Meneghetti Wine Hotel & Winery — Hotel in Općina Bale

Meneghetti Wine Hotel was the last stop on a 10 day trip through Croatia. We spent 4 nights in here in mid-September in a one bedroom pool residence. My views and the experience shared below are meant to be objective and help inform those looking to stay at Meneghetti.||The one bedroom residence with a pool was lovely. It is decorated in neutral tones and is well appointed. The bed was so comfortable and the shower and local products were delightful. The mini fridge was stocked with a variety of beverages. Everything is very comfortable. Housekeeping was great - so sweet. There is a comfortable furnished patio leading to a large pool (large for a hotel private pool) at the good temperature - refreshing, not freezing cold. The grounds of the hotel are well cared for and lovely. The vineyards and olive groves are just outside your door and so nice to walk through. The restaurant deserves special mention - absolutely delicious and a wonderful ambience. Everything we ordered was fresh and perfectly prepared. The cocktail and wine list will not disappoint. (Don’t overlook the breakfast salad!)||Here’s where Meneghetti falls short: The hospitality is not entirely there. When we arrived (by taxi), no one greeted us and no one assisted with our bags. We carried our bags over the pebble stones, through the restaurant and to the front desk. While we checked in, our bags were then taken and placed on a golf cart (which was helpful). A representative showed us to our residence and briefly explained the temperature, lighting and locks. No other information was shared. (Our experience is generally that the restaurant, hours, spa, and pool at minimum are explained.) I returned to the front desk and asked for a map of the property, how to get to the beach, and to ask about the location of the spa. (Download the app if you go and prepare to be a bit self sufficient.). We also noticed a lot of the public signs are all famed in the “do not” language. This can set a certain tone. One night after dinner it was pouring rain. No one was offering assistance to help guests get back to their residence. (We ended up asking if someone could give us a lift on a golf cart and they did accommodate the request.) On our last day, we planned to do a wine tasting and then make our way to dinner. We showered, dressed and walked to the tasting room at 4pm (knowing it closed at 6pm). Upon arrival, we were turned away stating that the tasting room closed early to host an external party. No alternatives were offered, even when I explained that we were guests of the hotel. We were really bummed! I asked about shipping wine to the US and the response was “google wine and more Croatia, it’ll come right up”. No card, no further insight. I inquired about the situation with the app messaging and got a response about 2 hours later stating that they could do a tasting at the bar for us. It was very odd that there was no notice that the tasting room was closed given this is a big part of staying on a vineyard. Earlier in our stay, we received a paper notice stating that one of the entry gates would be closed the following day, so notices do go out. In addition, the poolside cafe was closed during our entire stay. While the weather was not ideal (cloudy and cooler than normal), it didn’t seem enough of a reason to close down. If you plan to stay here, check and recheck hours and openings. Lastly, upgrade and maintain the bicycles! And perhaps even offer an electric or peddle assist bike. || ‘Indifferent" is the best word to describe the overall attitude of the staff and tone of the environment. Something felt very off. Perhaps their attention was on the group tour, perhaps it was a long, busy summer. Overall, it felt like they were looking to hastily reach November and shut down for renovation. Regardless, at this price point, R&C designation, and “5 stars”, improvement is required. ||Also a note on transportation: If you do not have your own car, taxis are very expensive. They originally quoted me 100 Euros each way to Rovinj. The taxi ended up costing 77 Euros each way, but the driver took 70 in cash. I was quoted 30-40 Euros each way to Bale. I’d suggest you simply bike there. Anyone in relatively good shape can manage the trip on the hotel bikes. There is a gradual uphill on the way there and the return trip is easy. The road is very safe and cars are very respectful of cyclists. Both places were so enjoyable and very much...

I had high expectations based on the hotel’s website, but unfortunately, the experience was extremely disappointing. What is advertised on website and what you actually get on at the hotel are completely different.||||We clearly stated in our reservation that I am vegan and requested the multigrain bread. None of these dietary requirements were respected. Worse still, the seed bread served at breakfast was refused to us during lunch , only white bread was offered. The staff showed no flexibility or willingness to accommodate even the simplest requests.||||Given the price, we expected much more. We initially planned to return next month and were ready to make another booking upon arrival but after this experience, we completely changed our minds.||||The hotel website heavily promotes yoga classes, fresh juices, and healthy cuisine but none of this is actually provided. There are no yoga sessions available unless they manage to call an instructor from a nearby city, which would take several days to arrange. Freshly squeezed juices? Not available. Instead, they serve pre-made smoothies stored in jars prepared in advance, not fresh at all.||||Even the vanity set in the room was disappointing. A couple of cotton swabs and a single nail file were the only items provided and that is all. There were no basic hygiene products you’d expect from a hotel of this category. For a hotel that presents itself as high-end and wellness-oriented, this felt inappropriate and poorly thought out.||||We also booked spa treatments and massages, which, to be fair, were pleasant in terms of the therapists’ work. However, the ambient noise coming from outside the treatment rooms made it very hard to fully relax. The environment lacked the serenity and peace you’d expect from a wellness facility.||||Misleading advertising, unprofessional service, minimal healthy food options, and a lack of basic amenities make this stay far from worth the price. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a wellness retreat or even a decent hospitality experience.||||To end our stay, we tried to book dinner at the hotel’s only restaurant, but were told it was fully booked. We had to go somewhere else and ended up at Lucky Restaurant nearby the food was excellent, and the staff were incredibly kind and professional. Highly recommended!||||P.s.during the conversation with the manager, we were offered gifts that we strictly refused, after the final problem regarding the reservation where we were refused, as I have already stated. After all those problems, they gave us that one night in the standard room , btw, we had a standard room and a room of the highest...

I had high expectations based on the hotel’s website, but unfortunately, the experience was extremely disappointing. What is advertised online and what you actually get on-site are completely different.

We clearly stated in our reservation that I am vegan and requested whole grain bread made from pure grains. None of these dietary requirements were respected. Worse still, the seed bread served at breakfast was refused to us during lunch – only plain white bread was offered. The staff showed no flexibility or willingness to accommodate even the simplest requests.

The overall service was cold and unwelcoming. Given the price, we expected much more. We initially planned to return next month and were ready to make another booking upon arrival – but after this experience, we completely changed our minds.

The hotel website heavily promotes yoga classes, fresh juices, and healthy cuisine – yet none of this is actually provided. There are no yoga sessions available unless they manage to bring in an instructor from a nearby city, which would take several days to arrange. Freshly squeezed juices? Not available. Instead, they serve pre-made smoothies stored in jars – clearly prepared in advance, not fresh at all.

Even the vanity set in the room was disappointing. A couple of cotton swabs and a single nail file were the only items provided. There were no basic hygiene products you’d expect from a hotel of this category – no toothbrush, toothpaste, or even a shower cap. For a hotel that presents itself as high-end and wellness-oriented, this felt inappropriate and poorly thought out.

We also booked spa treatments and massages, which, to be fair, were pleasant in terms of the therapists’ work. However, the ambient noise coming from outside the treatment rooms made it very hard to fully relax. The environment lacked the serenity and peace you’d expect from a wellness facility.

Overall, the hotel was a major letdown. Misleading advertising, unprofessional service, minimal healthy food options, and a lack of basic amenities make this stay far from worth the price. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a wellness retreat or even a decent...