Head to head
Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & SpavsGava Waterman Milna Resort & Cottages
Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & SpaGava Waterman Milna Resort & Cottages
Quick Stats
7.2
Overall Score
8.2
5-star
Star Rating
4-star
4.3 (351)
Google Rating
4.3 (1,234)
Under $300
Price / Night
—
No
Adults Only
No
Oceanfront
Beachfront
Near coast
Grand
Resort Size
Mid-size
90 min
Airport Transfer
—
All Scores
7.0
Beach
8.0
6.8
Food
6.9
6.7
Service
—
—
Pools
8.5
—
Value
7.8
8.0
Family
8.3
Vibes
Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa
RomanceQuiet
Gava Waterman Milna Resort & Cottages
Activities
Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa
SpaDivingWater sportsNightlifeKids
Gava Waterman Milna Resort & Cottages
SpaWater sportsKids
Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa
- Guests 18 and over get free access to the neighboring Secrets Playa Esmeralda, which adds adult-only dining and bars
Gava Waterman Milna Resort & Cottages
- Full-service spa
Pros — Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa
- Strong family amenity set with waterpark, splash zone, kids club and teen programming.
- New-build room inventory with swim-out options.
- Beachfront setting in a less-developed Dominican resort zone.
Pros — Gava Waterman Milna Resort & Cottages
- Attractive seafront bay location
- Multiple pools and family-friendly amenities
- Solid review-platform scores across Booking, Expedia, Google, and Kayak
Cons — Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa
- Early Reddit and TripAdvisor-style guest commentary flags service, food and room-service inconsistency.
- Beach swimmability appears less reliable than the marketing photos suggest; some guest sources mention rough water.
- Accessibility and elevator/reliability concerns need more verification before scoring higher.
Cons — Gava Waterman Milna Resort & Cottages
- Food consensus appears more mixed than the location and pool consensus
- Island logistics are more complex than mainland Croatia resorts
- Manual review is needed because of older local environmental discussion