Lafodia Hotel

3 readers found this review helpful

Seen a few bad reviews for Lafodia and thought I'd say how we found the hotel. We stayed here last June and had a fab week. Our room was nice, the staff were brilliant and my two children (aged 11 & 13) met a huge group of friends and we all had a superb week. Yes the pool is small and the tiny beach to the left of the hotel gets busy with day trippers but if you take a stroll to the other side of the island the beaches their are out of this world. Also Dubrovnik is definately worth visit. I loved the quaintness of this place so if a hotel with good food and service along with fine beaches close by appeals...... you'll have a lovely holiday.

2 readers found this review helpful

My husband and I are not fussy people but we do like to find things as described in the thompson brochure and on the video!! Just returned from a fortnight at the lafodia on lopud and I will list the good points first and the faults after so you can decide whether to go or not.
Very pretty village quiet till lunch time then trip boats arrive but ok, something to watch.
Nice bars and 2 or three restaurants... one very good fish and meat place.
Water beautifully clear but you need beach shoes at hotel cos very pebbly. Ok on other side of island where sandy and safe. Partly nudist on that one but nice beach bar etc.
Now where do I start!!
!) Swimming pool in brochure and on video no longer exists. Makeshift rigid pool, tiny, wobbly steps tied to railings to keep them still. Same depth all over so no good for little ones! No pool bar and long walk to hotel bar for drinks from beach!!
2) Says private beach in brochure but at 12 till 17 00Hrs invaded off boats by day trippers. Only small beach so gets noisy crowded and the hotel do NOTHING about it!!
We asked to make sure it was private and they confirmed this but said nothing they could do. Surely a notice saying private might work!!
3) BUILDING RENOVATION going on so not the peaceful holiday we expected though to be fair it stopped at weekend when the Croations came for the day!!
4) Rooms ok and beds comfy but not changed all fortnight.( I know cos I had a small black mark on my sheet ). Bathroom only cleaned thoroughly ONCE again I noted talc on the shelf!! NO souvenir shop as advertised in brochure either!!
5) FOOD.... Very repetative but meat not bad and potatoes when fresh nice but mash is reconstituted and tinned fruit and frozen veg and cake every lunch and night. Breakfast ok but oh for a fried or poached egg and some ice cream at least at dinner!!!
6) DRINK.... Tea and coffee ok and plenty beer and wine though not after 11 at night, you pay then for all even all inc people!! Didn't tell us that in the brochure.
If going in peak season when hotel fully opened it will be long queues at food and a squash on the beach.
Transfers good though but rep useless more interested in enjoying herself than working!!
I think we got our monies worth as far as food and drink were concerned but we hated being misinformed from the video and brochure. Have written to Thompson and associate companies and have posted this to let anyone going know the true set up.
Having said all this we still love Croatia but not the Lafodia until they get they're act together.

1 reader found this review helpful

Great Place, great hotel, food excellent, all inclusive facilities good.
Lopud is a quiet laid back island perfect to unwind on. The hotel has a little gem of a beach perfect for swimming and snorkelling to watch the tropical fish. Inclusive are sun loungers, sun shades pedalos and canoes.
Make sure you bring a snorkel and swimming shoes as the beach and rocks have sea anenomes on them.
Food is good basic (ie not Cordon Bleu but fresh local produce) and well cooked with plenty of selections to choose from. Staff were all very friendly and helpful. Towels are changed twice a week and sheets not at all with a one week stay. All rooms have air con and sea views.
If you go to Dubrovnik use the local ferry at 6.10am and back by lunch as it gets very hot and busy in Dubrovnik especially when cruise ships invade.
Lopud goes on about the southern sandy beach but I preferred the hotel's beach. Paying for all facilities on the South beach after free at the hotel was a shock. The hotels pool is only small but with it's beach this is no big deal.
So if you want a quiet relaxing unwinding holiday this is ideal. And for only £400 all inclusive ( Portland late booking) it's a cracking bargain.
Enjoy!

