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Shades of sunny Lopud – After ''Lafodia Sea Resort'' Italian ''Anker group'' to reconstruct hotel ''Grand'' on Croatian island (photo)
Monday, 16.06.2014.
15:03
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Along the coast you can find a few tiny pebbly beaches, with extremely clear blue water, while just half an hour walk from there is the most popular sandy beach, quite rare in this part of Adria – Sunj.
Before you embak on a 30-minute boat ride you have to leave your car on the mainland. Cars are not allowed on the island, so it is cosidered ecological.
Those who love live and vibrant holiday will enjoy walks, cycling and jogging on the island. Do not expect a lot from a night life. Lovely coast restaurants offer coffee for 2 euros, coca-cola for 3 and fish for aproximately 30 euros. A bit louder music is a real rarity. However, you can find some beach parties on Sunj, visited mostly by young people from Dubrovnik.
The island flourished in the 16th century when most of local houses were built and when only 1,000 people lived here. People built the houses in the middle of the island to protect themselves from pirats. Both Turks and Illyrians lived here, while neighbouring Italians left most traces when it comes to speech and mentality. More than 30 churches, built in honor of sailors who survived sea storms, advocates about rich history of the island. The most well known are Franciscan and Dominican Monastery and Church of Our Lady of Sunj.
Lopud is also known for the tallest palm trees in Europe, but crowns of cypress make the best shades. Except pine trees, you can find olive, laurel and lemon trees here, and if you go deeply inside the island, there are carob and oregano, as well. A Botanical Garden from the 16th century, with 500 plant species, is a pride of the island.
To be an owner of a square meter of property you need to pay EUR 3,000 – EUR 6,000. Thereby, properties are not less than 500 m2.
To meet the island and fully enjoy its beauties, guests ususally choose 14 or 21-day arrangements. Private accommodation charges 25-30 euros per night per person. There are several hotels on the island and the most popular among visitors is ``Lafodia Sea Resort`` – a tourist complex which is a new simbol of the island. Standard rooms cost between EUR 90 and EUR 250 per night in peak season.
Italian investments
Hotel ``Lafodia`` is imagined to look as a part of a ship, with two decks immersed into rock, which is not a surprise considering the fact that the architect was a captain of a ship at the time and later the owner of the hotel. With its looks, hotel ideally adapts into the scenery. It was opened in 1968 for the first time and Italian ``Anker Group`` took it over 5 years ago. Reconstruction lasted for two years, capacities are reduced, so 182 new rooms were opened in 2011, instead of former 360.
- Recently, that has been the greatest investment, of EUR 35-40 million, in this part of Croatia – says Suncana Alunovic, hotel sales manager, for eKapija.
Guests mostly come from Great Britain, France and Scandinavian countries. Hotel has a large pool for adults and two smaller ones for children, as well as, its own beach. On the hotel beach instead of loud music you can hear birds chirping. Hotel animators will try to entertain you with aquabics and a short course of archery, you can get a massage, rent a speedboat or jet ski. There are children`s playground and two jacuzzis for the adults inside the hotel complex, and Alunovic announces the first island`s wellness center for the next season.
- Spa zone will be opened next year on the 7th floor. Unlike the other wellness centers located in a closed space, we have decided to make a wellness on the last floor with glass walls and panoramic sea view.
Exclusive villa "Benessa", 50 m from the hotel, and two apartments on the island also belong to "Lafodia Sea Resort". This tourist complex is the first Italian investment in Croatia, but not the last.
- "Anker Group" has recently taken over the oldest hotel on the island, which has been closed for years. Details about future look of the hotel "Grand" and its facilities is unknown so far. It will certainly have at least four stars and its capacities will be reduced in favour of the guest`s comfort.
Reconstruction, says our interlocutor, will not commence this year, and a reasonable term is 2016. The hotel is work of famous architect Nikola Dobrovic, built of ferroconcrete in 1934, when just a few buildings in Dubrovnik were made of the same material.
They want guests from Serbia
Season in "Lafodia Sea Resort’’ started in April this year, while it usually lasts from the end of May until late September.
Alunovic says that Serbian people have known about Lopud, but not enough.
- 40,600 guests visited Lopud during the previous year. Although it is not a new destination for Serbian tourists, only 20 of them visited us in 2013.
Daily trips
Lopud is popular for its location. Therefore it is easy to reach most of destinations in this part of Adria from here. ‘’Lafodia’’ has its own tourist agency which offers daily trips, as well as, individual research of the coast with your own boat and a skipper.
The biggest tourist attraction is a trip to other Elafiti Islands – Sipan, Kolocep, road to Dubrovnik, road to Mostar, the island of Korcula and Montenegro.
Ivana Bezarevic
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