Hvar Town's Most Luxurious Rental? Villa Heraclea behind Hotel Riva

While more exclusive visitors to Croatia's premier island have never had any difficulty in appreciating the beauty of Hvar, finding styling luxurious accommodation has been a little more problematic.

The drive to encourage mass tourism in the 1960s did little for the top end of the tourist market, as renters strived to provide as much tourist accommodation as possible with little disposable income.

With Croatia's tourism emerging from the war-time interruption, there has been a marked investment in the tourist infrastructure, particularly in Hvar Town, where ORCO Group have invested heavily in giving the Suncani Hvar hotels a five-star makeover.

Private accommodation has lagged behind the standards set by the hotel group, but not in all cases. High quality finishes such as Kuca Sofia just off the main square show what is possible at affordable prices, while there are superb luxury offers now emerging, such as Villa Heraclea.

Ideally situated over three floors behind Hotel Riva, Heraclea is perfectly positioned to enjoy the main square, Carpe Diem and luxury waterfront restaurants such as Gariful.

With five bedrooms and five bathrooms, there is ample accommodation, while the villa's swimming pool is a popular feature. The villa has 420m2 of internal space, as well as 220m2 external, plenty of room to relax and unwind.

Renovated to high specification after being purchased as a partial ruin in 2004, the villa is housed in a 16th authentic stone building with excellent views of the sea. Included in the price is the use of a housekeeper, free parking and free luggage delivery.

For more information and to book, visit the Hvar Touristik website, who offer a comprehensive selection of accommodation and tours on Hvar.