Having bade farewell to Split (and the finest place I’ve ever stayed) at 6 in the morning for a pair of long (though scenic) bus rides up the Croatian coast, I was tired, hungry, and slightly frustrated by the time I arrived in Rovinj. Within minutes, however, I was happily ensconced, welcome drink in hand, in this wonderful guesthouse, courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. Obšivač’s hospitality, which I enjoyed through three blissful days in Istria.
Location:Villa Marija is approximately a 10-minute (slightly uphill) walk through a pleasant residential neighborhood from Rovinj’s bus station and harbor. The excellent Pizzeria Maslina is just across the street, and there is a large supermarket 5 minutes away on foot. Given the dearth of accommodation in Rovinj’s center (and the far greater distance to its characterless resort hotels), it’s the best placed accommodation to be found in Rovinj at any price (and it’s reasonably priced to boot!)
Rooms:Although I thought that I had booked a single room, Mrs. Obšivač persistently referred to it in our correspondence as a "studio." Once I stepped inside, I understood that she was actually being too modest – it included both a spacious bedroom (with an ingeniously designed cabinet that opened into a small kitchen) and an entirely separate enclosed conservatory-balcony with a table for dining or simply relaxing in the afternoon sun. The bedroom itself was somewhat basically furnished with a pair of bedside tables, a further cabinet, and a small table, on which rested a small television that received satellite television (including both BBC World and CNN.). The room had a pair of beds tht were extremely comfortable and featured ample (and very warm) blankets.
The bedroom and bathroom were well-heated and well-lighted, although the conservatory that I had to go through to enter the latter was not, making nocturnal trips to the bathroom somewhat chilly affairs (my only complaint). The bathroom itself was tiny, but immaculate, and featured limitless hot water, a rarity in Croatian private rooms. Towels and soap were provided, but not shampoo.
Service:With their extensive experience in the hotel industry prior to opening Villa Marija, Mr. and Mrs. Obšivač were wonderful hosts, cleaning the room and turning over the bed every day. Not only did Mr. Obšivač pick me up at Rovinj’s bus station and return me there in time for my Sunday morning bus to Koper (in Slovenia), but he insisted on remaining with me for 20 minutes in order to ensure I got on the right bus (a more challenging proposition than it sounds.) When it arrived, he took it upon himself to negotiate to ensure I didn’t have to pay a baggage-storage fee, as the bus was largely empty. During my intervening stay, he and his wife couldn’t possibly have been kinder or more helpful, answering my many questions about Rovinj and Istria without fail, often engaging me in conversation about the United States, where their daughter, a businesswoman and former star rower, now resides.
Further information: http://www.villamarija.com/eng/index.html