09-07-2025
Inside Maslina Resort, Where Harmonious Design Meets Healthy Sanctuary
Villa Uvala, bath with a view at Maslina Resort Maslina Resort
Tucked against the mountains and woodlands outside Stari Grad, a town on the island of Hvar in Croatia, is Maslina Resort. A Relais & Châteaux member that opened its doors in 2020, it is surely a crowning jewel of the quiet five-star experience. After all, for the modern traveler, rather than frills and bells, gilded antiques and chandeliers, there's a more chilled out way to, well, chill out.
The resort (including 50 meticulously thought-out private rooms, suites and three villas) is distinctly minimalist, and thus a relief from the sensory overload of city living. Maslina is cleverly designed to range across a verdant, pine-covered hill, ensuring most rooms face outward, boasting a seafront view.
An aerial view of Maslina Resort on the island of Hvar Maslina Resort
The careful geometry of the architecture, with exteriors paneled in thermo-treated larch, a terracotta terrace and a pool stylishly encircled by green-gray olive trees, mean that Maslina feels not only as though it is in harmony with the nature of Hvar, but almost part of it.
This feeling is enhanced by the indoor-outdoor living design, which creates a breezy lightness throughout. The flow of open spaces encourages a sense of freedom from restraint, as well as providing endless vistas of the landscape, ready-made to be admired.
Maslina Resort's exterior is panelled with bamboo NIKOLARADOVANI
Every detail was planned by founder Maud Truchi, who was hellbent on creating the perfect experience on sustainable pillars. There would be no compromises, no shortcuts, and Maslina Resort is a shining testament to her dedication.
Supporting local craftmanship, basins are hewn from limestone sourced from the nearby island of Brač. My personal favorite was the Japanese-inspired headboard in the bath, an attentive touch that made long soaks extra comfortable. Other examples include furniture made from local wood, and the resort's private allotments, which provide fresh produce for the chefs to serve, including their own olive oil.
Maslina Resort is enhanced by the indoor-outdoor living design, built on sustainable pillars Simun Situm
In fact, 'Maslina' means olive in Croatian, though many of these local ingredients are not just for satiating the stomach, they're also for rebalancing the nerves or calming the mind. Croatians take herbs medicinally, and the resort leans into this legacy.
For example, Hvar is popularly known as 'the Lavender Island', since its unique Mediterranean climate, (it's the sunniest island in the region), makes it ideal for cultivating this flower. There's even an annual lavender festival, so it's fitting that Maslina spotlights lavender in their curated relaxation range, from bath salts to sleepy-time oils, all calibrated to help keyed up city dwellers unwind.
The Lavender Festival on Hvar Island NIKOLARADOVANI
There're many options if you're interested in aromatherapy, or just the Mediterranean countryside. During a nature walk, our guide collected common plants, botanicals, and aromatic herbs, sharing their therapeutic properties. The process of being present and engaging our senses of touch and smell while encountering the forest's flora was subtly grounding. A reminder to step away from endless updates and engage with the natural world.
The Pharomatiq Wellness center has a lot on offer, from ice plunges to a traditional hammam to daily movement classes to a classic deep tissue massage. Most notable is Damian and his Tibetan singing bowls, which lull us into a dream-like state of exalted peace. He is the brother of Maud, the hotel founder, and the in-house healer with an extremely soothing aura.
Tibetan singing bowls are on offer with Damien, the in-house healer Maslina Resort
I'm tentative this may start sounding like 'one of those' high-end woo-woo hotels as parodied in TV shows like White Lotus . But Maslina wouldn't dream of asking you to give up your phone or other such gimmicks. Its mission is amazingly simple: return guests gently to the beautiful here and now. You get to choose the best way for you to do that.
It's worth adding there are superb options to explore beyond the resort. You can jump on one of their Instagram-worthy wooden bicycles (or else request an e-bike) and experience the extremely scenic, waterside ride to Stari Grad, one of the oldest towns in Europe (this is no lackluster locale, it's pretty as a picture and Hvar Island boasts a whopping six UNESCO World Heritage protections).
Coastal Life In Stari Grad, Croatia, a view of the harbor and town center Getty Images
There's plenty of hiking and mountain biking available, and Maslina Resort has its own pebbled beach where you can dip in the crystalline waters of the Adriatic to your heart's content. It's very much a 'back to basics' approach rather than fad-driven, and that, of course, is what makes it a true oasis, albeit a very elegant one.
