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Mai's Cottage - Lovely Cottage with Garden and Swimming Pool

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A stone-walled courtyard with a seating area, potted plants, and a hanging plant.
A swimming pool with tiled edges, surrounded by greenery and a stone building with a wooden roof.
A bedroom with a bed, a wooden bench, a mirror, and a sliding glass door leading to an outdoor area.
A garden with a stone archway, various plants, and flowers.
A residential area with houses, a swimming pool, and a garden.

Reviews

10 out of 10, Loved by Guests
Top 10% of guest reviews in this area

Highlights

  • The great outdoors
    Guests love the outdoor space here.
  • Outdoor pool
    The outdoor pool is a refreshing retreat under the open sky - a rare gem in this area.

Popular amenities

  • Balcony
  • Private pool
  • Dog-friendly
  • Barbecue grill
  • Air-conditioning
  • Refrigerator

Explore the area

View in a map
Stari Grad, Split-Dalmatia
  • Place, Lanterna Beach
    ‪12 min drive‬
  • Place, Port of Hvar
    ‪32 min drive‬
  • Place, Hvar Town Arsenal & Theater
    ‪32 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Hair dryer

Bathroom 2

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

Add dates for prices

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About the area

Stari Grad

Located in Stari Grad, this cottage is in a rural area and by the sea. Stari Grad Museum and Hvar Public Theater are cultural highlights, and some of the area's landmarks include Stari Grad Plain and Church of St. Peter. Kayaking and scuba diving offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking and mountain biking nearby.
View more Cottages in Stari GradOpens in a new window
Map
Stari Grad, Split-Dalmatia

What's nearby

  • Tvrdalj Castle - 5 min drive - 3.3 km
  • Lanterna Beach - 12 min drive - 6.9 km
  • Milna Beach - 27 min drive - 19.6 km
  • Port of Hvar - 32 min drive - 25.8 km
  • Hvar Town Arsenal & Theater - 32 min drive - 25.8 km

Getting around

  • Split (SPU) - 173 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Konoba Kokot - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Don Armando Stari Grad - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Caffe Bar Dalmatino - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Blue Doors restaurant - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Bistro Eremitaz - ‬6 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Does Mai's Cottage - Lovely Cottage with Garden and Swimming Pool have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

Is Mai's Cottage - Lovely Cottage with Garden and Swimming Pool pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 1 total).

How much is parking at Mai's Cottage - Lovely Cottage with Garden and Swimming Pool?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Mai's Cottage - Lovely Cottage with Garden and Swimming Pool?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Mai's Cottage - Lovely Cottage with Garden and Swimming Pool?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Mai's Cottage - Lovely Cottage with Garden and Swimming Pool located?

This family-friendly Stari Grad cottage is located by the sea, within 3 mi (5 km) of Stari Grad Plain, Church of St. Stephen and Tvrdalj Castle. Church of St. Peter and Stari Grad Museum are also within 3 miles (5 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 21 out of 23 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 23 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 23 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 23 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 23 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Fantastic high spec property in beautiful grounds with multiple shaded eating areas.Great pool area.Lovely scenery and surrounding area. Shorrt walk to zuckova beach a wonderful swimming spot. Zarko was an excellent host.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Super house!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful house and superb garden

Thank you to Zarko for making us so welcome and to his wife and mother for the delicious desserts
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Garden of eden.

Beautifull garden, swimmingpool and lovely holliday home.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location, fabulous garden

Great host, nothing is too much trouble. Zarko lives next door but essentially leaves you in peace, so you have best of both worlds - help if you need any along with privacy
Stayed 9 nights in Sep 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderdul croatian retreat

We were a group of 7, mix of adults and teens. The property is charming with a great pool and lovely outdoor areas. JustOnl55Onlyn5Thebedroowcomfortable and
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely holiday in a beautiful house

We had a fantastic stay at this beautiful house in Croatia. The home is stunning – well-equipped and perfect for a family. The gardens are lovely, and the pool was a real highlight, especially for our three daughters who had an amazing time.Zarko, who lives nearby, was incredibly helpful and friendly, on hand if we needed anything but never intrusive.Everything we needed was provided, and the whole experience was relaxing and enjoyable. We wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again – highly recommended!
Stayed 7 nights in May 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Little paradise with amazing pool an garden

Zarko’s Cottage is a little paradise! We stayed there for 3 weeks and didn’t want to leave. The house is cozy and comes with everything you need. It’s surrounding garden with the pool is just amazing and you can even see the Ocean, which is a ten 10 minutes’ walk away, from the balcony. Zarko lives close to the cottage and is always available if you need any help or recommendations. We will come back to this little paradise.
Stayed 21 nights in Jun 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Jul, 2022
Thank you very much Sebastian.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful house with stunning garden

