This summer has thankfully seen the welcome return of overseas travel for us, as a family. We have just returned from a last minute week at one of the most beautiful luxury Croatia villa with a pool that we’ve seen. Casa Iria in Istria, Croatia, provided the perfect back drop for our family holiday and we wanted to tell everyone about it.
For a completely different experience, we also stayed at a beautiful penthouse apartment near Split, perfect for a peaceful countryside escape.
This 4 bedroom villa has recently been listed on Air B&B after being renovated over the summer and is one of the loveliest holiday homes we’ve ever stayed in. We were only the second people to rent the villa, which meant that there were no previous reviews for us to go off. I have no doubt that this will become a really popular place though – We had the most comfortable stay and one of the best villa holidays we’ve ever been on.
About Casa Iria: Private Croatia Villa with pool
This is an incredibly clean modern Croatia villa with private pool. Super well-stocked – There are absolutely tons of different types of glassware, crockery, cooking utensils. Seriously, Erica (The Air B&B host) has put so much thought into this place. There are mosquito plugins for those midgies on summer nights, citronella candles, a plentiful supply of toilet rolls, cleaning equipment, bed linen is supplied and loads of towels for the bathrooms and the outdoor pool.
Of the 4 bedrooms in this beautiful villa, two have en-suites plus another main bathroom and downstairs bathroom. There is also a utility room for doing your laundry if you so wish.
As well as a really spacious living area, there are several dining area spaces – A large table to seat up to 8 indoors and another outdoor dining area on the large terrace. There is a fully equipped kitchen inside and a gas and brick BBQ available to use outdoors.
Each bedroom has air conditioning and a flat-screen TV with access to several channels and Netflix.
Does the villa have wi-fi?
Yes – the owners have installed 2 different wi-fi connections – One for the main villa and one for the pool area, which made it the dream holiday for our girls. The master bedroom sometimes struggled to pick up a strong wi-fi signal but the rest of the villa had no problem.
Is this villa suitable for family holiday home?
Definitely, yes – especially for a large family! There are 4 double bedrooms with one being on the ground floor. This really is one of the most fantastic villas we’ve been to – perfect for families looking for a spacious villa with plenty of space.
You would need to be able to use steps so not completely suitable for people with disabilities – There are steps to access the actual villa and swimming pool.
This villa would maybe not be suitable for toddlers who are on the move. The flooring (although beautiful tiled floor) can be quite slippy when wet – Tiny babies can be catered for though. The owner offered the use of baby equipment and travel cots etc.
Alternatively, this private villa would be the perfect villa for couples holidays.
Does Casa Iria have a pool?
Yes, it is an outside private pool just for residents at the villa. The panoramic sea views of the adriatic sea coastline are the major wow of this villa – just incredible.
There are plenty of reclining sun loungers (the beauty of your own pool means no reserving towels needed!), parasols plus other small seating areas for relaxing in the beautiful garden.
There is an outdoor hot and cold shower to use too. The pool is 135cm deep from around 1/3 onwards with steps to enter. Great for families but maybe too deep for nervous small non-swimmers.
The villa owners come to clean the pool twice a week and ask if residents please clean out the filter and remove leaves from the pool – This is a one minute job!
Are Air BnB hosts friendly?
Erica and her parents are just lovely. When you book, Erica sends the best messages, offering advice on excursions, wine tasting, and places to eat. On arrival you will be greeted by the best smile and such a warm welcome.
Arrival at the villa is from 4pm but we were allowed early access as our flight arrived in the morning.
Which Croatian airport is best for the villa?
We flew into Pula airport from Heathrow. Pula is a tiny airport but super efficient and we were through baggage claim and customs within 15 minutes.
There are 4 different car hire companies at Pula airport and plenty of taxi companies waiting if you decide to use those instead.
Transfer time to the villa is approx. 40 minutes where you will see some of the wonderful Croatian scenery.
Where is the nearest village to Casa Iria?
