Croatian tourism has once again recorded great success on the international scene these days. After Villa Subterram on the island of Hvar, a project by architect Davor Mateković and the Proarh studio, made it to the finals of the World Architecture Festival in Miami, another domestic architectural achievement has attracted attention, this time in the field of luxury tourism.
Boutique hotel Villa Nai 3.3 from Dugi Otok has been ranked among the seven best micro hotels in Europe according to the selection of the prestigious American magazine Condé Nast Traveller.
Although these are objects of different purposes, the Subterram and Nai 3.3 villas share several important features: both are embedded into the slopes of Dalmatian islands, created in harmony with the natural environment, and are signed by Croatian architects with already internationally recognized work. Subterram is located on Hvar, and Villa Nai 3.3 on Dugi Otok - in an old olive grove that still forms the backbone of the entire site.
The owners of the hotel are Nives and Goran Morović, an experienced builder and olive grower who, on his grandfather‘s land in this property on Dugi Otok, brought production and oil tasting under the same roof with luxury accommodation.
After the opening of Villa Nai 3.3 in an interview for Globus, Morović said that this project is different from everything he has worked on in the past 30 years in the construction sector. Now he found himself in a situation where he was simultaneously a builder, investor, and supervisor.
He emphasized that he didn‘t need to be convinced to pay a little more to get a better solution and that he is aware that an initially higher cost means greater savings in the long run.
But there were problems; the island has no infrastructure, so things were often complicated. But the aim was always to adapt the project to the location. One example is the pool in their wellness center. Sea water is pumped into it for a more authentic experience, but primarily because water on the island is a luxury.
- When we talk about finances, it‘s also a problem to build a single-story building. It costs more per square meter than a multi-story building, and then there‘s the fact that it‘s embedded in rock, that it has an unusual geometry... It was built on a contour line wanting to blend into the terrain. It was built according to the article of the Building Act for construction outside the construction zone, so its number of floors and embedding into the terrain are defined that way. These are initial minuses, but probably long-term pluses - he says.
The Villa Nai 3.3 itself, on the other hand, is the result of the vision of academician and one of the most famous Croatian architects Nikola Bašić, known for the Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun projects, which have become symbols of Zadar. The hotel blends almost imperceptibly into the landscape, following the natural line of the terrain. The stone excavated from the site was used to build the interior and exterior walls, further emphasizing the sustainability of the project. The building meets the highest energy standards - A+ category - and due to its special architectural approach, it has already won the BIG SEE Tourism Design Award and ranked high on the Luxury Travel Intelligence list in 2021.
Nikola Bašić drew this villa on paper back in 2013. Its construction began in 2019, and the first guests arrived in 2021.
The costs, says Morović, were high, partly because the entire house was made from materials obtained from the hill in which the building is located.
- The material from the excavation was crushed, sieved, and incorporated into the house‘s concrete, and all the stone there is from the same place - said Morović to Globus.
Indeed, the house is made in the rock, as can be seen in one of the few courtyards in the hotel, which is the terrace of Grotte 11 000, one of the two restaurants located there. It is an atypical terrace - on one side it is bordered by a huge and bare rock. Although he doesn‘t want to talk about figures, Morović says this is the first project in his life that he started - on credit. The building was co-financed with ESIF funds, and guarantees are provided by HAMAG and HBOR. And part of the money was obtained through EU fund tenders.
Condé Nast Traveller, a luxury magazine specializing in travel, hotels, and destinations, publishes lists of the best in the industry every year. In its analysis of the best micro hotels in Europe - those offering exclusivity, personal approach, and authentic experience - it especially highlighted the hotel from Dugi Otok.
"Imagine this: a hidden place carved into the hill like a James Bond hideout, overlooking 500-year-old olive groves and the sparkling Adriatic Sea...", writes Condé Nast Traveller.
Villa Nai 3.3 has eight accommodation units: five deluxe rooms and three deluxe suites, each with access to a private terrace and uniquely designed interiors.
The rooms are divided by size and there are two types, one with a living room and one without, and the price also depends on whether the room overlooks the sea or the olive grove.
- The original plan was for the hotel to have six accommodation units, but since we missed out on incentives the first year, we redesigned the house and made eight rooms to increase the tourism part. In the end, we still got the incentives, but kept all eight rooms - says Morović.
The outdoor infinity pool with salt water, indoor pool, wellness and spa center with saunas and treatments based on products from their own olive grove, form the core of the offer.
In addition, guests can choose between the Grotta 11.000 restaurant, which offers meat and fish from the grill and bread under the bell, and the fine dining concept 3.3, whose cuisine is based on island ingredients and authentic dishes.
Otherwise, you can come to the restaurants to eat regardless of whether you are a hotel guest or not, but the number of seats is very limited to keep the atmosphere calm and intimate.
The cheapest overnight stay, in a smaller room overlooking the olive grove, for two people in peak season costs 1,100 euros, and breakfast is included in the price. The most expensive offer is an overnight stay with breakfast in a luxury suite overlooking the sea, costing 3,200 euros. The price may seem high to someone unfamiliar with the hotel industry. But, they assure us, considering the investment, it certainly isn‘t.
The owners Goran and Nives point out that the name of the hotel was inspired by the old Dalmatian word for snow "nai", while the number 3.3 represents the average number of days per year that snow falls on Dugi Otok, which is very important for the life of the olive tree - it kills pests and enables a quality yield. The name is thus connected to the idea of something rare, but extremely valuable - just like the aromatic profile of the olive oil produced here, which guests have the opportunity to taste as part of organized tastings. Namely, their olive oil was named Nai 3.3. long before this hotel was even planned.
- It is, in fact, an oil mill that wanted to be more than an oil mill – said Morović about Villa Nai 3.3 for Globus and then jokingly added, referring to what has "grown" in the olive grove:
- My grandfathers would not be happy to see what I have planted.
He then explained in more detail how this impressive yet unobtrusive building came to be. The project task, he says, was to bring together the production of olive oil, a tasting room, and accommodation in the category of The Leading Hotels of the World under one roof, for which it is necessary to meet about three hundred criteria.
Given the limited capacity, a personal approach is guaranteed. According to Condé Nast, it is precisely this combination of silence, isolation, luxury, and sustainable design that makes Nai 3.3 not only luxurious but also an emotionally powerful experience.
"The service is personal but simple. The hallways are full of charming details, books, and works of art, and the atmosphere resembles staying in a private home," the explanation of the selection states.
The hotel is a member of the prestigious group The Leading Hotels of the World, which brings together more than 400 luxury hotels around the world. In addition to celebrity guests who sometimes arrive by helicopter, travelers seeking peace, nature, and excellent service without excessive formality also stay here.
Villa Nai 3.3 is unique, not only in its architecture and offer, but also in the way it is rooted in the space. The project does not compete with the environment - it springs from it. Terraces bordered by low walls and planted with olive trees provide a sense of complete integration with the landscape, while the view of the Adriatic and surrounding islands further enhances the impression of isolated luxury.
The success of Nai 3.3 is another indicator that the Croatian coast is increasingly attracting international attention not only as a destination, but also as a place that increasingly offers world-class content – from architecture to hospitality. The recognition brought by such an award is reflected not only in the promotion of the hotel, but also in strengthening the image of the entire destination.
With two such nominations and recognitions - the Subterram villa in the world of architecture, and Villa Nai 3.3 in the sphere of luxury tourism - Croatia shows that it can successfully position itself on the map of high architecture and exclusive hospitality.
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