ISABELLA Valamar Collection Island Resort

We have been coming here annually for many, many years and that should say something! We have seen things change over the years but it has always been a special place. I couldn't agree more about the spectacular setting and the charm of the hotel itself. It is quite something to be greeted as old friends by the staff. Yes, ten years on from its first re fit some of the decorations are looking a little tired and in need of a refresh but I assume that Valamar will have that in hand to retain its status? We will be returning to it next September and consider it our 'happy place'....

The hotel arranged the transfer from Pula airport ,it was punctual and trouble free. First impressions of the hotel were very favourable, the lobby was bright and airy the room was a good size , clean with a nice view of Porec. The on line check-in worked well friendly and efficient. We stayed on an all inclusive basis I would rate the food overall as very good the extensive choice suited both myself and my wife there was always something the eat which we enjoyed. There were no long queues and the used plates were cleared away very promptly. The beer was good as was the white wine, the red wine was just ok, Croatia as a region produces excellent white wines. We both enjoyed the pool , no problem with loungers and the water was a pleasant temperature. We loved the boat service to Porec it was regular and convenient. The staff at this hotel are its biggest asset they are friendly and welcoming and very helpful. It was September when we stayed there was entertainment on Friday evening but not on Saturday but it was easy to go over to Porec . Overall we had a fantastic holiday , I would stay at this hotel again and recommend it to others, as older travellers we would probably avoid July and August when there are lots of families with children.

This is a beautiful location and hotel. However, it is definitely a family holiday rather than adults, which is what we searched for when we were originally booking our holiday. The 'All Inclusive' is very misleading too. It only includes beer, wine and soft drinks. We were fine with this until we bought a vodka with a small bottle of Pepsi Max and it came to 9.90 Euros! So expensive! There was only two evenings with adults entertainment, which was another disappointment. We did go to the mainland every day because of this, but were conscious of timing for the boat taxi. You also have to be aware of where your room is going to be as ours was a minimum of 66 steps up and a mostly uphill walk to our room! The food and service were very good but we found it expensive.

The island of Sveti Nikola on which the Isabella Island Resort is based is spectacularly beautiful with some amazing views. The hotel itself is modern with good rooms and very friendly and helpful staff. The ferry to the attractive town of Poreč works very well and always on time. However, there are some issues which potential guests should be aware of: The Tui description of the resort can be misleading with many of the limitations confined to the small print. The TUI transfers were not well organised; coaches have to drop you at the bus station, a 10-to-15-minute walk away from the ferry. Minibuses were supposed to be organised but we had to wait 40 minutes with our suitcases for this to happen. The Tui rep should have pre ordered them before the coach arrived at the bus station. Similarly on the return the TUI rep who arranged to meet everyone off the ferry did not arrive and there was a mad scramble for a minibus with many forced to walk. The all-inclusive drinks package does not work well. During our visit in early September only the lobby bar was available to serve the limited all inclusive drinks, the pool bar having closed from 1st September. The drinks package was confusing because if you requested a drink with a zero-sugar mixer it was either unavailable (tonic water) or you were charged extra (sugar free cola). No other bars on the island were included in the all-inclusive drinks package. As the pool bar was closed all drinks had to be obtained from the lobby bar which had limited re-usable plastic glasses (I understand that glass is inappropriate around a pool and I am not advocating single use plastics) but a gin and tonic in a cardboard coffee cup is not what I expect from a 4-star hotel. The majority of the guests were European, mainly German, and included a significant number of smokers. There were no designated smoking areas so it was difficult to avoid the smoke. Also, as European children do not return to school until mid-September there were many kids, this is primarily a family resort! There appeared to be many activities for kids but limited for adults. There was no real adult only areas except a small part of the self-service restaurant, The Isola restaurant, and even then, kids cut through to exit the dining room. The Isola restaurant food is if reasonable quality but very repetitive with a considerable lack of choice; 1 soup each day chicken or beef on alternate days. The salads are very limited in choice; there is only 1 cheese. No specialities. If you like pizza, pasta and chips you will be fine. Also, dishes are not regularly topped up further limiting the choices. There are no other restaurants available on the all-inclusive package. The main activity pool can be very full of kids, the infinity pool, a short uphill walk is much nicer but is not adults only and many beds are reserved for v guests and no all-inclusive drinks available. The lounge area in the hotel, between reception and the lobby bar is quite comfortable, however with table football and pool tables placed in the middle it is not a relaxing place to sit Day guests may visit the island for a few euros and they appear to take advantage of the hotel amenities, including the pool, and can overcrowd the ferry. The holiday was more expensive than many all-inclusive hotels in Europe but did not deliver good value This is the first year the hotel has offered all-inclusive and the management admit that they are still learning. The management acknowledged the shortfalls and were very generous to us and offered us an upgraded package, hopefully next year many things will improve.

