It’s All Inclusive
Resort chain

Valamar Riviera

Every resort, ranked

2
resorts ranked
1
country
4.7
average guest rating
6.1k
reviews analysed

Valamar is the dominant hospitality group on the Croatian coast, running resorts across Istria and the Kvarner islands, and it is where most travelers meet Croatian all-inclusive if they meet it at all. The catalog properties are both at Rabac, on the eastern Istrian coast: Valamar Bellevue Resort, a four star that does include all-inclusive, and Girandella Resort in the higher Valamar Collection tier, where board is a choice.

Last reviewed August 2026 How we score

Curved blue pool with lounge chairs on white terrace overlooking Adriatic Sea and mountains at Valamar Bellevue Resort.Long pool with loungers and umbrellas overlooking Adriatic Sea and forested coastline at Girandella Resort, Valamar Collection.

Photos: Valamar Bellevue Resort, Girandella Resort, Valamar Collection

Two things are worth knowing before booking. First, the Adriatic is not the Caribbean: beaches here are pebble and rock rather than sand, the sea is clear and cold-ish, and that is the trade people either love or are surprised by. Second, Valamar resorts are often split into zones with different board levels and facilities under one name, which is why guests ask about the wristband colours. Read which part of the resort your rate actually buys, because the difference is real.

Guests
Families, with dedicated family and adults-oriented zones
Where
Croatia (Istria and the Kvarner coast)
Price positioning
Mid to upscale
Signature
The Adriatic's main all-inclusive operator, zoned resorts, Collection as the upper tier
Beaches
Pebble and rock, not sand: normal for Croatia
Nightly rates in our catalog
$115–$245/night pp

Where Valamar scores strongest

8.9/10
Family
8.8/10
Beach
8.6/10
Service
8.5/10
Rooms

Chain averages across the Valamarresorts we've scored.

Where Valamar operates

Map of Valamar resort locations

2 resorts mapped stars are five-star properties

Weighing where to go? The country guides cover weather, safety, entry rules, and how the areas differ.

Croatia guide

Valamar resorts, ranked

  1. Curved blue pool with lounge chairs on white terrace overlooking Adriatic Sea and mountains at Valamar Bellevue Resort.

    Valamar Bellevue Resort

    Four-star4.7 guest rating (3,151)Palmprint 9.0/10From $238/night pp

    Valamar Bellevue is a family all-inclusive above Rabac on Istria's east coast, for parents who want polished kids' programming and a Blue Flag beach. It is a true plan in a country where they are still rare, about 44 minutes from Pula's airport, on a pine-clad bay with the resort stepping down the hillside to the water, and the beaches here are pebble rather than sand. That last point decides more holidays than the brochure admits, and water shoes settle it. Guests praise the Maro children's programme and the facilities built around it, the beach and pool setting, and the cleanliness, service and general polish of the place. The complaints are the pebbles and the logistics of loungers, room views that do not always match the category booked, and a family energy that adults after quiet find relentless. The thing people wish they had known is the second of those: book a sea-view or swim-up category deliberately if the outlook matters. The plan centres on the Mediterraneo buffet for all three meals, the lobby, splash and pool bars, local drinks and the Maro Club; the two a la carte venues, including the beachside grill, sit outside it, as do the imported spirits, the spa treatments and the airport shuttle. The Swim-up Room for two adults and a child puts the pool at the end of the balcony, and the Suite for four adults and two children is the answer for a larger family. Couples looking for a quiet Istrian week should compare the adults-oriented hotels along the same coast.

  2. Long pool with loungers and umbrellas overlooking Adriatic Sea and forested coastline at Girandella Resort, Valamar Collection.

    Girandella Resort, Valamar Collection

    Five-star4.7 guest rating (2,947)Palmprint 8.5/10From $115/night pp

    Girandella is a resort of separate sections above Rabac in Istria, for families who want the Adriatic and book the right building. It is about an hour from Pula, with 391 rooms, five restaurants, themed pools and a children's pool, on a white-pebble beachfront with Rabac itself within a walk. All-inclusive belongs to the Girandella Family Hotel section alone, so the section you book is the plan you get. Guests praise the clarity of the Adriatic water and the beachfront, the family facilities and the separate sections for different travellers, and a position walkable into Rabac. The complaints are all-inclusive that is not uniform across the resort, a pebble beach that has guests reaching for water shoes, and a footprint that feels busy in peak season. The thing people wish they had known is exactly that first point, because booking the adults' section means the meals and drinks are not included. The Family Hotel's all-inclusive covers the buffet meals, soft and hot drinks, and wine and beer at lunch and dinner, with Wi-Fi and the children's facilities; unrestricted premium spirits are not part of it, and the spa, babysitting and the airport transfer are extra. Book the Family Hotel section if the plan matters, because Designed for Adults is sold on breakfast or flexi half board instead. V Level is the upgraded tier and the Maro suites and villas are the family space. Anyone who wants soft sand underfoot should remember that the Adriatic trades it for water this clear.

