Lavanttalerin on the Adriatic

A breath of fresh Carinthian air at the “Austrian Hotel”

The Austrian hotel on the Adriatic: The Miramar is one of the Austrians' favorite hotels in Istria.

(Bild: Wassermann Kerstin/Kerstin Wassermann)

After a woman from Seeboden, a woman from Lavanttal is now providing local hospitality at the well-known Croatian resort.

For two decades, the Miramar in Opatija, Croatia, has been one of the best-known hotels in Istria - especially, but not only, among Austrian guests who appreciate the mix of Mediterranean coziness, historical imperial and royal flair and Carinthian hospitality.

Austrian hotel on the Adriatic with Martina Riedl from Seeboden and her successors Orsolya Szakály and Andreas Madejski.

(Bild: Foto Luigi Opatija )

Martina Riedl from Seeboden was responsible for the hotel's success for a long time and has since moved up the ladder in the Holleis hotel operator group. As reported, Wilfried Holleis from Salzburg has sold the Miramar and is now concentrating - also with Riedl's help - on the Kvarner Palace in Crkvenica near Rijeka, around 40 kilometers away.

However, the new Miramar bosses of the Hungarian Meszaros Group cannot do without Carinthia either: Lidija Preveden from Lavanttal is responsible for marketing. "Even as a small child, I often traveled from Lavanttal to Opatija with my parents - back then it took a little longer, but nowadays you can be by the sea in two and a half hours," she recalls of her early days in Croatia. "And now I've lived here for 15 years, my son grew up between the Adriatic and Klagenfurt."

The Miramar is considered a favorite hotel of Austrians in Istria. 80 percent are regular guests; those who came with their parents as children now often come with their families.

Lidija Preveden zerstreut Bedenken, im Hotel hätte sich mit dem Verkauf alles geändert

By the way, what's the weather like in Kvarner Bay this year? "So far, unfortunately, it's been just as bad as at home in Carinthia," she sighs. "Heavy rain and sunshine alternate, but I guess we'll all have to get used to it."

Nevertheless, the advantage in Opatija is the mild climate - this was already appreciated in the days of Emperor Franz Joseph, which can be felt everywhere along the famous Lungomare promenade.