Hidden within a 500‑year‑old olive grove on the island of Dugi Otok, Villa Nai 3.3 is like a private hideout suspended between land and sea. The low‑slung, stone‑clad building by architect Nikola Bašić seems to emerge from the hillside itself, its green roof blending into terraces of silver‑leafed olives. There are only eight rooms and suites —all adults‑only— each with its own terrace leading straight into the groves and salt‑water pool. Inside, cool concrete and local stone are softened by Frette linen‑dressed beds, Diptyque toiletries and, in the suites, four‑poster beds and fireplaces. You step from your room into a landscape alive with birdsong and the scent of rosemary, and at night the dark sky is inked with stars; it’s easy to see why so many describe it as one of the most romantic hotels in Croatia. For honeymooners, the hotel offers packages with champagne on arrival, sunset dinners, spa treatments and private boat tours around the archipelago.

Food

Dining celebrates the island’s bounty. At Grotta 11 000, tables sit beneath ancient stone walls while chefs grill fish and meat over an open hearth. Its name pays tribute to Šime, the island’s prehistoric caveman, and the menu sticks close to that primal spirit: dishes are cooked over charcoal and accompanied by vegetables and herbs grown on the estate. Just across the grove, the 3.3 dining room is more refined, pairing each course with Dalmatian wines and drizzling everything in the estate’s award‑winning olive oil. For lighter moments, the Lobby Bar serves organic coffee, Croatian wines and cocktails, and there’s a separate cigar room with an outdoor courtyard.

Spa

The wellbeing programme is rooted in the olive groves. The spa uses oil and paste from Nai 3.3’s own olives in massages and body treatments, and visiting therapists offer Thai and Balinese techniques as well as high‑tech cold‑plasma facials. A Finnish sauna warms muscles after a day’s sailing and there’s a small outdoor gym and meditative garden for yoga. Swim laps in the 23‑metre salt‑water infinity pool edged with olive trees or retreat to the grotto‑like indoor pool where shafts of sunlight filter through a skylight. A private tennis court completes the facilities.

Environment

Villa Nai 3.3 lies equidistant between Venice and Dubrovnik on Dugi Otok, a long island off the coast of Zadar. This remote setting means you arrive either by boat from Zadar or via private transfer arranged by the hotel; Zadar Airport is about 37 miles away. Once there, you’re surrounded by national parks: Telašćica’s cliffs rise nearby, and the Kornati Islands are a short sail away. Hiking trails wind through Aleppo pine and oak forests and the hotel can arrange kayaking, fishing, sailing and olive‑oil tasting. In the evenings, the night sky over the Adriatic is unobscured by city lights, perfect for star‑gazing with a glass of their “liquid gold”.

Average review score

Villa Nai 3.3 consistently earns near‑perfect scores, mostly 10/10 for privacy, architecture and food.