Aminess Velaris Resort — Hotel in Grad Supetar

We arrived here as part of a package holiday and first of all I cannot fault the staff. There was a massive mix-up with our transfer and it was assumed we were a no-show. Regardless, the staff pulled out all the stops and made a room available. To be clear - this review is for the hotel and has nothing to do with our tour operator. ||The site is really nice and well kept. Lonely rosemary bushes, fig- and olive trees, cypress trees. The hotel does have well appointed tennis courts, a football court and a dive centre. ||Sadly the rooms and public spaces are tired and overall the hotel feels outdated and basic. It feels like we stepped back in time into the 90s. ||The pool is very small, there are few loungers and even fewer parasols and whilst there is access to the beach, it’s crowded and very shallow. So in terms of places to relax you’re limited to your balcony or the lobby bar. ||The prices in the lobby bar and beach bar are steep! ||This afternoon we walked into the local town and even on the bay front you could get a 200ml glass of very good local wine for €4.50 in a restaurant serving local delicacies. ||In comparison the hotel sells a 125ml measure of wine for between €6.50 and €9.70 and you will be drinking this in far less idyllic surroundings. ||Many of the hotel guests are on laptops and on speaker phones working, which makes it feel more like a business hotel. ||Whilst other resorts, just as the TUI one next door, seem more private, plenty of people come to the beach here from all over the town if they are in accommodation without beach access. That makes it feel less exclusive and a little unfair for those of us who have paid a premium to stay in the resort vs a cheap Airbnb. It also makes the beach even more crowded. ||Every inch of the beach is taken and there are no loungers exclusive to the hotel. In fact there are only a handful of loungers and people move them to wherever they like and away from the beach. Maybe some staff on the beach would be good? ||You effectively have to pay for something from a local shop as the beach is made up of very sharp stones. You have to buy mattresses or loungers to lie on the beach. Not just a towel. ||Pool- or beach towels are not provided. ||Many of the guests are families with small children, so I wouldn’t recommend this as a couples resort. You can’t even have a drink by the pool! No glass allowed. ||The lobby bar is very dated and much of the furniture needs to be replaced. Strangely however there is a beautiful terrace on the top of the building - but with no furniture. This would be the perfect spot to have a drink and enjoy the gorgeous views of the coast, the sea and the mountains. Instead you sit on a terrace by the pool and hear small children scream constantly. ||The beach bar is also very expensive food wise. You can grab a shrimp sandwich 5 minutes from the hotel for €12. The simple sandwiches at the hotel are around €20. Sadly it closes at 7pm, so a pre-dinner drink for anyone eating later than 7 is not possible, nor is a later sun downer. ||Ultimately I would recommend to sleep at the hotel and take whatever food is included in your package and spend your money elsewhere nearby. ||Now then - dinner! ||I think my summary is - it’s not awful. But compared to the locally available food in town, this is cheap. Insane amounts of carbs, all the meat is overdone. ||The space is massive so it feels very crowded, loud and messy. Thankfully there is space to sit and eat on a terrace outside, although surrounded by cats and kittens, which most of the guests feed. ||The only option for an after dinner drink in the hotel is the lobby bar. We took our drinks up to the roof top terrace where we could watch the sunset over the sea. Not sure why the hotel don’t facilitate this by putting out chairs and sun loungers. ||There are several wines to choose from, sadly none of the staff know anything about them. So it’s the luck of the draw. I recommend the Malvasia - cheapest wine on the menu at €37 and perfectly fine. Again - better wine available in the village some 10 minutes walk away. ||Breakfast -||Orange juice was squash. Not juice. Not exactly 4*. Cups still had lipstick on … decaf coffee only available for a fee!! The tea selection was also poor. ||Overall the buffet is extensive but very heavy on bread and carbs again. I guess a cheap way of filling people up! Sadly by 9 there were no more croissants left. I discovered that this is because only a small quantity are made each time and guests just take 5 or 6 at a time. So know your audience! ||Sadly people also fill their boots with stuff from breakfast and take it with them for lunch. ||The freshly cooked eggs were good, weirdly two of the food stations are about 40cm off the ground so things like bread, jams and speeds are maybe only for small children? The fresh honey was a nice touch. ||Plenty of salad, cheese and charcuterie if that is what you prefer, along with chunks of melon and plenty of grapes, whole oranges and apples. ||I would not return to the hotel, nor would I recommend it. What’s sad is that it wouldn’t take much to make this a...

