Split, Croatia
A sleek hotel with a mouth-watering restaurant, set in a superbly
restored 15th-century stone building at the heart of Split’s
UNESCO-listed old town
Giving onto a palm-lined seafront promenade and backed by rugged
limestone mountains, Split grew up around a splendid Roman palace,
built by Emperor Diocletian in the 3rd century AD. Much of the old
town is contained within the palace walls, where a warren of narrow
alleys is packed with proud Venetian-era buildings, many hosting
hip cafés and boho-chic boutiques at street level.
In the old town, between the seafront and the main square, the
22-room Marmont opened in July 2008. From a flagstone
side street, automatic sliding glass doors open into the reception
area to reveal a sophisticated, contemporary interior, a
Mediterranean restaurant, and rooms spread over 3
floors. On a mezzanine level above reception, a lounge-bar with
white boxy sofas and potted palms leads onto a raised terrace,
where guests can order drinks at comfy wicker sofas in the shade of
big white parasols. Remarkably helpful reception staff can
recommend local restaurants and attractions, and advise about trips
to the nearby Dalmatian islands, served by regular ferries from the
nearby harbour.
Highs
- You couldn’t ask for a better location; you’re right in the
heart of the old town - A buzzy cocktail bar and lively restaurant serving a range of
enticing dishes; our mouths were watering just reading the menu
during our 2014 revisit - Smart, pampering rooms with modern, minimalist furnishings, and
a spoiling Presidential Suite which comes kitted with a private
sauna and an outdoor shower - Personalised treatment from attentive staff – with just 22
rooms, reception personnel remember all of their guests - It’s the perfect place to start and end an island-hopping
trip
Lows
- If this is your first time in Spilt, you’re likely to get lost
trying to find the hotel; call reception as you’re on your way and
they’ll guide you in! - Hot food at breakfast costs extra, and there
aren’t any vegetarian dishes on the restaurant’s menu - Some might find the rooms a bit bland (think beige, magnolia
and coffee), plus they lack balconies (though the Presidential
Suite has a huge roof terrace) - Limited extra facilities – no pool, no gym, small amount of
outdoor space - Guests have to park outside the pedestrian-only old town, then
carry their luggage to the hotel
