Sol Aurora Hotel

1 reader found this review helpful

Hotel was fantastic.
The location was lovely, not exactly crazy nightlife and as i went with a fellow student i found myself limited in evening activities of the sort we would have preferred..! nevertheless, there was a live band every evening at the hotel, numerous activities for all ages al the time, glorious pool (and gorgeous life guards) and fantastic food. Seriously, the food variety was great and every night i ate myself stupid. There was so much choice and it was brilliant quality. Service was wonderful, i made a fantastic friend of the hotel staff who made my trip all that much better...(!) and i felt so welcomed every day and evening. The staff were friendly and I really felt prioritized amongst the tourists (though inevitably we all felt that way). As a regular visiter of 5 star hotels, i think my judgement is fair!
However i wouldnt recommend the boat tours that passers by (hello! my friend..! you want boat tour..!?) advise. Imagine an overcrowded sweaty boat with a fish on your plate for lunch and sun baking on your head all day. needless to say vomit proceeded the afternoon.
Other than that, croatia is fabulous!

1 reader found this review helpful

Our room was always well kept and clean - the chamber maid came in every day to sort things and maintain soaps and towels. Our beds were great, firm but not too hard and some of the best night’s sleep. The view was nice; we could see the water from our balcony.
The one downside was the cabaret stage was quite loud and some nights went on till midnight, though normally it was finished by 10:30pm.
The reception staff were friendly and helpful. The bar could have had a better selection of drinks but it was okay. Sofas were great though, very comfortable.
One quite annoying thing is that I was charged for accidentally breaking an ice-tea glass from our room's mini-bar - I opened the door and the shelf inside was lop-sided and the drink fell out and smashed. It was only £1.60 but I thought they had a cheek to charge me for this!
Breakfast food was good - a wide selection for all nationalities, and I was particularly fond of the pancakes! Evening meals were fine but the food was a bit bland at times. It did us as we were hungry from the days' excursions, but not the best if you're expecting fine cuisine. Saying that, they always rotated the food and something different every day (though the combinations of food were quite odd).
The overall feel of the hotel was great - the artwork was quite fun and the place in general had a nice, clean feel to it.
We went on some great excursions - I'd recommend the trip to the Slovenian caves which go on for miles. Not ideal for someone with disabilities, but great fun and the train journey down into the caves is a good story for home.
Lake Bled in Slovenia is beautiful - the bus journey was a good few hours but well worth it as the castle and scenery is picture perfect. We also went on the bus to some towns in Istria, Pula, Porec, and a few others which was a good way to see the local history.
Our tour guide, Vito, was excellent, great English and a good sense of humour which really made the excursion.
Our day out to Venice wasn't as successful - the city is very overrated. We were surprised to see how dirty the city is - lots of rubbish and graffiti, and the city generally has a grubby feel to it which is shocking when you consider how much money goes into the tourism there every year. Everything is considerably overpriced, especially the gondola and taxi rides. The Italians were generally quite brash and impatient with tourists.
Overall, a great holiday and I would recommend Croatia and Slovenia to anyone who wants to avoid over-commercialised holidays.
Umag itself is a bit quiet and Pula and Porec are better suggestions for those who want more nightlife, but still a good resort to have a relaxing holiday.

1 reader found this review helpful

This was the best holiday! We stayed at the Sol Aurora for 2 weeks and loved every minute of it!
On arriving, we found that the double room we had booked was actually a twin room; the hotel staff were very friendly and allowed us to change our room.
We did the 'welcome to Croatia' trip, which was brilliant; we got to see the real Croatia! Our tour guide on the trip was a Croatian student and knew everything! Pula was lovely, although slightly busier than Umag!
We didn’t really go on the beach (well the man made platforms!). We stayed by the pool which was great as we were never pestered by hotel staff to take part in any of the activities that were going on!
The food was lovely but some evenings the waiter service wasn’t that great, we did have to wait a while for our drinks, other than that the restaurant was fine! Although it was strange to have to go upstairs to dinner!
The hotel staff were lovely, especially Ivan, who worked in the lobby bar, whenever he saw us without a drink he would bring one over! Such a lovely guy!
Umag is a tiny town, a few shops, a few restaurants and all the people were so polite! The train journey to and from Umag was lovely, getting to have a nose at all the other hotels!
Although in the evening when the train turns up in Umag to take you back to your hotel, it is a made dash to get a seat! That may have just been because it was July when we went and it was very busy!
The Thomson rep was great, she was in the hotel most days and she would come over and check how our holiday was going!
Being the youngest couple at the hotel for the 2 weeks we were there (ages 19 and 20!) she may have thought we would be bored as there is a lack of nightlife, but it was great to just relax!
All in all this holiday was fab! I can’t wait to go back again.

