HOTEL MOLINDRIO PLAVA LAGUNA REVIEW: IS IT WORTH IT?

If you’re looking for a Hotel Molindrio Plava Laguna review, this is the post for you!

We recently stayed at this hotel near Porec while exploring Istria for the weekend. We paid for the stay ourselves and this is a completely honest review of one of the more popular resort-style hotels in Istria.

The hotel is located in Zelena Laguna, about 8 minutes by car from Porec town centre. It’s in a peaceful, green area right by the sea. It’s part of the Plava Laguna hotel chain, and there are several of their hotels nearby, so it can feel quite lively during the summer.

We stayed at Hotel Molindrio Plava Laguna in April, during the shoulder season. It was quite affordable for us, but let’s go through everything to see if it’s actually worth booking during summer season!

CHECK-IN

Check-in was very easy for us. There were no crowds, and we finished everything in less than 5 minutes. Of course, I can’t guarantee it will be the same in summer when the hotel is much busier, but we had a great experience. The receptionist was very polite, and since parking was included in our stay, we received a parking card to place in the car. We also had a few questions later on, and the staff answered everything quickly and without any issues.

THE HOTEL AND ITS AMENITIES

The hotel itself is quite large, with over 260 rooms and plenty of amenities. The most popular ones are the two pools. In summer, both are outdoor pools, but during the shoulder season (when we visited), one is covered and heated, so it works as an indoor pool.

In summer, you can also enjoy the sea, which is just a minute away since the hotel is right on the beachfront. The beaches aren’t the best, but that’s pretty common in Istria. You’ll mostly find pebble beaches and paved or concrete areas. Luckily, loungers are included in the price, both by the pool and at the beach, along with pool and beach towels.

The hotel has both buffet and à la carte restaurants, as well as different sports and kids’ activities, so it’s a good option if you’re traveling with children. There’s also a spa and wellness area. Overall, there are some great amenities, and you definitely won’t be bored during your stay!

THE ROOMS

There are a lot of rooms in this hotel, with different options to choose from when booking. We went for a premium room with a balcony and sea view, but you can also choose between economy, classic, superior, premium, and suite rooms.

Our premium room had a large bed, a TV, a big vanity desk with a mirror, a closet, and an armchair with a small table. It wasn’t very big, but it was comfortable. The bathroom was great, with a shower/bath and lots of natural light from the big windows. The best part was definitely the balcony because it was spacious and had amazing sea views.

We really enjoyed our stay. The room was comfortable and we slept well, though I do have to mention we had two connected twin beds instead of one king bed, so the gap between the mattresses was a bit annoying. Overall, the room was clean and comfortable, but you can see some signs of wear, so it could use a bit of an upgrade. We paid just under €130 for the premium room with half board, so honestly, no complaints!

THE RESTAURANTS

The hotel has two restaurants – the main buffet restaurant and the à la carte restaurant Molin. Since we didn’t stay long, we didn’t get a chance to try Molin, but we had half-board, so we had both dinner and breakfast at the buffet.

Overall, the food was good, but the selection wasn’t very big, and at times it wasn’t as warm as it should have been. Some parts of the meal were a bit cold, which was a bit disappointing. We liked breakfast slightly more, mostly because we tend to eat the same things and those options were available, but again, the choice was a bit limited. Maybe there’s more options during the summer season.

That said, we might be a bit spoiled when it comes to buffets since we cruise a lot and those are on a completely different level. This one just felt a bit limited in comparison. I would still eat there again, the food was tasty, but I’d probably go right when dinner starts to make sure everything is fresh and warm.

SPA AND WELLNESS

The hotel has its own spa and wellness area, and what’s great is that it’s included in the price. That means you can use the jacuzzi, Finnish and Turkish saunas, gym, and relaxation areas for free. They also offer treatments and massages for an extra charge.

The downside is that it’s quite small and only fits around 14 people, which can be an issue for a hotel with 260 rooms. When we went, we had it all to ourselves, which was amazing, but it was April, so it wasn’t as busy as in summer. If you’re planning to visit, just keep in mind that the spa might not always be available.

WHAT TO DO THERE?

Besides enjoying the hotel amenities, there are so many great things to do around Porec and in Istria in general.

Some things I’d highly recommend:

• Explore Porec Old Town
• Visit Rovinj
• Visit Aquacolors Water Park nearby or Istralandia Water Park, about 30 minutes away
• If you’re traveling with kids, check out Dinopark nearby
• If you have a car, explore the small towns of Groznjan and Motovun

MY FINAL HOTEL MOLINDRIO PLAVA LAGUNA REVIEW

Overall, the hotel isn’t bad, but it’s nothing too special either. If you’re looking for something simple that fits your budget, it’s a good option. But if you want a more luxurious stay with amazing food and great beaches, this probably isn’t the place. Honestly, the price we paid in April (€128 per night) feels fair. However, in summer, when it’s almost double, I’m not sure it’s worth it. It’s not a bad hotel, but I’ve definitely stayed in better 4-star hotels.

If you’re interested, check out the hotel here!