Hotel Belvedere is the first hotel where we have been so unhappy with the hotel, the service, and the city that we decided to check out five days early (and lose money in the process) than endure any more days there. We found a lovely hotel in Porec -- only about 20 percent more expensive than Belvedere-- and had truly amazing days there. We strongly advice not to go to Medulin but, if you must, by all means avoid Hotel Belvedere

The hotel is a large dull-looking building that does not look like it has received any major repairs since its construction 30 (or 40?) years ago. The two rooms we stayed in were the smallest hotel rooms we have ever seen, the mattresses uncomfortable, and in both rooms were we unable to get a double bed. There was a large fresh mold stain in the ceiling of the room and a permanent bad smell. The only decoration at the hotel is a large picture of a Las Vegas (from 1970) and fake plastic plants. The beach front cafe seems to be newly installed (and looks great on the photos on the website) but the couches are impossible to use because of the reek of cat urine.

The service was horrific. At the check-in counter, the guy simply shrugged when we explained that we had asked for a double bed, not separate beds. On day three when we asked if it would be possible to move a double mattress into our room given we still had not gotten a room with a double bed, we were laughed at and told "no, we don't do that at this hotel". And be prepared to be yelled at by the staff in the dining room for taking a seat at a table which they haven't set yet!

While in Medulin, we spent some time looking at the other hotels in the city and decided that Medulin is probably great if you don’t mind being yelled at by your hotel staff, if you are into concrete beach fronts, plastic chairs and tables, and loud music blasting from 9am to 11pm with animators trying to get a handful of the largest hotel guests to do a little exercise in the pool. As mentioned above, we decided not to waste more of our vacation at Hotel Belvedere (and in Medulin) and, instead, took a bus 90 minutes north to Porec. There, we found an incredible hotel (albeit 20 percent or so more expensive), a much nicer beach and a truly romantic city with lots of nice restaurants and nightlife.

-A complete disaster! Awful headache! 24hr without sleep. Bum is like a chair at the airport. Long sitting in the hotel lobby, waiting for check in-they do it at 2 p.m. And I came here at 10 a.m. I want a shower, want to sleep- I had to wait sitting here. I’m shattered. We are lucky. At 1 o’clock we are in the room. What a room??? A tiny room without bath gel, without teapot, but with a balcony. Under this balcony the group of animators are chattering very loudly, smoking. And I must hear it. Damn hotel. When I went walking I turned left. Oh! No beach, only rocky stones, dirty weeds, awful smell. No emotions. One cool thing is that I have bought swimshoes =40kn. And the second good thing is a dinner. Various dishes, a watermelon and melon, but tea was terrible and very expensive – 10kn for a cup.
- Slept nicely. But those loud animators! Nice breakfast! Aqua – aerobic with those loud animators- was funny. Go on excursion through Medulin, find different little shops, café, posta. Drink cocktail – mish-mash (a wine cocktail as appeared)=15 kn. Buy peaches-25kn=tasty, strawberry-20kn a tiny plastic box-too expensive=sour. I find out that in the centre of the city I could buy swim shoes for 35kn. Life is returning to normal. In the evening dance school was awful and was no disco at al. Those lazy animators!!!
- Aqua-aerobic is nice today. Breakfast is the same as yesterday. That’s a pity. Today is my visit to Pula. Ticket is 15kn. It takes me 40 min to get there. The first sight is Arena (ticket 40kn). It’s a really stunning roman ruin like in Rome. How amazing you are in Croatia but it’s seems you are in Italy. By the way there is the cheapest map of Pula. (20kn). All famous sights are very close to each other in the centre of the city. I buy some souvenirs and drink coffee and eat ice-cream . My trip costs 52euro.
- At last we find real sea!!! Not a lake with salt water near the hotel. Every day I turn to the right and swim near the hotel. Today I decide to turn to the left. I walk for 25min along the shore. And find out camp Kazela. And the real sea with nice waves, scuba diving and surf station. It was a real pleasure.
- Breakfast is the same. The second visit to Pula. I’d like shopping. Wow! Shopping is awful! Perhaps I can’t find normal shops? But where I was there was nothing smart and special. Coffee in Giardini street was tasty. A special dinner in the hotel – folklore dances and songs. The local dry wine at a discount. Every dinner is full of local traditional dishes, so you can taste everything at the hotel and don’t spend much money outside. Aerobics is cool and active at last.
- Today is sea on my program. 25 min walk and I find out clean, sparkling sea with cliffs and white pebble. You can watch seabed clearly and see everything on the bottom. It’s so clear. Next to this place is nudo beach. The fence separates both territories.
- There are no pavements. It's not convenient of course. You must be careful when you are walking along the street. They drive too fast through narrow street. In the hotel there are a lot of children! If you want peace and quiet you must get up early in the morning in order to eat without screaming and noise and you should have earplug at night. I’m lucky I have earplug with me. And my neighbor save herself with Disaronno. (you can buy it in duty free). Why? There are no children around my room but my neighbours are those noisy annoying animators. They giggle and cackle and chatter loudly the whole day and after 12p.m. When do they work? I advise you not to take room 1054 in hotel Belvedere, if you want peace and quiet. Sometimes there are mosquitoes buzzing.
A very big plus of this hotel is free wi-fi in the lobby. Shallow sea for kids. You can walk along the sea for 30 meters and it is knee-deep.
- I try scampi buzara (130-140kn) and grilled squid(50-60kn). As for me I don’t like it. Scampi is very spicy with a lot of onion and difficulty to eat. Squid is greasy. I think pizza (28-60kn) is the tastiest. I adore kava so slagom (10kn, coffee with cream) and different ice-cream (5kn each scoop).
- There is a large variety of excursions by boat supplied by tourist agencies and hotels on reception. They include panorama view, lunch on a boat, 2hr stops in different towns and transfer. My excursion was Medulin-Pula-Vrsar-Lim Fiord-Rovign –Medulin for 280 kn. It was interesting, with a guide, hot weather and a lot of noise on board the ship, different languages were spoken around me. Igor boot excursion in Medulin is much better than Awa excursion.
The rooms in the hotel are not big, but you mustn’t expect any space because of 3 stars. So there is soap in a bathroom, shower cabin, condition, TV set, fen, change of towels not every day. Breakfast is the same every day but you can vary your menu (yoghurt, sausages,omelet,cheese, croissant, cakes,eggs), dinner is rich including traditional dishes. (roast chicken, pasta, meat, fish, potatoe, salads, mussels, fruits and cakes, the bad thing is you must pay for drinks during dinner). The stuff is helpful.
It’ s not far from the city center. The beaches are different from shallow to deep. The bottom is pebble. It's ideal for family with children.Not for young couples.
There are a lot of Italians, then come German and Russians.

Poor infrastructure, Smaller rooms, bad smell, no separate non-smoking rooms.

Booked 3 double rooms with sea view, but was not as said. Couldn't stay for more than one night.

Good standart hotel. I was there 9 days with my family. Small rooms but with new furniture, not very clean lining but room clean up day by day. Nice swiming pool. A lot of food and good. Big parking place. Belvedere is not luxurious but OK.