Last Updated on August 14, 2023 by Eve Dawes
Hotel Cornaro rooftop bar is stunning but does this 5 star hotel in Split Croatia exceed expectations or disappoint?
Cornaro Hotel in Split Croatia is highly rated on TripAdvisor, Booking and Hotels.com which is one of the many reasons we chose to stay here. Along with the location which is a few minute walk from the UNESCO-protected Diocletian’s Palace, rooftop bar with it’s sweeping views, and smart photos of the hotel we’d seen online. While we normally go for hotels that are a little more authentic on vacation we liked the smart decor, clean lines, and location of this luxury hotel in Split Croatia which won us over.
This is NOT a sponsored post, we paid in full for our stay. However, this Cornaro hotel Split review does contain affiliate links which do not affect the price.
I’m sorry I didn’t film and take as many photos of the hotel as I’d planned on. I’d got food poisoning the night before going to Split in Dubrovnik and spent the entire drive and 1st day and half in bed here. What I can tell you is that the beds are comfortable!
Luxury hotel with full-service spa, near Diocletian’s Palace
Cornaro Hotel
Cornaro Hotel Split Croatia review
Hotel Cornaro luxury hotel in Split Croatia is a 5 star hotel with 156 rooms spread over 6 floors. Facilities include 2 restaurants (Nodilo – local and international cuisine serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Kralj Tomislav – breakfast only), a spa, fitness centre and rooftop terrace. So let’s take a look and see if it lives up to it’s expectations.
Cornaro Hotel Split Croatia rooms
We stayed in their Superior Double with city view. However, there was no city view. The booking sites all show these fabulous city views with windows wide open from a high floor which is incredibly misleading.
We were put on the 1st floor with a small window that looked out onto a small pedestrian street and the building opposite which we couldn’t see over due to being on the 1st floor. Which was incredibly disappointing and nothing like shown on hotels.com, booking.com, etc.
The rooms were large (388 sq ft/32sq m), clean and well appointed just as you’d expect from a luxury hotel in Split Croatia. The pillow menu was a nice touch with options to choose different levels of firmness and scents including lavender and camomile.
There was a complimentary bottle of Croatian red wine as a welcome gift but I used it as a prop for photos as it wasn’t drinkable but it was a nice gesture.
Bathrooms
The bathroom shower pressure and water temperature was great. However, there was only 1 sink (not a double). The other downside was the hairdryer which I share more about in the YouTube video review. Basically, it was attached to the wall and required one finger on the on button at all times to activate it.
I gave up and just kept my hair in a bun or braid which wasn’t the worst thing in the heat and humidity.
Daily room keeping kept the room spotless but there was no turn down service at night.
The room descriptions also say sound proofed but that must just be the windows. Because we had the noisiest 2 rooms next to us that would leave their doors open and yell between the 2 whenever we were in our room both in the day and until late at night.
Hotel Cornaro Split Croatia food
We only experienced the breakfast but it was exceptional and what you’d expect from a 5 star hotel.
The buffet was incredibly extensive and included something for all nationalities preferences including meats, cheeses, fish, salads, pastas, cereals, fruit, cooked eggs, bacon, freshly-baked pastries and cakes. Along with some more unusual items.
There was also a lovely a la carte menu which included things like truffled scrambled eggs and poached eggs and avocado on toast and let’s not forget the complimentary champagne and superb chocolate cake. Yes, I eat cake and chocolate for breakfast on vacation because why not!
You can either dine inside or there’s also a courtyard if you prefer to eat outside.
Cornaro Hotel Split rooftop bar
Cornaro Hotel rooftop bar was probably the selling point of this luxury 5 star hotel in Split for me.
The rooftop pool is not a swimming pool but has tables and is around waist deep depending on how tall you are. Making it the perfect spot to cool off and enjoy a drink while taking in the sweeping views of the city and port.
There’s also a hot tub with sea view and bar on the roof terrace, so it’s a really lovely spot to relax and enjoy the vantage point. The drinks aren’t cheap though so try to catch their happy hour.
Cornaro Hotel Split Croatia facilities and amenities
Unfortunately we didn’t to use a lot of the facilities as I we were so busy sightseeing, visiting other bars and doing tours but the rooftop terrace was fantastic. There’s lots to see and do in Split but more on that later.
I didn’t have my workout clothes or time but the fitness center is one of the better ones I’ve seen in a hotel. The basement spa looked basic but clean and smelled great.
- Full-service spa.
- Rooftop terrace bar and plunge pool.
- Large, well equipped fitness center in the basement.
- Sauna.
- Steam room.
- Valet parking.
- Self parking.
Service
There was a lengthy wait for check in as we got there around 2pm. It’s also a little confusing as there are 2 receptions. 1 in each building separated by the dining room.
All of the staff we encountered were helpful and the breakfast staff were especially nice and efficient. We asked to borrow towels for our boat tour which they were happy to provide for free and even offered us a beach bag to carry them in.
Hotel Cornaro Split Croatia review conclusion
Cornaro hotel has a fantastic location if you’re looking to explore old town. However, if you’re looking to spend more time on the beach you might prefer to look at a beach resort like the Radisson which is another great luxury hotel option for Split Croatia.
Cornaro hotels rooftop bar pool for cocktails and enjoying the views and the extensive breakfast were definitely the highlights of the hotel for me.
Would I recommend this hotel? Most definitely. Will we be back? No, there are so many other places in the world to see and I definitely would avoid Split and Dubrovnik in July as they’re both beautiful but so overcrowded.
Book Cornaro Hotel Split Croatia
We stayed in the Superior City View room but if you’re looking for something more luxurious check out Cornaro Hotel’s Premium Suite (926 feet²) which has a kitchenette, living room with a hot tub that seats up to 4 people which sounds and looks a little odd but also fun. As well as a large bathroom with both a bath and a walk-in shower.
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