommodation for your holidays in Croatia than villas. They offer lots of space: inside and outside.
Majority of Croatian villas to rent are 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom villas.
You can expect at least 130 m2 of living space in a 3-star villa; and at least 160 m2 in a 4-star villa.
Rooms are spacious, and often come with en-suite bathroom.
Outdoor space usually includes covered terraces, and a garden. Many of holiday villas in Croatia also come with a private pool.
Privacy
Found mostly in rural locations, many villas offer tons of privacy. Properties are often surrounded by stone walls and thus, protected from curious views of neighbors and passers-by.
So if you feel to stay in your bikini all day long, including a dinner time, it’s your call.
Yes, majority of Croatia villas are located in quiet villages. Hence, they offer complete tranquility, relaxation, and a peace and quiet.
If you feel like having a glass of wine by the pool, at 5 pm, all by yourself, worry not – you won’t be bothered by screaming kids (assuming you can control your own kids) nor hundreds of other guests.
Facilities
Today many villas to rent in Croatia offer more perks than a 5-star hotel. From large flat-screen TV, designer furniture, free WiFi, swimming pool, BBQ facilities, en-suite bathrooms, fully-equipped kitchen, Playstation, trampoline, you name it! In addition, some villas in Croatia even come with indoor swimming pools, sauna, and gym. And the best thing – you never have to wait in line, it’s all yours.
Value for money
With a daily rental somewhere between 320 to 500 € a day, for a 3-bedroom or 4-bedroom villa, villas might seem expensive at first, but don’t forget to count its full capacity, along with a luxury it provides. Villas in Croatia offer the best value for money of all accommodations in Croatia.
Consider hotels, for instance. You won’t be able to find a double room in a 4-star hotel for less than 250€ in summer. And this is only a double room. If you have two kids, the price goes up, and if you want to book a suite or a proper family room, because your dream holiday doesn’t include sharing a room (or worse, sharing a bed) with your teenage kids, prepare to pay as much as 600€ per day (and this if you book early enough to get and early bird discount).
OK, you do get three meals a day in this price, and a daily cleaning, but you still need to fight every day with other guests for your place by the pool, or by the sea. When you rent one of luxury villas in Croatia, the pool is all yours. So are the deck chairs.
Legal requirements
As per law, all villas for rent in Croatia need to be fully-licensed. This means that all Croatia villas to rent are inspected by municipal administration, and rated 3, 4, or 5 stars. In short, higher the star rating, better the quality.
Unfortunately, there are still in place two sets of standards for villas in Croatia. Standards that apply to villas built prior to 2007; and more-demanding set of requirements applying to villas built after 2007. This is something to keep in mind when choosing a villa to rent in Croatia. The newer the villa, the higher standards it should meet.
Tips for renting a villa
Majority of villas have a rural location, a bit away from tourist resorts and the sea. Some are very secluded, while others are set in villages with a restaurant or two. This means you’ll need a car to move around.
Istria, a northern Adriatic region, has the largest choice of Croatia villas for rent. In the last years Dalmatia is catching up, as well as islands. Due to less number of villas, and a shorter season, villas in Dalmatia and on the islands are usually more expensive than in Istria.
Villas keep very strict booking conditions, from late May to mid-September. Minimum stay in a villa is 7 days, with arrival and departure usually on Saturday. Keep this in mind when entering your dates in any booking engine. Unless you choose Saturday-Saturday, you’ll have limited number of villas available.
You can easily book a villa using Booking.com, AirBnB or Homeaway. Be sure to enter Saturday-Saturday when searching for a villa on these sites. There are also a couple of specialized villa-booking websites in Croatia. The most popular are MyIstria, Istria-Home, and Luxury Croatian Villas that’s run by Alan Mandic of Secret Dalmatia (we love their blog!).
In a low season you can try to bargain as much as possible, as offer is abundant, and demand is very low.
What to bring
Sun screen
With plenty of sunshine in Croatia, and a private pool at your disposal, sun screan isn’t only handy to have, it’s a necessity.
Swimming suit
Whether you decide to spend a day by the pool, or to plunge into deep blue Adriatic, swimming-suit is a must-have for your villa stay. I get my trunks just about anywhere, while Vera wears Shoshanna bikini.