Peaceful Island with not a great deal to do (which was perfect!). Transfer from harbour in Dubrovnik was about 40 minutes and is a beautiful trip. Lafodia hotel is on 1 side of a bay with the harbour at the opposite end - it takes about 10 minutes to stroll around the bay.
Hotel wasn't particularly modern but was quite spacious in communal areas, clean and tidy. Small pool and area for sunbathing (loungers, umbrellas & towels provided) as well as a pebble beach by the hotel. In June their was plenty of space to choose from to sit around pool, sun bathing area or beach but in full season it may seem overcrowded.
Hotel had bikes and pedlos you could take free of charge - I think there was tennis although we didn't see it! Our food package was AI and whilst not given 100s of choices the menu was varied each meal time, with quite a Germanic feel.
The restaurant was air conditioned or you could sit outside which was really nice in the evenings watching the sun going down. Room wasn't that big but was ok and clean. Not sure if this sounds positive enough and maybe I give the impression it was just ok - so I’ll finish by saying but we had a wonderful holiday, would recommend both the island and the Lafodia hotel and have no complaints at all.
PS if you go, please feed the local cats - they are very appreciative!

2 readers found this review helpful

I stayed at this hotel in July 2005 along with my boyfriend. I was 19 at the time, the boyfriend was 22, and we had a wonderful time.
The hotel room was clean and comfortable with an amazing view from the balcony. The weather was fantastic and we spent many a day sitting on the rocky beach outside the hotel, we went exploring along the coast in a pedelo and it was brilliant.
We were able to take the pedelo out and go snorkelling from it in the beautiful clear sea where there were all sorts of fish to be seen!
The food at the hotel was fair, nothing brilliant though. There was a lot of variety and although I am a very fussy eater I managed to find something to eat ever meal time but if you are into your food then you may be disappointed.
If you are looking for a holiday with lots of nightlife then this is definitely not for you. I am not into clubs and bars but even I and my boyfriend found ourselves searching for things to do in the evenings.
During the day there are lots of things to do - various walks around the island, a walk across to Sunj sandy beach, a walk up to the fort on the highest point of the island, tennis (although the courts are a bit difficult to find), and of course a day trip to Dubrovnik which is not to be missed!
You can walk around the walls of the old town and it’s just spectacular! Even though it was unbearably hot when we were there towards the end of July!!
There are a number of small restaurants on the island and some absolutely fantastic ice cream parlours! All of which are very very cheap compared to what you may be used to in the UK for example.
All in all, if you are looking for a quiet holiday away from it all and in a beautiful and hot location then this is for you!!

The hotel has a feeling of it's best days being behind it. The facilities are sparse and in poor condition, I counted 4 bikes, 2 canoes, I think 4 pedalos, 2 windsurfs (broken), 1 table tennis table and one tennis court (Located somewhere on the Island if you ask for it).
The swimming pool has been reduced in size to be little larger than a bathtub and the former poolside bar which is ideally located by the sea never opened once. The one remaining bar that is open has limited outside seating which is shaded by the building and trees so you can not sit outside enjoying the view of the fantastic Lopud village and mainland whilst having a drink or something to eat.
The food is generally of a good standard but is limited in variety so you may find that sometimes you struggle to find a meal for you on some occasions. I am a vegetarian and accept this is limiting but the holiday was sold as having vegetarian options but more than once found meat in the vegetable dishes. Don't expect afternoon snacks as they are merely a plate of biscuits of maybe some crisps or on one occasion pizza.
The bar itself is rather small and the entertainment is aimed towards young children and as there is no other bar many adults tend to spend there evenings sat in the reception area which is a little depressing.
The Island is great and I can not fault it but be warned that by staying on the Island you are isolated as the ferry boat only runs four times a day to Dubrovnik, this is not a complaint, but be aware the first ferry is just after 6am and the second around noon. There is another boat service that charges 70 kuna (£7) that runs much more regularly but that is a big price jump from the ferries 16 Kuna (£1.60).
One thing that I must commend is the staff who all worked very hard and were always polite and helpful.
My advice to anyone is go to Croatia, visit Dubrovnik, but do not stay at Hotel Lafodia.

