April 30, 2026 – As the May holiday approaches and the season begins, major investment in Suncani Hvar’s Hotel Amfora and Sirena Resort bring additional quality to Croatia’s premier island.
When I bought my house on Hvar back in 2002, I had no idea it was such a beautiful and historic island. On the first day in my new home in Jelsa, I came across a map of the island by the sea, in which it listed 10 of the most beautiful islands in the world, including Hvar.
Over time, I realised just what a fantastic choice I had made (completely at random), and that this was an island that was truly special. Not only Croatia’s premier island, but also one with the oldest public theatre in Europe, the birthplace of organised tourism, and no island in the world had more UNESCO heritage.
But the hotels were terrible, 2 and 3 star, unloved for decades and used during the Homeland War to house refugees.
And then things started to change in 2006 with a major investment by Suncani Hvar Hotels, the largest employer on the island, as they started to bring the quality of the hotels in line with the quality of the destination. Two-star hotels became 4, and international recognition followed. And then, in 2019, the first 5-star heritage hotel on a Dalmatian island, with the revamp of Palace Elisabeth, hvar heritage hotel, on the very spot where the first health tourism hotel had stood 120 years before.
As season 2026 commences, the investment continues, just as the fortunes of Hvar are once more on the rise. Hvar Town has successfully shed its party image, with a focus now more on young couples, families, cultural and active tourism. The Americans are the number one visitors and spenders, a trend which is set to continue as the first direct flight from New York to Split touches down today.
I have watched the rejuvenation of Suncani Hvar Hotels since those depressing days in the early 2000s, and the investment has been constant. Probably the most spectacular of all the renovations has been Hotel Amfora Grand Beach Resort, the largest in the portfolio, a popular family hotel in a beautiful bay just outside the town, with its cascading pools. And, as the hotel blog explains, there will be a new look for Hotel Amfora in 2006,
As previously written, the big upgrade this year is the transformation of the previously 2-star Hotel Sirena, set in an idyllic bay north of the town, to the spectacular Sirena Resort. The new 4-star resort is effectively a brand new hotel in the luxury Hvar portfolio, and is set to open on July 1. You can learn more about Sirena Resort on the official blog. For more details about Suncani Hvar Hotels and special offers, click here.
Just one more invest and upgrade in Croatia’s premier island, which is very much heading back to its golden era of tourism.