Coffee
We always like to emphasize to our readers that if they like a filter coffee, or a specialty coffee, or just any good Italian coffee, to bring it with them. Supermarkets here mainly carry Croatian coffee brands, very few filter coffees, and if they do offer international brands they are way too expensive.
The other day I miscalculated a quantity of coffee I needed while on vacation in Komarna. After I ran out of a Lavazza I had bought in Trieste for a 2€ a pack (250 g), I had two choices: buy Croatian brands like Frank or Barcafe for 3€, none of which I am crazy about; or buy Italian coffee Illy (the only Italian brand I could find in the store here) for 11€ a pack. You see what I’m talking about?!
Camera
When we travel, we take tons of photos. But camera equipment can take lots of space. Recently we’ve switched from DSLR to mirror-less camera. We’ve changed our Canon T3i for Panasonic Lumix GF7, and the load just became much lighter. Don’t forget your camera when traveling.
Water shoes
Water shoes come handy if you plan to spend some time on Croatian beaches. Beaches here are mainly pebbly, or rocky. It’s just easier to walk wearing a pair of water shoes. You can buy them here, at many stores along a beach, or you can check these awesome Crocs Vera’s using (for a beach and a work respectfully).
Books
I don’t know about you, but we both read a lot, and even more so when on holidays. For me there is nothing as relaxing as reading a book while lounging by the sea or a pool. A glass of wine in hand, bien sûr!
Mosquito repellent
Mosquitoes are plentiful in Croatia, and even more so in rural locations where majority of villas is located. Our house to rent has mosquito nets on all windows and doors, but this isn’t always the case. Bring a mosquito repellent with you to be on a safe side.
Adapters & converters
Croatia uses 220V, 50 Hz frequency, and type C & F plugs. Both are similar plugs with two round prongs with 19 mm between the two.
Suggested villas in Croatia to rent
Villas in Istria
Villas in Istria are plentiful. Even we have a villa to rent in Istria. Majority of villas in Istria are set in the countryside, particularly in villages around Porec, Vizinada, and Pula. They usually feature an outdoor swimming pool, so the distance to the sea isn’t that important. Below you’ll find a couple of villas in Istria that we recommend. However, if you plan on renting a villa in Istria, you can head to our full post on villas in Istria.
Villa Rupeni, Porec
Ha! Full nepotism here, as we recommend our own villa in Istria first. We dedicated lots of love in making this house a perfect getaway for anybody seeking tranquility, privacy, and a place to recharge your energy.
Our villa is set on a 1.000 m2 of landscaped land. It’s lovely location, at the edge of a tiny village, gives our guests plenty of privacy, and peace and quiet. The two-story, three-bedroom, three-baths house is 170 m2 large. It features a fully-equipped kitchen, open space living and dining area, covered terrace with BBQ, tables, and chairs for dining al fresco, two patios, 24 m2 swimming pool, with sun-bathing area, and a pool house. It can accommodate up to 8 people.
Villa Matija, Fazana
Located in a village of Fazana, within a walking distance from the sea, and also from the center of Fazana, this four-bedroom, four-baths villa belong to our friend Vedran. Villa Matija is set on a 1500 m2 of land. It features an outdoor pool, sauna, fully-equipped kitchen, open space living room with a fireplace.
Villa Pilato
Pilato family, famous Istrian wine-makers, own and manage this stunning, 7-bedrooms, 6-baths villa. The property is set within a 800 m2 garden. It’s fully-fenced, and surrounded by stone walls. The property can accommodated 14 people. It features fully-equipped kitchen, living room, few terraces, covered patio, laundry facilities, grassed sport pitch, BBQ, and 40 m2 swimming pool.
Villas in Split
Choice of villas in Split downtown is limited, however there are a couple of them we recommend down below. You’ll find a larger choice of villas in the vicinity of Split, particularly in rural area around Imotski, and Omis, in neighboring coastal towns of Podstrana, Kastele, and Trogir, as well as on nearby islands of Solta, and Brac.
Villa Split
Built over 100-years, villa Split is protected cultural monument, but also a stunning property to rent during your stay in Split. It’s located in Meje, a posh neighborhood of Split, with lovely landscaped garden facing the sea. Almost every room in the house boasts wonderful sea views. It features 5 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, spacious living room fitted with designer furniture, and Murano chandeliers, modern kitchen with all amenities, and outdoor swimming pool.