Lopud Island is a little piece of heaven! I and husband spent a marvellous week there late September, the weather was perfect, sunshine but not too hot to enjoy all the beautiful walks and treks on this wonderful little island.
Sunj beach was a twenty minute walk from the hotel Lafodia, well worth the effort as it is a beautiful beach with fabulous food served in the small beach side cafe. There was also a small beach beside the hotel with numerous loungers, showers and toilets.
We used the pedalos provided by the hotel and also the bicycles. There is a regular ferry service to Dubrovnik and the other islands, we spent a day exploring the old town of Dubrovnik and the walk around the walls just cannot be described - sheer magic!
Numerous cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, gift and clothes shops to be found on the beautiful paved streets of old town.
The hotel rooms were spacious and clean with a daily maid service and towels changed regularly. Entertainment provided by local Croatian men, if you want night clubs and discos this is not the holiday for you!! The food and drink was excellent, my only quibble being, no wine glasses. Local beers, wine etc available all day, snacks not necessary as we were always too full from the other meals.
The views from the ruins of the old fort overlooking the harbour were fantastic and we spent hours just walking and taking in all the old churches and monuments.
I would definitely recommend this holiday, and hope to return again.

Well where do I start, the weather was mostly good and the views were very picturesque. I was disappointed that no reviews or descriptions mentioned about the sea urchins around the bay and that special shoes were required for paddling or swimming.
This is not a child friendly area or hotel. My five year old luckily swims well and she enjoyed herself in the 10m by 5m sized pool that was 1.35m deep rather like a large bath. The rooms were clean and modern though the towels are only changed Tues and Fridays and the bed not changed at all in our week there. There is a mini disco 3 times a week and mini club each day 10.30 to 12. Mon and Friday there’s live music for the adults which is local Croatian men singing and playing instruments, no other entertainment on any other night at all, not even disco, piped music, I really wondered why I was dressing up every night to go to the bar.
FOOD-Breakfast cereal, boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, bacon and hotdogs, no tomatoes or beans. Lunch three choices, dinner three choices, plus soup and on three occasions food for children, fish fingers once, pizza once and turkey nuggets once but I must say good choice for vegetarians, always lots of vegetable dishes. Snacks in a glass cupboard from 10 to 12 and 4 to 6 consisted of popcorn, pumpkin seeds and biscuits, cupboard locked all other times.
Drinks, local whiskey gin vodka brandy and beer and red and white wine. Three canoes and three pedaloes on the beach and free bicycles. The last day we braved the two mile trek up the mountain and found Sunj beach which was beautiful.
This is my 11th All Inclusive holiday in 10 years and by far the worst. I would not recommend it to anyone and would not even go back if it was free...must add had a great flight with Thomson (as always) and Dubrovnik airport is super...Portland direct has disappointed me this time unlike their Tropicana Garden Palms hotel in Sharm which we booked through them in May, it was fantastic and £300 cheaper than Lafodia...Remember this is only my opinion but please take note.....

Good hotel in a good area.
I liked the food, the hotel making efforts to provide local type dishes that were well presented and reasonable choice of dishes to choose from. Not chips every night which makes a welcome change from some hotels we have stayed in. Very clean hotel, rooms very good.
Hotel definitely achieves its 3 start rating, if not a little more. Island and surroundings good, plenty of walks and places to explore, a hotel beach with canoes and pedalos to hand, and a short walk to the other side of the island to get to the other beach.
We enjoyed our out of season holiday and i give the holiday, Croatia and the Lafodia hotel 10/10. Fantastic.