The nearest village is approximately 20 minutes walk away. We felt like the surrounding areas are starting to have a buzz like regeneration is happening but for now there is just one small restuarant within walking distance. A visit to the sea with the crystal clear water is a must though – So calming.
Nearby Labin (about 20 minutes drive away) has many wonderful buildings to visit and a great selection of restaurants (In fact, we went to one restaurant 3 times after seeing it described as selling Croatia’s best pizzas).
Do you need a car to get around Istria?
Yes, we found that car hire was necessary. We hired ours from Pula airport. I would say you need someone who is a fairly confident driver as although the scenery round the area is simply stunning, some of the hills and sheer drops on the side of the road are frankly terrifying! Jen at The Madhouse has a game suggestion for while you are travelling with kids.
Also to be considered is the drink drive limit is basically zero. Not a problem for us as Mr C is not really a drinker but could be an issue if your designated driver fancied a glass of wine with their evening meal if you were eating out.
Why Croatia?
We were very last minute in searching for a holiday and knew we wanted Europe on a particular date, as work and school commitments left us quite limited. We have previously visited beautiful Croatia in one of the best villas we have stayed in so knew that the country, cuisine and people suit us. I’ve heard of loads of people travelling to Croatia this summer, the warm Mediterranean climate, and natural beauty are making this one the most popular destinations for small family holidays or large families to visit.
What is the food like in Croatia?
There is so much good food to be had in Croatia. With you being so close to Italy, you have a great choice of pizza and pasta dishes with plenty of seafood and fish restaurants to choose from too. With such a well-equipped kitchen in this great villa though, you would not need to eat out every night if you did not want to. Prices range between 55 Euros to 120 Euros for a family of 5. Pizzas are the cheapest.
The nearest supermarket (Lidl) was19 minutes away and well-stocked, with similar prices to home.
When is the best time of year to visit Croatia?
Does get cold in winter – occasional days of between 1-5C.
During high season in June & July it can get extremely hot. We were lucky when we previously visited Croatia in June that it was bearable but I believe the past 2 summers have been energy zapping. The weather was just changing to be cooler at the end of August when we were there. We had temperatures between 22C and 32C with the odd short-lived thunderstorm but mainly full sunshine and wonderfully warm.
What is Croatia tourism famous for?
Lavender
Olive Oil
Labin (mentioned above) has a selection of touristy shops where you can buy gifts or if you want somewhere slightly busier and more touristy, there is Opatija which is around 1 hour drive away. To get there from Istria, you will drive the most scenic route by the coast – This is said to be like being in California. Its absolutely mind-blowingly beautiful but quite frankly, terrifying if you don’t like heights!
Are there creepy crawlies in Croatia?
Nt that we have seen! (Please don’t tell me any different). This is why I will keep coming back. We avoid The Canaries and Balearics, although wonderful islands for this reason.
How clean is Croatia?
Very. All of the restaurants’ toilets and kitchens that we have seen are spotless (unlike Rome where we visited two weeks earlier).
What we paid for 1 week in August 2022 for 3 adults, 1 teen & 1 child (Booked 6 days before flying):
- AirBnB £1600
- Flights from Heathrow to Pula £1400
- Airport Parking £120
- Car Hire (Sixt) £350 approx (We paid for additional insurance and a car upgrade)
For more travel posts, you might enjoy:
Motherhood Diaries also includes Croatia in her list of the best European Summer Holiday Destinations.
That really is such a beautiful villa and how lucky were you, the second group in! 🙂 The pool is AMAZING! What a fab size and the weather too… arggggh! I so want to be there right now.
I am impressed with the price! I haven’t used AirBnB before but it’s great to read that you had a really positive experience and the host sounds lovely and helpful!
So glad you had a great time, Croatia is definitely on my bucket list but will have to wait until next year now… the winter’s sound cold over there! :/ Sim x
We were soooo lucky! The price was really good especially for August and the quality of the villa. We really like AirBnB. Get to Croatia – you will adore it! x
That looks like such a lovely AirBnB! We always try to look for ones with pool access, a washer/dryer, and lots of room to spread out since we often travel as a group of 6.