A group of 10 of us stayed at Isabella Villas from August 15th to 25th. We had high hopes for this all-inclusive holiday, especially after enjoying fantastic all inclusive experiences through jet2 at other resorts like Barut Hemera in Turkey and Eden Roc in Rhodes. However, our experience at Isabella Villas was a bit more of a mixed bag. Pre-Arrival Confusion Before our trip, we noticed some inconsistencies on TripAdvisor. There are separate listings for Isabella Island Resort and Isabella Villas, which caused some confusion. The Villas had glowing reviews, but none recent—possibly due to changes in the all-inclusive offering. We weren’t given a choice between the resort and villas when booking, which would’ve been helpful. Arrival & First Impressions We flew from Birmingham with Jet2—smooth and easy. The transfer process to the island involves a coach, a Valamar taxi, and a boat. While functional, the transfer hub was a bit slow and not the best first impression (e.g., out-of-order toilets). Upon arrival, only one of our three villas was ready. Unfortunately, the luggage for that villa didn’t arrive for another three hours. Not ideal, but manageable. Accommodation & Island The villas were clean, comfortable, and worked well for our group. Children slept on sofa beds, which was actually fine. The villa was nice and comfortable with a sea view. The island itself is beautiful—clean, scenic, and with plenty of space for swimming and sunbathing. We never struggled to find sunbeds (though we did put towels out early like many others). The boat to and from the mainland was frequent and reliable. Poreč is a lovely town—great for evening visits, with nice bars, restaurants, and shops. We went several times and really enjoyed it. Food & Drink – A Letdown This was the biggest disappointment. Jet2 advertised the holiday as offering premium/exquisite dining with à la carte options. We were told one à la carte meal was included, but this turned out to be false. In fact, none were included, and we felt misled. The buffet food was repetitive and lacked variety—fine for a few days or a week, however for a 10-night stay we ideally required some other options. We ended up dining out in Poreč twice just for a change. The à la carte restaurants on-site were available, but at an extra cost, which felt unfair given the price we’d already paid and wernt prepared to give the island more money. We had the upgraded drinks package, which helped. G&Ts and Aperol Spritz were decent, though the tonic was often flat. Soft drinks were hit-and-miss—sometimes overly syrupy. Water was always available and of good quality. This wasn't a major problem, the lager was also ok! Other Issues Insects: The pool bar had a persistent issue with wasp-like flies around the drinks machine. Not dangerous, but unpleasant. Safety: Some walkways on the island are poorly lit at night, with uneven paving and unprotected drops into the sea. We saw several guests with fresh casts/broken bones—likely from falls. This needs urgent attention. The kiddies tree house also has rotten wood which means they can fall out of it. The mini golf could also do with a tidy up, some holes are impossible and not level! Non-Guests Using Facilities: It was frustrating to see non-residents accessing the island and using the facilities. For a premium resort, this shouldn’t be allowed. V-Level Guests: There’s a higher tier of service called “V-Level” likely with better dining and accommodation (e.g., the castle). It’s unclear how to book this, but it seems those guests had a much better food experience. Lack of Entertainment: The pool area could use some background music or light entertainment. Also, no lifeguard was present, which felt odd for a family resort. Departure: Our early departure was smooth overall, but there was no concierge available to help with luggage. This was tough for older guests in our group, especially with the villas being 5 mins away up a hill and steps. Final Thoughts We would like to go back - the island is lovely, the staff are friendly, and the setting is beautiful. But for the price we paid, the food and overall value didn’t meet expectations. If the à la carte dining had been included as advertised, and the food quality improved, we might consider returning. As it stands, there are better fully all-inclusive options available for the same or lower price.