A Convenient Stop, but a Disappointing Tourist Trap Experience.
This restaurant is conveniently located on the main road, but the name is misleading, and the value and quality of their most famous dishes are very poor. I would advise travelers to be cautious.
The Experience:
I stopped here for lunch on my way to Plitvice, drawn in by the name "Rastoke" and the promise of traditional Croatian food like spit-roasted lamb.
The Positives: The location is very convenient, right on the D1 highway, making it an easy stop without any detours.
The Negatives (Why I Cannot Recommend It):
Misleading Location: First, be aware that the restaurant is not in the beautiful Rastoke waterfall village. It's a roadside establishment a considerable walk away, with no views of the waterfalls. The name feels like a marketing tactic. Extremely Poor Value & Quality: This was the main issue. I ordered the "300g" portion of spit-roasted lamb (Janjetina s ražnja) for €18.50. What I received was a shockingly small portion that was mostly bone, with very little meat. The small amount of meat I did get was dry and completely unremarkable. I have cooked lamb myself that was far better. For the price, the quality and quantity were incredibly disappointing. Final Verdict:
While the restaurant might be convenient, the overall experience felt like a classic tourist trap. It seems to rely on its location and the "Rastoke" name to attract travelers, but then fails to deliver on the quality and value you would expect for the high prices. You are paying a premium for a subpar meal.
Advice for Fellow Travelers: I cannot recommend ordering the spit-roasted lamb. Perhaps the stews or other dishes offer better value, but based on my experience, I would suggest you keep driving and find a more authentic, local establishment where your money will be...
Read moreStayed for 3 nights in June half board, the hotel reception staff were very welcoming on arrival. The rooms were as described, very comfortable and clean, they had a mini fridge but no facilities for making a hot drink, I knew this beforehand so brought a travel kettle.|The hotel has a large restaurant/bar, its table service in the evenings and buffet breakfast. The menu feels quite traditional, hearty food and has minimal vegetarian options -plus pizza, not to our personal taste but the half board food options are very generous, soup, main, side salad and dessert included. The local white wine that was recommended was lovely. The breakfast buffet had lots of choice.|The hotel is about 30 mins easy drive from Plitvice Lakes which are stunning and is only a few minutes from Rastoke village which is very picturesque. |The weather was awful for the 3 days we were there so the activity we had booked was cancelled as river levels too high (not the hotels fault!). We did visit Barac caves which is a good option on a rainy day, however the rain did mean that we couldn’t enjoy the hotel to its fullest, there are some nice outdoor seating areas and we had balconies to our rooms which we didn’t use - it would have been lovely to sit on the balcony on a sunny evening.|There were a few coach parties staying the night whilst we were there so I think the hotel is more of a stop off than a destination for more than a night or two because not that much to do in the area, however if I was in the area I would definitely recommend a night...
Read moreThis was part of our day trip to Plitvice. I do understand price is a thing for Tui and Gulliver but this meal was below all standards. For starters we were served a light broth. Or that's what it's supposed to be. This was homeopathic soup. There is a difference. A broth has flavour. For the main course we got a pork chop. Personally I find this a hugely undervalued piece of meat. But this was cooked way too long making it near impossible to cut let alone chew. The potatoes were bland and the 'roasted' vegetables seemed to have come right from the jar. For desert we got a chewy pancake pie. Not my favorite. The hot cherries (also jarred) redeemed the dish a bit but that is because it is one of my peeves. Slap it on any desert and I will eat it. Well...that part. Because half of my dessert didn't seem edible. I will address this to Tui. I can't imagine they want this standard served to...
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