Tui Blue Makarska - Adults Only

Our first visit to a TUI Blue Hotel (Adults Only) and Croatia. Very impressed by both. The beach hotel, it’s facilities, its friendly & helpful staff and international clientele make this an elegant and charming holiday. we’ve had a great holiday. Very much recommended and looking forward to returning next year maybe later in season (see later about pools) Our TUI package holiday flew us into Split Airport – small but spacious, efficient & stress free . The TUI transfer to the hotel was very good and gave us a scenic tour of the stunningly beautiful Dalmatian Coast. Whilst it’s a 2hr journey we don’t feel enough time would be saved to warrant an expensive private taxi transfer. We had messaged TUI Blue ahead of the holiday to seek an upgrade on our Standard Room to a Sea view room. Whilst they deferred this until our arrival the reception staff were fully aware and immediately offered a free upgrade to a side Seaview. We chose to purchase a full Seaview upgrade (Room 307) and thoroughly enjoyed the stunning views over the Adriatic Sea to the nearby island of Hvar from our private patio. Always something interesting to watch and the soothing noise of the waves gently lapping the beach below our bedroom was sublime. Room was perfectly functional. Freshly decorated and bed and shower were especially good. Our week in the middle of May was still early in their season : • Weather was very largely sunny and dry throughout with temperatures peaking daily in the low 20’s centigrade. No rain. • We were told the hotel has a capacity of about 350 guests and was just 40% full. But staff still on their game . We liked it being quiet. • Importantly Both pools were too cold to use – TUI adverts suggest one is heated! Took score from 5/5 to 4/5! • Igraine was very quiet and charming but already had 5 restaurants open with prices to suit all wallets. Souvenir shops opened during the week. The Studenac (Super) Market is excellent especially the fresh bread. • We used The narrow public beach outside the hotel a lot (free of charge). It was great and popular but we never struggled to find space. The sea was also very cold. . Beach shoes are a must due to stones! • I’d read that the a hotels la carte restaurant (Culinarium) was open last year for dinner but now closes at 6pm, although we only used for a light lunch. Food is important to our holidays and we were looking forward to the much complimented local fish and seafood. We’ve had mixed experiences of TUI hotel buffet dinners so chose to go B&B . The hotel buffet breakfasts and snack lunches were good in quality and offering . The hotel buffet dinner is available everyday at €28pp although we didn’t try it. As planned we enjoyed the Igraine restaurants, particularly SKIF, Ante and Excalibur Snack Bar (the name undersells its qualities) – see separate reviews. The Café Dona, ice cream parlour & café is also great. Everywhere portion sizes were very generous and quality high. Hotel

We arrived at Split airport and even though the minbus transfer was rather long, the views were incredible. Hotel is in the sleepy town of Igrane, which is south of the more lively Makarska. Hotel was superb. We stayed in a quiet bungalow type of accommodation at the end of the complex (above the quiet area of the infinity pool, which we preferred more than the main pool). Huge selection of food at breakfast and dinner, which we couldn’t fault. Water dispenser was available at breakfast but not with dinner, so had to pay for bottled water. This was only downside and as a non alcohol drinker, think it should have been made available each meal time. Really friendly & helpful staff and a great Tui rep, who recommended a great boat trip to Brac island (this place was beautiful)! We hired a car for a couple of days and drove to Dubrovnik. Long drive but again, stunning views and the old town of Dubrovnik and the GofT tour is a must. Will definitely return to Croatia as we’d love to explore Split and the region north of the county.

This is our 5th TUI Blue adults only hotel in a row because we enjoy the convenience of a package holiday plus fitness classes and have come to trust TUI over the years. This hotel is truly unique, built into the side of the mountains which overlook the beautiful Igrane Bay. Mature trees provide natural shade and the sunset views looking out to Hvar from the beach are breathtaking. We were not lucky enough to see the dolphins that play in the waters just beyond the boundary nets in the mornings but we did enjoy looking at the many different varieties of fish when we swam in the sea in the early morning. The location and views from the fitness platform are really motivational, naturally air conditioned by the sea breeze. Sunset yoga here is a must. All the staff speak several languages and are helpful without being intrusive. Pablo the fitness instructor is exceptional whether taking the aqua aerobics in the pool, teaching salsa or Pilates up on the fitness platform. There is a good range of live music across the week performed by excellent musicians . Housekeeping was timely and thorough and we were happy with our top floor room and its view of the mountains and the church tower. We did not experience any of the TUI led quizzes or bingo but I am sure they were of a high standard. The olive oil tasting was very informative and the pictures produced at the sip and paint sessions were great. An unexpected bonus was the games room complete with football table, darts, table tennis and pool, all free. They were rarely busy and we enjoyed several games every day. We preferred the main pool to the infinity and never experienced any difficulty getting a lounger, even in the afternoon. The infinity pool area transforms into a cinema on Saturdays. The resort is small but incredibly charming and still a good range of restaurants and bars. There was also a couple of local celebrations including a summer fiesta and a King Arthur night (legend has it Excalibur is buried in Igrane). We took the shuttle for an evening in Makarska which we enjoyed - it provides a very loud and “party” contrast to the serenity of Igrane. Popular with backpackers and island hoppers. We also used the local buses - Arriva and Flixbus to travel to Makarska and Split. Be prepared for heavy traffic on the roads however you travel and allow lots of time. A truly reinvigorating break due to the perfect Croatian location, delicious and fresh food, and the peace and calm of this undeveloped resort. It is true there are lots of stairs to access this charming and quaint hotel and an equally steep hill up to the church and back to the hotel. But the views, the many birds and fish, and the jawdropping sunsets are worth every step. If you are looking to get away from it all, but in comfort, and style, this is the place.

