Hvar Apartments | Jozo Novak

The three minimalist Hvar vacation apartments are a design-centric retreat near the heart of Hvar Town, Croatia. They have been lovingly restored with a focus on local materials and artisans.

The owner’s father built this house and while he was growing up, his mother rented the rooms to guests as a bed and breakfast. When they passed away, he took over the house and decided to renovate the property as it was around 60 years old.

It was important to the owner to do so with maximum respect for the environment. So he didn’t want to create something for “fast tourism” but instead use local materials and furnishings while reflecting on his life experiences.

For example, all of the garden lamps are from Spain where he lived for part of the year while the chairs are a Dutch industrial design from the 1960s that he saw everywhere while living in Amsterdam. A lot of the other furnishings are from countries that were part of Yugoslavia where he was born and raised.

The house is set across three floors, with a vegetarian restaurant below. The entire ground floor is taken up by the Garden Apartment, which has a queen-size bed and two twin beds that cannot be put together. The interior connects to a private garden that makes it ideal for guests who want to relax and families with older children. I don’t accept children under 12 as I want it to be a place where people can rest and relax, without young kids running around.

One floor up is the Seafront Studio, which has a balcony with a view of the monastery and the nearby beach. There’s a kitchen, a bathroom and a living space with a queen-size bed that can accommodate two people. 

The Penthouse is on the top floor and has a long balcony offering magnificent views of Hvar. It’s particularly special in the evening with the lights of the boats bobbing in the water. The Penthouse can accommodate four people and is really for those who are into design.