Grand Park Hotel Rovinj & Monte Mulini

In the quaint coastal town of Rovinj , history, charm, and life by the sea come together to create a unique blend. The Grand Park Hotel Rovinj frames the old town like a living painting and channels the region’s culinary energy into two “beacons”: Cap Aureo and Agli Amici Rovinj. The Monte Mulini hotel, on the other hand, is entering a new era following extensive renovations, where la dolce vita and nautical elegance quietly set the tone.

At the Grand Park , views of the city and the sea take center stage—through the glass facades, light falls on stone, water, and the silhouette of St. Euphemia’s Church, while the scent of the kitchen drifts almost imperceptibly into the lobby. The hotel sees itself as a refuge with cascading architecture: 198 rooms and eleven suites, nestled between the park forest and the marina, with a strong sense of materials and tactile quality—wood, glass, and textures that echo the landscape. Within this setting, the Grand Hotel Rovinj’s two fine-dining restaurants are precisely placed focal points that stand out from the crowd with their unique characteristics: Cap Aureo high up on the fifth floor, Agli Amici Rovinj down on the Lungomare Plaza promenade.

Cap Aureo presents Istria in soft, green tones. From the glass terrace, the view sweeps over the marina and the old town, while in the kitchen, Jeffrey Vella has developed a vegetable-focused cuisine that is less of a statement and more of a philosophy: a “vegetable-loving space” that consistently relies on local products sourced within a 50-kilometer radius. Three menus structure this narrative—“My Istria,” “A Journey Since 2019,” and “Towards a Greener Thought.” They combine regional ingredients with an elegant, almost graphic plate presentation; for this, the restaurant holds a Michelin star. The sweetness of the evening comes from Maša Salopek’s patisserie, whose desserts feel like final chords, accompanied by a wine list that bridges the gap between classic champagnes and Croatian vintages.





Agli Amici Rovinj seems like a counterpoint and yet part of the same cosmos. Located along the promenade between the hotel and the marina, this restaurant opens its terrace directly onto the sea and the old town—a place where the boundary between restaurant and Riviera blurs. Emanuele Scarello has developed his two tasting menus, “Agli Amici” and “Istria,” as an encounter between centuries-old Italian cuisine and the flavors of the Istrian coast; each dish bears traces of the sea, the earth, and traditional culinary heritage. The fact that the restaurant is
the first and so far only restaurant in Croatia to be awarded two Michelin stars seems less like a trophy here and more like confirmation of an uncompromising engagement with the region and its producers. An engagement that takes local roots seriously—and you can feel and taste that.





Monte Mulini, just a few steps away, continues to write its own story in parallel. Following a nine-million-euro investment, the luxury hotel will open in May with renovated rooms, restaurants, and public areas that reinforce its role as a discreet luxury retreat. New is the partnership with Ferretti Yachts: The Riva Lounge and the Riva Privée, as part of Riva Destinations, draw inspiration from the iconography of the legendary yachts—mahogany, ribbed maple, polished steel, aquamarine—and translate it into a serene, almost timeless interior. For guests who want to experience the sea rather than just gaze at it, a Riva Aquariva Special is available for trips through the island archipelago; a luxury that expresses itself in a sense of freedom.





This is how a fascinating microcosm of retreat, culinary delights, and discreet presentation comes to life in Rovinj —two hotels that are far more than just accommodations: they are stages on which the theme of slowing down is constantly reimagined and developed.

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