Beyond appalling in every aspect. A chain of what was once four and five star hotels just left to fall to pieces in every way but they still want to charge four star prices for a one star experience. || Their handling of medical issues and allergens is just terrible. I had a huge asthma attack in one of their other hotels because of the massively excessive use of air freshener and perfume in every toom in the hotel. Remember that smell that used to hit you when you walked into the bottom floor of Binns or House of Fraser near the perfume counter that gave you an immediate headache? Well times that by ten and you have yourself an Aminess hotel.|| The food is appalling. The chefs just throw everything out at the beginning of service so they can tidy up and go home and it just sits there and congeals while it goes cold. There are fruit flies walking over all of the desserts and the fruit and none of it is covered. These flies vomit all over the food and spread dangerous bacteria and then its recycled for breakfast the next day. Just disgusting. Allergen info is non existent. A Fish Stew with Shellfish labeled as a Vegi Potato Stew and Hazelnut Ice Cream with no sign at all. Anyone going into anaphylactic shock would just be an inconvenience to the staff, as I was. I mentioned this to the Restaurant Manager who actually just laughed at me. They all look like they would rather be anywhere else. The reception staff are just plain rude and unkind.|| Two thirds of the resort is closed after the season ends but they still continue to charge full prices. Including charging you for all drinks and even water on all inc, oh, and they charge you to sit on the sun loungers on the beach for ten mins too. Theres no food available between 9am and 7pm out of season, everything in the resort is packed away and locked up so they don't need to pay the staff any longer.|| I very seriously stipulated after my asthma attack (asked one manager to convey the seriousness of the issue to another manager) that I would arrive at the hotel with no inhaler until I could locate a doc/refill on the following day. I asked for a room with no air con/perfume/heating. So they booked me into a room with a perfume filled lobby, in a room above the bar (literally three ft above) that was full of cigarette smoke and when I closed the window the air con came on. I asked the manager and NO ONE knew of my medical issue. I could have had another attack in the room with no inhaler, called reception, not been able to breathe or talk and no one would have even known there was a problem. I could have died right there on the floor and no one would have given a s*|| I emailed reservations immediately to try and cancel the reservation. They ignored me for four full days while I chased the manager around the building so they could FORCE me to stay and FORCE ME TO PAY IN FULL FOR THE ROOM.|| In their response they will try to deny this. But the manager himself told me they didnt mention a thing about my issue before my arrival. When I tried to ask for a refund he told me I needed to pay in full and then he would email them to process a refund for both stays later in the week. All lies. They forced me to pay and leave and then sent me an email offering me a 10% discount off my next booking!!! (I can't even...) Said they gave me a bowl of soup (which was beef and I am a vegetarian) and offered me another room which was beyond disgusting which should make it all better. The guy who showed it to me actually laughed and said 'I dont think you will want to change to this room!'|| I requested to leave due to a SEVERE medical issue and they kept me prisoner in the hotel and ignored me so they could charge me for the room. There is no reasonable explanation for this disgusting behavior. No 10% damn diacount will suffice. Its just an insult. I was alone, afraid, with extreme fatigue and anxiety, crying, and they just completely ignored me, didn't offer the slightest bit of help or human decency and even twice, outright laughed at the fact I had to cover my nose and mouth in the reception area.|| I have never, in 35 years of travel been treated so disgustingly.|| As for the hotel itself. I am telling you. Without a doubt. Its appalling. There are vastly better accommodations within the same price range in the locality. Vastly better. And if you still go ahead and book after reading this review from someone who has worked in hotel and restaurant management for over thirty years then they will take your money and make a fool of you. I tried to warn you. Even if I was not quite genuinely bitter about my personal experience I still would say the hotel standards are NOT four star. Do not waste your money staying here. You will regret it. I know they will spew some computer generated response full of lies and denial but just skim over the last few one star reviews amd you will...

Lovely hotel. Relaxing holiday within 5mins walk through jasmine flowers, lavender and rosemary bushes. We came during low season so the hotel surroundings were also quiet. The beach is serene, clear calm waters. It isn't sand but still OK. Beautiful surroundings. It's not really disability friendly, lots of stairs to get to places, high bath tubs and the beach is stone pebbled.

This hotel is in Brac which is 1hr ferry ride from Split.

During low season we got a upgrade to sea view room with balcony. This was a good size, has a fridge, kettle and TV. The housekeeper does knock early to do your room, so be prepared.

We went full board, decent options including usually a fish or meat dish, salads, soups and pizzas. Desserts were not my favourite but plenty of fresh fruit. Timings for breakfast are 7am to 10am, lunch 12 to 13.30 and dinner 1900 to 2100. Drinks are not included and waiting staff are friendly and attentive. Do try make sure u leave outside of these timings as staff cannot leave until the last person goes, we didn't know this and just chilled and chatted for ages during our first few nights. We felt really bad when we realised.

The roof terrace offers panoramic views and is impressive to watch the sunset.

I didn't use the Spa facilities but visited it to see what was in offer. Gym small but adequate and free for guests. Massages were reasonably priced I think. You can book the sauna and jacuzzi privately for 18 euros per hour which I think is reasonable considering you get the whole space to yourself.

It is about a 15minute walk to Supetar town and 5mins to closest supermarket.

We did coffee painting, bracelet making and a walking tour with Lucija. Very friendly, down to earth and knowledgeable. Due to low season only myself and friend participated, but it was enjoyable and good fun and if you're here for a relaxing break it does break up the day. She is one with many talents!

Mislava who is the rep talked us through the island on our first day. You could tell she is passionate at what she does and always willing to help. We went to the olive museum and my card didn't work to purchase some items. They were very kind and said we can pay at our hotel. Nobody in the hotel knew anything about this and wouldn't take our money. A few phonecalls from Mislava sorted it out.

Reception staff were helpful and friendly. I asked for another room for myself due to personal reasons, their system was down and they couldn't tell me a price. But they gave me a room anyway and promised me it would be at a cheaper price having explained my problem.

Lastly, we always felt really safe here. If you're after a relaxing getaway...