This was our second visit to Croatia and the comparison to our first visit, to Rovinj was inevitable. The hotel calls itself TUI Blue Makarska but it isn’t, it’s at Igrane, a small village which, although charming, has few facilities. Makarska is a, generally, 30 minute ride away. We had arranged, through the hotel, a private transfer from Split airport and our driver was a mine of information and very proud of his country, with good reason. The countryside is spectacular! We arrived at the hotel about 1.0pm local and were able to check in immediately after being warmly welcomed with a pleasant, alcohol-free cocktail. We were shown to our room which appeared well equipped and had a balcony overlooking the shore. As we gradually settled in, over the next few days, we found several irritants though. The air conditioning is set to a minimum temperature of 24C which was a bit warm and the fridge, likewise, did a good job of keeping drinks tepid at best. Exploring further, as the hotel is built on multiple half-floors, there are stairs everywhere, including 49 steps down to the swimming pool from the bottom floor of the elevator, it’s not really suitable for anyone with mobility problems. On the subject of the swimming pool, there are the usual sun loungers but unlike our previous hotel, there is no provision for the staff to hand out parasols, it’s just a free for all and as the parasols are not large enough for the usual 1/pair of sun loungers, there aren’t enough to go around and they’re generally of poor quality. There are signs stating that towels will be removed from sun beds unoccupied for more than an hour but this isn’t observed at all and was a continued source of frustration for many guests. Two of the pool staff were rather more interactive with guests , particularly the Brazilian aqua aerobics instructor who was outstanding daily however others were happy to remain behind the pool bar all day. This though was an attitude not shared by other hotel staff who were most welcoming and helpful. Well done! We had taken the breakfast-only option and these meals were most enjoyable with a large variety of foodstuffs on offer, either freshly cooked or chosen from a selection of buffets. We found that we had several evening meals at the hotel as well as there were not too many restaurants to choose from in the small village. Evening meals were generally good as well with plenty of choice and this was followed most evenings by live entertainment. In summary then, the hotel benefits from the quality of its staff but is let down by the fabric of the building which can only be described as “tired”. We signed up for two TUI excursions. The first was described as a Morning Shuttle Bus to Makarska but in the event, as there were only two couples, a taxi minibus was provided. The other couple sat in the first row of seats behind the driver and we were in the rear. The driver spoke only Croat and he appeared to be attempting to explain something about the

Hotel as expected for a 4 star. No complaints. Staff very helpful. Food great. Unfortunately we were quite down beat after renting a lovely sea view with a balcony 2 cars could park on we are reliably informed that no loungers are available to use on balcony. We are celebrating our 1 year anniversary (2nd time round!) and looking forward to some lovely evening looking out on the sea view which granted is fantastic. We were told the manager refused our request. Very very disappointed

We flew out of Manchester on the early flight to Split with the intention of an early arrival at the Hotel in time to catch some lunch and afternoon sun. Upon arrival it soon became apparent that at least 15 passengers had not received luggage. No Tui Rep in the arrivals terminal to approach and only a transport coordinator to be found at the main exit who when informed of the unfolding drama inside the terminal offers no help or advise and merely proceeded to ring the drivers to say passengers would be late. Arrival at the hotel and the situation got worse with a three hour wait for the Rep (Lara) to arrive who then advised us to take a 20 minute drive into the nearest town and purchase a few days essentials and full reimbursement would be forthcoming as we only had the clothes we were standing in. No offer to accompany us or arrange transport all had to be organised by myself. For three days we received no updates on luggage no support help or advise and relied on using the app to communicate with TUi UK as the in resort Rep was not interested. This is no reflection on the resort staff who work tirelessly only to be let down by the rep only interested in selling trips and excursions. The hotel is in need of some maintenance especially the infinity pool which daily had green slime on the entrance steps with tiles missing and sharp concrete showing. Also the room we had the doorway is half blocked by a wardrobe so larger people may struggle to get into the room. There was black mould spots on the bathroom shower wall grout and I don't think the ledge above the bed has been dusted in months as it was thick in dust. TUi advertise "Discover the perfect blend of relaxation and top-class service with our TUI BLUE holidays" This hotel offers scenic views and a small port village next door but apart from that it's far from a 4 star experience. The staff are all wanting to help and can't do enough for you but are being let down. Without them our week would have been a total disaster.