By Sanchez Manning
WHEN images of Prince Harry dancing at an open air nightclub and jumping into a pool fully clothed were beamed around the world, Hvar’s reputation as a party island appeared sealed.
But while the Croatian isle is still a favourite with the young and beautiful who want to let their hair down, it is now intent on attracting a slightly more discerning travellers.
A major part of this move away from its party island image is the opening last September of its first five-star hotel – the Palace Elisabeth.
Palace Elisabeth Hotel in Hvar
Located in a prime spot in Hvar’s thriving harbour area, where mega yachts jostle for position with more diminutive vessels, the newly-renovated hotel is an impressive sight.
With the air of a grand Venetian residence, some of the whitewash stone exterior of the building dates back to the 13th Century.
As one of the hotel’s first set of guests after its overhaul, I and my partner had the run of the freshly minted building - including the open air restaurant, spa and indoor pool.
We had arrived at the Palace Elisabeth after travelling just over an hour on a catamaran from the city of Split, on the mainland, to Hvar.
I’d like to pretend that I’m well-seasoned in staying in five star accommodation, but three or four star is usually as good as it gets for me.
As a result I spent my first hour at the hotel shamelessly luxuriating in the huge, pillowy bed, devouring the posh fruit bowl, guzzling an expensive-looking bottled water and marvelling at the stunning scene of the harbour from our window – all very Merchant and Ivory ‘Room with a View’.
Room with a view from the Palace Elisabeth
Eventually we headed down to dinner where as well as being served a first class meal - as you might expect at a five star hotel - we got the chance to sample Croatian wine for the first time.
It turns out the Croatians are a wine-loving nation with hundreds of vineyards across the country.
The bottle we tried on this occasion was a red called Plavac Mali.
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That evening we discovered another Croatian obsession - olive oil - which we learnt is also produced in abundance and with a seriousness to rival neighbouring Italy.
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Hvar harbour
The first thing we noticed was just how clean the streets were.
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It certainly made walking around the sprawling piazza on the doorstep of our hotel more pleasurable.
On further exploration we noted there were still plenty of bars and beach clubs around for those who wanted to hit the island’s nightlife.
But we were equally struck by the Notting Hill-esque boutiques selling everything from handcrafted jewellery and bohemian fashions to quirky household décor for the more eclectic home.
Older holiday makers rubbed along with younger travellers through the winding streets of the bazaar-style shopping district.
Meanwhile, the many restaurants that line the narrow walkways appeared to have adopted the same boho-chic as the shops.
Fatty, whole legs of prosciutto ready to be carved and freshly caught fish displayed on ice for diners to peruse play testament to the foodie culture on the island.
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Of course it is now a more sanitised place than during its heyday as a Venetian stronghold and target for pirates, but many of its historic buildings still stand making it is easy to envisage the harbour in those bygone times.
One structure which is now being proudly shown off as a symbol of Hvar’s cultural past is the recently restored 15th Century theatre at its centre.
The stage and audience seating area are on the upper level of the two-storey building, with a cavernous shipyard on the ground floor – which is strangely fitting given the island’s maritime history.
It is said to be the oldest public theatre in Europe where fisherman once traded boxes of sardines in exchange for access to a private box from which to watch the performance.
The restoration took a lengthy 14 years, but the results are certainly worth it.
The now re-opened boxes are a cosy affair – clearly made for a theatre goers that were much slighter than those occupying them today - and dramatically decorated in red and gold wallpaper.
The lovingly restored 15th Century Hvar public theatre - the oldest in Europe
The ornately painted ceiling has been recreated with painstaking craftsmanship and is quite something to behold.
Most important of all, the actors are back on stage performing poetry and plays from when the theatre was a haven for Renaissance writers.
But not all our time in Croatia was spent as land lubbers.
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On arrival we found ourselves walking into genuine bohemia as we entered a bizarre yet wonderful homage to nature and art.
This somewhat mystical place was the botanical gardens created more than a century ago by the art-loving Meneghello family.
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One of the 'arresting' modern art installations at the Meneghello family botanic gardens in Palmizana
But once our overloaded senses calmed down we were able to marvel at our surroundings and explore the villas dotted around the gardens for visitors to stay in, each individually decorated with original artworks.
And this heady mix of natural beauty and art has proven a hit it seems, with A-list holidaymakers - ranging from Beyonce to Queen Rania of Jordan - making a beeline for the Meneghello’s botanic paradise.
The excellent food is another pull for visitors, as we found out when were served up a hearty fish stew made on an open fire using local ingredients at the family’s on-site restaurant.
Rather than staying on, as tempting as that was, we headed back to Hvar later that afternoon.
But before our trip ended we made a feeble attempt to do a little island hopping by heading to the nearby isle of Brac for two nights.
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Presidential suite at Villa Giardino
The official rating of the hotel may have been four star, but the service we received was most definitely five star.
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Our room at the top of the hotel was basically apartment-sized, including a balcony overlooking the lush grounds, our own dining area and a mammouth bathroom complete with two wash basins.
And each evening we were invited to join the other guests along with the hotel’s convivial owner for pre-dinner drinks laid on in the garden.
'Giardino O'Clock' - hotel staff lay on pre-dinner drinks for guests
Brac itself is not quite as well-developed or upmarket as Hvar, but it has its own charms.
Among the highlights are its beaches and we were not disappointed when we visited one of the most famous Zlatni Rat, also known as the Golden Horn owing to its distinctive pointed shape.
It is a pebble beach, which will not be to everyone’s liking, and can get crowded.
Zlatni Rat 'Golden Horn' beach on the island of Brac
But there is no denying it is an idyllic spot surrounded by pristinely clean sparkling waters, with plenty of amenities on-hand should you fancy a bite to eat, a beer or a cheeky ice cream.
Our other less expected high point of the trip was a visit to the local olive oil museum with our guide Zoran.
We were literally walked through the history of olive oil making on the island by one of the museum’s knowledgeable staff members – including trying our hand at operating the traditional equipment.
However, best of all at the finish of the tour we were treated to a feast of the oils still produced at the museum’s olive press, along with local cheeses, a delicious fig jam and freshly baked bread.
So our week-long ‘babymoon’ was at an end and if nothing else I proved that as a pregnant over-40 there is much more to be enjoyed on Croatia’s islands than simply partying until dawn.
Sanchez Manning was a guest at the Palace Elisabeth Heritage Hotel in Hvar http://www.suncanihvar.com/palace-elisabeth-hvar-heritage-hotel.html
She was also a guest at the Villa Giardino Heritage Boutique Hotel in Bol http://www.villagiardinobol.com/?lang=en