Kempinski Adriatic Hotel ★★★★★

To me, the Mediterranean is something of an idyll: fertile land, heavy with the smell of fennel and pine, flowers or the sea breeze, trees laden with their bounty, the rhythmic sound of cicadas… And the sea, the sea, the sea. Such a tempting and kind, gentle, beautiful sea. If I had to spend eternity somewhere, I'd choose the Mediterranean coast. My husband might say the same, on the condition that there was golf, otherwise he'd rather not live forever. So with these pleasures tugging on our heart strings, we booked ourselves a break in a place that could fulfil us both, the Kempinski Adriatic in Istria, Croatia. It was the setting for a dream-like perfect holiday for us both.

I was immersed in some research for work, and had become quite saturated mentally. I knew being somewhere I could rejuvenate myself in blissful surroundings would be the extra boost I needed. And, while watching the sea can be a meditative exercise in itself, and days can easily be whiled away going in and out of the sea, topping up your tan, sipping coffee and cocktails, and sweating it out in the spa, I had in the past found I didn't know what to do with myself after two days away from normal life. In golfing, my husband had all the stimulation he needed; the Kempinski Adriatic is home to a flawless and respected 18-hole championship golf course, with enough modern facilities and restaurants to keep him happy all day long. 

We were both thrilled on arrival. The journey to the Kempinski Hotel had reunited us with the land we so love, and there were deep sighs of satisfaction as we let the warm air flood into our car. The Istria peninsular is shrouded in history: tales of pirates and conquests, great battles, and cultural renaissances. Medieval hilltop settlements and stone-built villages shine ochre and red in the sun. The Kempinski Hotel lies right on the Istrian coast. It's a graceful building, immediately enveloping you in that heady atmosphere where the interior moulds with the beach outside. Spacious and bright, it seems to welcome the fresh sea breeze inside. We chose a superior room with a sea view. It was breath-taking. The floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors created a thin veil between us and the magical world beyond. The whole room was flooded with light and the azure sea was a permanent, calming presence. The decor was modern and stylish, with muted earthy tones of greens, blues, and white. Our balcony windows were almost always open, and though there was plenty of space and comfort to sit and work inside, I was very often to be found sitting out in that warm air. It was the best place to start the day. The bathroom was gorgeous too, with snow soft bathrobes, a separate bath and shower, and an elegant marble wash basin.

The week went by too fast. I juggled my time between the sun-loungers on Kempinski's private beach, swimming pool, spa, and long decadent dinners with my husband in the hotel's gourmet restaurant. We explored the area and its eateries but kept coming back to dine in the impeccable hotel restaurant. The food was wonderful, but it was also that view surrounding Kempinski Hotel that just kept luring us back.  Everything about our stay was touched by five-star quality and service, and we both fell in love with Istria and promised to return. I've even heard my husband telling some of his golfing friends about it on the phone … farewell Mediterranean Sea, for now.