This has to be one of the loveliest houses we have stayed in: beautiful traditional stone house with an interior full of little design touches, stunning shady courtyard which was SO welcome in the June heatwave as was the wonderful natural pool that even our daughter loved. And of course, the incredible garden that Zarko lovingly tends by evening and approaches from the back so as not to intrude. Zarko's family are, unsurprisingly as lovely as the house - they were never obtrusive but always friendly and great suggestions for places. They even fed us courgette from the garden and a Croatian millefeulle! We had to meet the needs of two exhausted adults (myself a keen swimmer) and a teenager who craved nightlife and the location was perfect: we swam in the local bay first thing, then breakfasted with our daughter before a short drive to beaches near Jelsa or further afield as well as visiting the incredible Greek & Roman remains in Stari Grad. Hvar is a short drive for evening visits when cooler. Very grateful to Lukrica at SunCity who recommended the smallest car as the island roads really are narrow! We absolutely loved our time here and look forward to coming back when its cooler so that we can walk the Stari Grad plain as originally planned!
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Jul, 2022
Thank you Roz for such a perfect review. Manny greetings from Rudina.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Host was welcoming and available. The priority is absolutely dreamy. Surrounded by beautiful and very private gardens. The historic neighborhood was charming. The pool was refreshing and totally private and very welcome (even necessary) in July. Everything you’d want on a true vacation. Two downsides to note: the WiFi does not reach outside. That was a tiny bit disappointing because we needed to work for a few hours each day and we hated being indoors when the gardens were so inviting. The other note: there is no lounging space inside (no couch or sitting area other than the kitchen table and one chair). So in the heat of the day or at night when the bugs were biting, the only place to rest was in the bed. Highly recommend this magical home.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful outside space

Zarko is a great host and very friendly; he answered any queries immediately and you get the benefit of him living next door without ever being intrusive, he gives you complete privacy. Kitchen and living area are open plan and would be a bit small for a larger party, however it was perfectly fine for the two of us. Artwork inside provides a nice touch. Comfortable bed, and a spacious bedroom. The garden is beautiful (as it looks in the pictures) and won’t disappoint - we loved it. 10/10.
Stayed 10 nights in Sep 2022
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

très agréable sejour

Maison fonctionnelle, bien entretenue. Le premier étage n'avait pas d'air conditionné mais le propriétaire s'est arrangé pour nous en trouver une très rapidement, vues les températures cet été. Très bon accueil, nous recommandons cette maison.
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Toller Urlaub!

Das Haus war wirklich wunderbar und wir hatten einen tollen leider viel zu kurzen Urlaub. Wir wurden vom Vermieter sehr freundlich und warmherzig begrüßt und erhielten alle nötigen Informationen, die Kommunikation war von Seiten des Vermieters bestens. Die Bilder lügen nicht und sagen mehr als 1000 Worte. Vielen Dank für den tollen Urlaub“
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Aug, 2021
Vielen Dank für die schöne Bewertung. Ich möchte Ihnen auch dafür danken, dass Sie das Haus in einem so tadellosen Zustand hinterlassen haben. Es war eine Freude, Sie als Gäste zu haben. Ich hoffe dich wieder zu sehen.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Traumhaftes Feriendomizil

Wir waren mit unserer Familie mit 5 Töchtern im Alter von 8- 21 in diesem schönen Haus. Die Kinder haben oben in den Räumen geschlafen mit toller Dachterasse und separatem Aufgang. Der Garten ist fantastisch mit herrlichem Pool und Sitzgelegenheiten unterm Blätterdach und südländischem Ambiente. Der freundliche Vermieter wohnt mit seiner netten Familie nebenan und war jederzeit bei Fragen erreichbar. und bei allem hilfsbereit.
Stayed 10 nights in Jul 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 3 Aug, 2020
Vielen Dank Karsten and Friederike. I hope to see your lovely family again. Special greetings to Katherine from Mai.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A lovely house in a charming village

Zarko's house is located in the old village of Rudina near the town of Stari Grad on the beautiful island of Hvar. The house is well-furnished, spacious and comfortable, the kitchen provided with everything you need. It has a lovely garden, decorated with artistic taste, with a glass table and chairs, some armchairs, a swing, a goldfish tank. A great place to relax when you're back from the beach! There are two bedrooms upstairs and one downstairs, with plenty of space for our group of 7 people. In a fifteen minute walk you can get to the sea, and the island is rich of beautiful beaches within easy reach. We really enjoyed our holiday in Rudina, thank you!
Stayed 10 nights in Aug 2019
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Belle semaine dans un cadre charmant