1 reader found this review helpful

My husband and our two friends booked this holiday for September on the basis that it wouldn’t quite be the end of season and there still would be plenty for us to do.
The hotel was fine....was clean, tidy and well maintained. However the Thomson website advices that this hotel and resort is ideal for young couples.....It wasn’t. The hotel is a haven for old age pensioners and German tourists. The entertainment in the hotel is based around ballroom dancing and is mostly aimed at the German Tourist. There is little to do in the evening and there are not many bars in the area. Umag town is exactly the same. The Train ride in is quite nice the first time as it can be quite scenic but other than that there is nothing in Umag itself.
Being on holiday and enjoying ourselves in our rooms with cards and plenty to drink we were all amazed to be told to be quiet by ....yep you guessed it - a German tourist. The four of us were literally the only people under 30 there......
The food in the hotel was once again aimed at the German...the breakfast was ok but after 7 days all we had was egg on toast which got a bit repetitive. Strange enough, they served chips for brekkie. The evening meals were ok but the service lacked a bit and many of the staff there were not as helpful as they could have been.
Whilst we were there we booked an excursion to Venice. Please read this before you decide to go. The rep will tell you it is a 2 hr boat trip... it is not!! The trip is actually 1 hour transfer to Porec and a further 3 hrs on the boat. The rep doesn’t tell you, that you have to coast into the harbour at Venice and this adds another hour to the 2 hours previously told. We booked to go on a Saturday as we were there for a week and couldn’t make it on the Wednesday. Apparently the Wednesday trip is shorter as you do not have to transfer to Porec as the boat leaves from Umag. However this would only make an hour’s difference to the time travelling. If you go on a Saturday, please be aware that your day will start at about 5.30 (bus picks you up at 6.15) and you will not get home until at least 9.45! As for Venice itself......some say it is the most romantic and beautiful city in the world. I think this was advised by blind people!! St Marks square is full of pigeons, which you’re actively encourage to feed! I found this quite strange as they carry more diseases than rats....at one point there was a dead pigeon on the floor and no one around to clean it up. Most buildings are covered in graffiti and dirt. There are also allot of beggars and people selling counterfeit goods. The only thing good was the water taxi taking you back to your boat back to Croatia. I was really disappointed with Venice as I found it dirty and not the beautiful place I imagined it to be. I would also advice that people who have walking difficulties and maybe those who are pregnant would find this city a challenge. The four of us are all under 30 and we exhausted. People in wheelchairs can forget it.....everywhere there are narrow lanes and steps and bridges. This again was something that the Thomson Rep did not advice and a few people were suffering. St Marks Square is a complete rip off....Do NOT sit down and have a cup tea/coffee. Firstly you will be attacked by pigeons and then robbed by the cafes who think nothing of charging 11Euros for one coffee. Further into the city is not much better.....we were charged £10 for four soft drinks.....and they came in a can!!! However if you brave all of the above and have a no limit on your credit cards...you can shop till you drop. There is a Channel, Fendi, Gucci....its there. But please be aware of the men selling the counterfeit goods......do not show any interest at all as they will harass you until you buy something.

My friend and I visited in July 2006 during the Croatian Tennis open and had such an awesome time that we booked up again to visit 6 weeks later!
The food was lovely and although the nightlife is probably not suited to most teenagers, if you look hard enough there is much fun to be had! Also, although we were two lone girls felt very safe, never felt in any danger.
Very friendly staff, always made you feel welcome and a lovely hotel made for an unforgettable holiday!
Already planning next year!

We really, really enjoyed this holiday, in particular the hotel, which was in a good location. The rooms were spacious and clean and the hotel was very luxurious.
The food was adequate, however after the third day became a bit repetitive. The entertainment programme was good if you wanted to get involved, with a cabaret style night time show. The small land train was excellent and Umag town centre was well worth a visit as the scenery was beautiful.
The cost of living was very cheap, with a round of drinks and a meal for two costing under £15. Overall the locals were quite friendly, we would definitely recommend Croatia as a place to visit.

My friends and I stayed at the Sol Aurora for one week in July. For the price we paid, the holiday was absolutely excellent. The staff were very friendly, the hotel was modern and clean and the buffet-style breakfast and dinner were well-stocked.
The hotel is well-situated for trips to Venice (which was booked through our rep), Slovenia and Trieste in northern Italy. We also visited Rovinj and Pula, which are further down the Istrian peninsula. The hotel reception were able to assist with car hire.

Myself, my husband and three children ages 15, 13 and 10 stayed at the Sol Aurora for a week in August.
This was the best holiday we have had for many, many years. The food was buffet style, freshly cooked and a good selection.
The rooms were comfortable, with a balcony and separate bathroom. The whole hotel was very clean and staff were polite, friendly and welcoming.
The children enjoyed the pool area and the entertainment programme was good.
The sea was just at the bottom of the hotel grounds and was crystal clear. There was also a regular land train, which took you into the main town area for shops and restaurants.
This hotel was spot on for our needs and we are going to be hard pressed to better it next year.