Split’s Radisson Blu Resort

Women are all too familiar with the concept of searching for “the one”—the quest for that person who will tick off all the checkboxes in an ever-evolving list of must-haves of the ideal man. I had one when I was 15, and the first line item said “Must be Ronan Keating”; I had to modify the list slightly as I got older.  But going back to my point: I had a similar checklist for my search for the ideal hotel for our stay in Split. It was a short but fairly demanding wish list of four items. Using Booking.com, I carried out the following search process:

Filter 1: Accommodations in Split, Croatia.
Result: 1,300 properties.

Filter 2: 4 & 5 stars as I wanted to treat myself with a little bit of luxury at the tail end of our trip.
Result: 270 properties.

Filter 3: With an outdoor pool so I can do waddle about under the sun – something I am not confident to do in open water.
Result: 21 properties.

Filter 4: Located by the beach as I wanted to stay away from the city centre to soak in the stunning sea views of Split’s coast.
Result: 1 property.

And “the one” property that met my checklist is Radisson Blu Resort Split: a four-star hotel with an immaculate outdoor pool, a private beach, and located right at the coast.

Radisson Blu’s immaculate outdoor pool easily checks off Criterion No. 3

I admit, I was a little hesitant at first—my usual feelings towards big chain hotels. But I could not have been happier with our stay.  Radisson Blu Resort Split delivered on all my expectations, and then some:

• Location: The hotel is right by the shore offering endless views of the Adriatic Sea—from our room’s huge balcony, from the sun deck, from the breakfast area, and from the hotel’s very own private beach.
• Service: The hotel staff was very helpful and happily gave us walking directions over and over again. The same friendly demeanor was also consistent at the hotel’s restaurants. During our first dinner at The Caper Grill, we transferred tables twice because the evening sea breeze was a little too chilly for me (cough, high maintenance, cough) and the restaurant staff happily helped us with not a single hint of grumble or moan (unlike my husband).
• Décor:  The hotel is modern—lots of geometric lines, primarily white, and save for a few splashes of bright colours, the décor is quite basic, in my opinion.  Perhaps it’s my personal preference for old and ornate styles, but I felt that the overall décor of the hotel can be better.  But if my hunch is right—that the simple furnishings of the hotel is intentional to not distract from the spectacular views of the Adriatic Sea seen through the big glass windows—then all is forgiven.
• And my top 5 favourites:
  • The breakfast area is quite special.  If you come early, you can get the corner-most seat/table of the breakfast terrace and have your morning coffee without taking your eyes off the beautiful blues of the Adriatic Sea.
  • Our room’s balcony was spacious and gave the best panoramic views of the waters and the changing colours of the sky from pastels at sunrise to deep hues at sunset.  .
  • The private beach is picture perfect.  To make things even better, the staff at Mistral Restaurant will take care of your every whim.  There’s a fee to reserve the cabana/bed  but all sun beds and are free of charge for all guests.
  • There are two pools in the property—a heated indoor pool with jacuzzi at the hotel’s spa, and an outdoor pool lined by palm trees.  Whichever you choose will surely leave you relaxed and refreshed.
  • The scenic walk to Old Town is easily accessible from the hotel.  Soaking in the views of Split’s coast as much as we did would not have been possible had we chosen to book at another hotel closer to Old Town.

Overall, our short stay at the Radisson Blu Resort played a key role in the amazing time we had in Split.  I cannot believe how lucky I am to have picked it amongst over a thousand other properties in the city; it truly was meant to be.

Clean lines and bright pops of colour at the hotel lobby

Our sun-drenched room

The spectacular sea view from our balcony

View of the Adriatic Sea from our balcony

The lovely breakfast area

Best seat in the house: Come early for breakfast and have your morning coffee on this chair at the corner of the terrace and enjoy every sip with this spectacular view

Shaded lounge area right off the private beach

Simply picture perfect

Easy access in and out of the sea from the hotel’s private beach

If you prefer the pebble beach, you can leave the deck and head here instead

Radisson Blu Resort Split · Put Trstenika 19, 21000, Split, Croatia · +385 (21) 30 30 30