Up in the hills, between the cute coastal towns of Brela and Baška Voda on Croatia’s Makarska Riviera, is a cluster of rather nice places to stay. This one – one of a handful in the area available to book through family holiday specialists SPL villas – has to be the nicest of the lot.
The Makarska villas are a new acquisition for the holiday rental company, and they’ve picked a blinder of a location; backed by the Biokovo mountains and facing the crystal-clear waters of the Adriatic Sea, with misty views out to Brac Island. You’re steps from a lively little harbour town packed with restaurants, shops and boho beach bars. And, c’mon, look at that pool. Throw in SPL’s above-and-beyond extras – a private chef, grocery delivery and organised day trips of all stripes – and we might’ve discovered the greatest European summer holiday that ever was. My advice? Book it in for 2026, stat.
Why stay at Villa Makarska?
Because holidays are meant to be relaxing, even with grandad and several cousins in tow. Think of this holiday as half all-inclusive, half private villa – you can book pretty much anything through SPL Villas, from an in-villa chef to an island-hopping boat tour, all while avoiding the sunbed wars.
Villa Makarska is fresh-out-the-box new and takes the classic family holiday up several notches on the luxury scale. If the kids get bored of the huge infinity pool, the living room has a huge TV with a PlayStation 5. If the adults get bored of the huge infinity pool (unlikely), there’s a downstairs wellness suite with a Finnish sauna, hot tub and gym. There are copious spaces to lounge around and read, or run around and play, or to gaze out at the Adriatic and ponder how you got so lucky. Getting to the beach, or somewhere nice to eat, takes minutes on foot. If you want space, luxury and convenience (who doesn’t?), you can’t really go wrong.
What are the rooms like at Villa Makarksa?
This place is made for your big, multi-generational family holiday. The master suite – aka the room that’ll be bagsied by the person who did all the booking – is right at the front, facing the sea, with a massive balcony. But there’s no short straw to be drawn here, really; the place has four spacious double bedrooms, each of them en-suite, with outdoor access, a TV and either a king or superking bed. The smallest room is on the ground floor, but it’s closest to the pool. Like I said: no short straws. The entire place can sleep 8-10 guests, and extra beds can be requested for littler kids.
What’s the area like?
This stretch of the Dalmatian coast is some of the most glorious beachside bliss you can find in the Med. The main promenade of Baška Voda, one of the many ridiculously charming villages that line the seafront, is a short downhill walk from the villa. You’ve got everything you could possibly need here: grocery stores, ice cream parlours, boutique shops, restaurants, bars and fine pebble beaches sloping into crystal clear water. And there are heaps of family-friendly things to do, too – a play area on the beach, water sports like paragliding, hover surf and paddle boarding, and calm, shallow water for swimming. Just south of the town, there’s a network of signposted walking trails that wind along the coastal belt through Aleppo pine forestland. Split is only an hour away by car, and the coastal drive from the airport to your villa is really quite spectacular.
📍 The best things to do in Baška Voda
What are the best places to eat nearby?
Baška Voda is lined with great little local restaurants. La Colomba is one of the closest spots to the villa and serves up a bit of everything, but their multi-tiered sushi boats are particularly impressive. Patrick’s Street Food Bar is a quirky little Irish-themed spot with curios lining the walls and well-above-par burgers. Get your seafood fix at Konoba Bratus, and head to Italian restaurant Del Posto, within the Grand Hotel Slavia, for a fancier meal. For a nightcap, sink into a deckchair at Južnjačka Utjeha beach bar and soak up the boho vibes ’til late.
What’s the pool and gym like at Villa Makarska?
You can’t really top having an infinity pool to yourself on holiday, can you? The 30sqm pool is the villa’s pièce de résistance and where you’ll inevitably while away most of your days. There’s plenty of loungers for baking in the sun, outdoor showers and a large grassy area for kids to play on – all, of course, topped off with stellar Adriatic views. The lower floor wellness suite is bigger and better than that of many five-star hotels, complete with a hot tub, Finnish sauna and gym. As for the rest of the place? From a full-spec kitchen with wine coolers, a coffee machine and plastic plates for the kids to a gorgeous outdoor dining area with a gas barbecue, you’ll want for absolutely nothing.
Anything else?
It’s actually quite possible to bring the entire family here and to barely lift a finger. During our stay, we were cooked for, massaged and had groceries delivered on arrival (all bookable through SPL Villas). For a proper treat, you must – must – book an in-villa chef. Local chef Martin Nane Grubiša put on a phenomenal spread of cold cuts, salads, cheeses and homemade sauces, plus meat, fish, pasta and Croatian wines, all locally sourced; all prepped, cooked and cleaned away, leaving us free to sit back, yap and soak up the sunset. Bookable day trip options range from island-hopping boat tours to guided waterfall hikes and national park excursions.
DETAILS
Address: Rogač 65, 21320, Baška Voda, Croatia
Price: Varies by season; 7 nights from £4954
Closest transport: Split Airport is a 1-hour drive
Book now: Via SPL Villas