RADISSON BLU SPLIT REVIEW: WHY I WAS LEFT DISAPPOINTED!

This is a Radisson Blu Split review for anyone planning to stay here during the summer. We had a chance to visit it this April so this is my honest experience and personal opinion of the hotel!

Radisson Blu is one of the most popular hotels in the Split area, with an impressive rating of around 4.7 on Google reviews. We decided to stay here while passing through Split in April, and naturally, we had pretty high expectations because of all the positive feedback.

However, our experience didn’t quite match those expectations, and we ended up feeling a bit disappointed. If you want to find out what the hotel is actually like, what didn’t live up to the hype, and whether I’d recommend staying here, keep reading!

HOTEL OVERVIEW & AMENITIES

Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Split is a modern, luxurious hotel located right by the sea in Split. It’s about a 40-minute walk from the old town, so you can either take a car or enjoy a longer walk to reach the city centre.

The hotel has around 250 rooms and suites, and one of its main highlights is the spa. You’ll find indoor and outdoor pools, a gym, and a private beach area. There are also several restaurants serving both local and international dishes.

It’s a hotel that works for different types of travellers, whether you’re visiting as a couple, with family, or even for business. Overall, it feels like a mix between a beach resort and a city hotel.

That said, it is quite pricey. Even in the off-season, rates are high, and during summer you can expect prices anywhere from around €300 up to €1000 per night. Is it worth that price though?

CHECK-IN

Our check-in at Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Split went smoothly. The lobby looks absolutely incredible and really gives you that luxury hotel feeling right away. It was a bit crowded since there was a big conference happening that weekend, but we only waited a few minutes, so it wasn’t a big issue.

However, we did get an unfortunate surprise when we found out that parking costs €20 per day. We’ve stayed in a lot of hotels across Croatia, and this is the highest we’ve ever had to pay for parking on top of an already expensive room.

I even checked afterward on Booking.com, and even if you book a room for around €1000 per night, parking still isn’t included, which honestly feels quite unreasonable and a bit surprising for a hotel at this level. On the positive side, the reception staff were quick, professional, and very kind, which definitely left a good first impression.

THE ROOM

Now, here’s where things got a bit disappointing. We had read a few reviews mentioning that the rooms felt outdated, but there were far more praising the hotel, so we weren’t quite sure what to expect.

We booked a Superior Room with a city view and balcony and were assigned room 420. The room is spacious, but the layout really doesn’t make much sense and ends up feeling more frustrating than comfortable. The bed is placed right in the middle of the room, and the nightstands on both sides significantly reduce the space you have to move around.

The bathroom is positioned behind the bed, and from one side, you can’t even access it directly because the nightstand blocks the way, so you have to walk all the way around the bed every time. It might sound like a small detail, but in a room of this size, a different layout would make it feel much more open and genuinely luxurious.

The bathroom, unfortunately, was the biggest issue. While it’s spacious and nicely designed overall, aside from the glass doors which feel a bit unnecessary, the ceiling was in very poor condition. It was visibly stained and discoloured, likely from water damage, and it honestly didn’t match the standard you’d expect from a hotel like Radisson Blu. It’s the kind of detail that’s hard to ignore, and it’s surprising that a room in that condition would still be assigned to guests.

We did really enjoy the big and beautiful balcony overlooking the pool and the sea. From what I’ve seen in other photos, some rooms do look beautiful, but our experience was quite disappointing, especially considering we paid €180 per night in the off-season.

THE RESTAURANTS

Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Split has two main restaurants, The Fig Leaf and Triton. We had breakfast at The Fig Leaf and it was excellent. There’s a great variety of food, and they also have live cooking stations where you can get things like omelettes or pancakes made fresh in front of you. There’s more than enough choice, and breakfast was definitely one of the highlights of our stay.

From what I’ve seen online, The Fig Leaf also offers buffet-style dinners, but that wasn’t available during our visit.

Triton was also closed at the time, and the reception staff only suggested the Mint Bar as an option for dinner. Since we were in Split, we decided to head into the old town instead and eat at one of the local restaurants rather than dine at a hotel bar.

Overall, we didn’t get to try much of the hotel’s food offering beyond breakfast, which we really enjoyed. The pool bar and beach club were also not open during our stay.

SPA AND WELLNESS

We also spent a morning enjoying the spa at the hotel, and it was genuinely lovely. The space is large, modern, and feels properly luxurious, with plenty of facilities to enjoy.

There’s a smaller gym available, and they also offer group training sessions if you feel like joining a class. The spa includes several types of saunas, a cold plunge, an indoor pool, and two whirlpools.

We especially enjoyed the whirlpools, although it was a bit odd that only one seemed to be working at a time. When it’s on, it’s great, but once it stops, you’re essentially just sitting in warm water while the other one is active. It would make much more sense if guests could control them themselves.

There are also additional treatments available, like massages and facials, but those come at an extra cost.

BEACH ACCESS

Radisson Blu is in a great location if the beach is your main priority. It sits right above Znjan Beach, which has recently been renovated and offers a whole complex of beaches, bars, and restaurants. It’s also a really nice area if you enjoy running, cycling, or just staying active during your holiday.

That said, getting to the beach isn’t the easiest, and coming back up is even more challenging. The only way down is via quite a few stairs, which might not be ideal for older guests or anyone with limited mobility. Even if you’re fine with stairs, it’s not something you’ll want to do multiple times a day.

So while the hotel is technically beachfront, it doesn’t quite offer that easy, direct beach access you might expect.

WHAT TO DO THERE

The hotel is conveniently located on Znjan Beach, so you can easily spend plenty of time by the sea and enjoy a proper beach-focused holiday.

The hotel does offer excursions to nearby islands and national parks, but you can usually organise and book those yourself for a better price. For everything else, you’ll need to walk a bit or take an Uber to reach Split old town.

Once you’re there, there’s a lot to do, from exploring historic landmarks and attractions, to trying local restaurants, going island hopping, or joining boat trips. If you’re looking for inspiration, here’s my list of the 16 best things to do in Split!

MY HONEST FINAL RADISSON BLU SPLIT REVIEW

Due to the amazing reviews, I had really high expectations of Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Split, which unfortunately weren’t fully met. While I wouldn’t say this is a bad hotel by any means, I don’t think the value for money is the best.

At around €200 per night, I didn’t feel like the experience matched the price, and I know I would have been quite disappointed if I had paid €400, €500, or even €600 for the same room. I also found the location a bit inconvenient for a longer stay, since it’s quite far from Split old town. Walking there and back every day takes around 40 minutes, so you often end up relying on Uber, which adds extra cost when you could stay closer for a similar price.

The beach access is also not very convenient. If you’re not fully mobile or comfortable with stairs, getting down to and back from Znjan Beach can be quite tiring and, for some guests, potentially difficult.

On the positive side, I really enjoyed the breakfast and the spa, and the staff were consistently friendly and helpful. However, I’m not sure I would return, as I think there are better value options available closer to the old town for the same price range.