We went to visit the Hotel San Rocco in Brtonigla, Istria. It won the award for the best small hotel in Croatia for 2007. They renovated several buildings into one new complex including a restaurant, wellness centre (every hotel in Croatia now seems to have one of these) and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. They have finished everything to a top level and the restaurant has some interesting dishes using local produce.

Istarske Toplice uses the water from the Saint Stephan Spring – apparently the Romans even enjoyed bathing in it. We always visit it for a swim whilst we are in Motovun – its just down the road. The hotel complex is still very Communist in the level of quality and service it provides – but the spa was recently renovated and makes for a warm dip in the middle of winter.

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