See where Valamar ranks

The Best Family All-Inclusive Resorts2 Valamar resortsAll-Inclusive Resorts That Sleep 5+ in One Room1 Valamar resortThe Best Five-Star All-Inclusive Resorts1 Valamar resortThe Best All-Inclusive Resorts with a Spa1 Valamar resortThe Best All-Inclusive Resorts with Swim-Up Suites1 Valamar resort
The case for

Book Valamar if

  • Families wanting a short-flight European all-inclusive with clear water and no long-haul
  • Travelers who want to combine a resort week with Istria, which is one of the better food regions in Europe
  • Anyone comparing Croatia against Greece or Spain and willing to trade sand for scenery
The caveats

Know before you book

  • Pebble beaches throughout, so bring water shoes and set expectations if you are used to Caribbean sand
  • Resorts are zoned: which wing, board level and wristband you have determines what you can use
  • Short season, roughly May to September, with limited shoulder-month opening

Valamar, head-to-head

Or compare Valamar with any other chain.

vs RIUvs Iberostarvs Secretsvs Barcelóvs Sandalsvs Club Medvs Excellencevs Grand Palladiumvs Hiltonvs Ikosvs Anantaravs Elite Island Resortsvs Mitsis Hotelsvs Palace Resortsvs Autograph Collectionvs Dreamsvs Grecotelvs Meliávs TUI BLUEvs Bahia Principevs Couplesvs Hyatt Zivavs Jaz Hotelsvs Ocean by H10vs Paradisusvs Princess Hotels & Resortsvs VOIhotelsvs Awasivs Browns Hotels & Resortsvs Centara Grandvs Constancevs Crown & Champavs Curio Collection by Hiltonvs Divi Resortsvs Four Seasonsvs Lopesanvs Mangia'svs Marriottvs Neptune Hotelsvs Sheratonvs Steigenberger Hotels & Resortsvs Sunlifevs Vila Galévs Westinvs Atriumvs Beachesvs Cinnamonvs El Nido Resortsvs Heritage Resortsvs Maxx Royalvs Outriggervs Rixosvs Tivolivs Warwickvs Zafirovs Aquilavs Breathlessvs Corendonvs Hyatt Zilaravs Zoëtry

Frequently asked questions

Are Valamar resorts all-inclusive?

Some are, and some sell all-inclusive as one board option among several. Valamar Bellevue Resort at Rabac includes it; Girandella Resort, in the upper Valamar Collection tier, treats it as a choice. Check the board basis on the specific resort and rate rather than assuming it applies group-wide.

Why do Valamar guests have different coloured wristbands?

Because the resorts are zoned. A single Valamar property often contains several sub-resorts or wings at different board levels and price points, and the wristband identifies which restaurants, bars and facilities your rate includes. It is worth reading carefully at booking, since two guests at the same named resort can have quite different access.

What are the beaches like at Valamar resorts?

Pebble, shingle and rock rather than sand, which is standard for the Adriatic and not a shortcoming of the operator. The water is exceptionally clear as a result. Most resorts have platforms, ladders and landscaped bathing areas; water shoes make a real difference.

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RIUIberostarSecretsBarcelóSandalsClub MedExcellenceGrand PalladiumHiltonIkosAnantaraElite Island ResortsMitsis HotelsPalace ResortsAutograph CollectionDreamsGrecotelMeliáTUI BLUEBahia PrincipeCouplesHyatt ZivaJaz HotelsOcean by H10ParadisusPrincess Hotels & ResortsVOIhotelsAwasiBrowns Hotels & ResortsCentara GrandConstanceCrown & ChampaCurio Collection by HiltonDivi ResortsFour SeasonsLopesanMangia'sMarriottNeptune HotelsSheratonSteigenberger Hotels & ResortsSunlifeVila GaléWestinAtriumBeachesCinnamonEl Nido ResortsHeritage ResortsMaxx RoyalOutriggerRixosTivoliWarwickZafiroAquilaBreathlessCorendonHyatt ZilaraZoëtry
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