Nous avons passé (2 adultes et 3 enfants) une très agréable semaine chez Zarko. Sa proprieté située à quelques kilomètres de Stari Grad est vraiment propice au repos, grâce au jardin aux multiples ambiances on déconnecte vraiment. De vraies vacances! Pour les plus motivés de petites criques aux eaux cristallines sont accessibles à pieds à travers la forêt de pins.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2019
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

perfektes Häuschen

Sehr privat, mit riesigem Garten konnten wir unseren Aufenthalt, mit allem, was man braucht, genießen! Unsere Kinder konnten sich frei bewegen und überall spielen. Die schönsten Buchten muss man mit dem Auto erreichen, was für uns aber kein Problem war.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice house in the old part of Rudina

Nice house with big garden, upper and lower decks, very friendly and always helpful host Zarko. Rudina is a silent village, yet close to nice Stari Grad, where one can find everything needed during the holidays. The Croatian adriatic water around Hvar is crystal clear, great for snorkeling. Don’t hesitate to book this house.
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2019
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Perfect cottage for a week on Hvar

This is a lovely cottage, with a great terrace and outside area for reading in the sunshine. We had everything we needed and Zarko was friendly and helpful when we needed him and unobtrusive when we didn't. It was easy to get a taxi for a couple of evenings out in Stari Grad and Jelsa (both lovely). I would definitely recommend this cottage for a chilled stay on a beautiful island.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Mar, 2020
Thank you very much Catherine. Greetings from Hvar island. Zarko
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

A piece of paradise!

We absolutely loved this house in Rudine. It looked pretty in the photos but was even lovelier than we had hoped. Rudine is a charming little village and the cottage is tucked away at the end of a little cobbled street. The court yard and garden have been beautifully set up with a huge variety of plants and lights hidden in the foliage. We ate outside every evening and couldn't get enough of the amazing views across the hills. From the balcony you can see the sea too and it is only a short walk to the nearest coves where we were the only people on the beach. We were looking for a peaceful, relaxing place to spend a week and couldn't have found anywhere better. For those seeking a tranquil escape this is the place to be! A huge thank you to our host Zarko who was very helpful and friendly. We hope to come back soon!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Mar, 2020
Thank you very much Phillipa. For me it is most satisfying whan guests recognise our efforts to make the cottage joyful and pleasent place. I would love to see you, your family and friend again.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Cottage très charmant... au calme à recommander...

une belle découverte.un havre de paix. Le propriétaire est très accueillant et disponible. De jolies promenades et des petites criques magnifiques. Tout était parfait
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2018
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Lovely peaceful location

The property was exactly what we wanted for a relaxing week on Hvar. The house was very clean, comfortable and well equipped, but the most enjoyable aspect was the shaded courtyard area and spacious garden with BBQ and seating areas to relax and enjoy the tranquility. Zarko made us most welcome on our arrival, gave us helpful advice on local walks, how to access to local beaches and where to visit during our stay on Hvar. The tray of home baking from his mother next door was both unexpected and delicious. Jim & Mary.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Peaceful location

My wife and I have just returned from a very peaceful and relaxing 2 week stay at this cottage. The property description is accurate. The property is located in the centre of the village of Rudina near Stari Grad but it is a quiet location. Zarko lives with his family next door but guests have total occupancy of the property and are not disturbed. The property is well equipped and has a strong internet connection. It is split over two levels with one bedroom downstairs and two upstairs connected by an external stone staircase however there are bathrooms on both levels. The garden and courtyard are particularly attractive and Eco friendly and well planted and provide a great habitat for many butterflies, birds and frogs. I would recommend that guests have a car as the location is rural and a few kilometres from the attractive town of Stari Grad. Access to the parking area is via a very narrow approach through the village so a larger vehicle would have to be left a short distance from the property in a communal area but this appeared to be very safe. There a many interesting walks to be made directly from the property. Zarko is particularly friendly and helpful and is very knowledgeable about the island and the nearby mainland as he works at the tourist office in Stari Grad. I would very much recommend the property for a relaxing holiday in a location which is peaceful yet within easy travelling distance of both Stari Grad (5 mins) and Hvar town (30 mins) on this attractive island.
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Mar, 2020
Thank you very much Andy for the lovely words and recommendation. In the first place thank you for choosing my house for your vacation. I'm glad that we met and It's been very pleasant to have you as guests. I hope to see you again. Zarko
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