How Croatia Premium Stay Was Born
It was +35 degrees, music was blasting through the entire neighbourhood, and I could barely stand on my feet. That was the moment I blurted out to my neighbour Dorijan the idea that would change everything.
CPS tim · 2026-04-28 · hrvatska
Three Generations of Tourism in My Veins
My name is Ivana, and in my family, tourism is not a job — it is a way of life. I grew up watching my grandmother welcome guests with homemade fritule and my father who knew every single guest by name. I am the third generation continuing that path, but in the digital age.
As the owner of a luxury holiday villa in Croatia, I have experienced everything: from the pure joy of seeing a guest's face light up with delight, to those stressful moments that only villa owners truly understand. For years I ran a traditional villa rental agency, but something was always missing. I felt that in a sea of commissions, automated emails and cold algorithms, the most important thing was getting lost: trust and human connection.
The Moment That Changed Everything
Everything changed one July afternoon. My guests at the time — a group of twenty-somethings from the Netherlands — decided that my villa was the perfect venue for the loudest party of the season. In the middle of the day. The music was deafening, the entire neighbourhood could hear it, and I felt an enormous responsibility towards the people who lived there.
I went over to ask them to stop. It was unbearably hot — that sticky, suffocating heat when the air stands completely still — and I was so exhausted I could barely stay on my feet. I did not throw them out. I calmly asked them to turn it down and explained the situation like one human being to another.
How Dorijan Said "I Can Build That"
Right in the middle of that chaos, while I was trying to catch my breath, I stopped in front of my neighbour Dorijan to apologise. He — a sharp business mind with a background in digital development, calm, analytical and full of understanding — just smiled. And as the music in the background slowly faded, I blurted out the idea that had been weighing on me for a long time:
"You know, I want a platform where guests know exactly who is renting to them. Where the owner is not just a number and the guest is not just a wallet. I want people to feel the soul of this country — not just the tiles around the pool."
Dorijan looked at me and said: "I can build that. Let's create something Croatia has never seen before."
And that is how Croatia Premium Stay was born — Croatia's first premium platform for luxury accommodation, directly from owners.
Evolution, Not Just a Rebrand
Croatia Premium Stay did not appear out of thin air. For years I had been building relationships with luxury villa owners in Croatia who became more than partners — they became allies. When I decided to make the switch and launch this new way of working, the biggest wind in my sails came from them.
Our longstanding owners embraced my vision without hesitation and moved to the new platform. Their trust is proof that we are not just another villa rental website — we are a community built on years of honest work. They are the reason this is possible, and together with them, we are here to tell the real story of Croatia.
The Teddy Bear That Became Our Symbol
And those Dutch guests? At the end of their holiday, the same young people who had "woken up the neighbourhood" came to find me with the biggest smiles on their faces. Along with a sincere apology, they handed me — a plush teddy bear.
That moment confirmed everything: a human approach always wins. If you treat a guest as a person rather than a transaction, you earn their respect and create a memory that lasts. That teddy bear is today the symbol of Croatia Premium Stay — a reminder that in the digital world, humanity is the greatest luxury of all.
Why We Chose to Swim Upstream
The owner as the hero — We want you to know who is preparing your villa and who cares about every detail of your stay in Croatia. Every owner has a story and we tell it.
Transparent pricing — Guests contact owners directly because we believe in a fair price for both sides. When booking through our secure payment system, a small processing fee applies — but there are no hidden commissions, no inflated prices and no surprises. What you see is what you pay.
Authenticity above all — Our partners were chosen because they live their story with the same passion as we do. From scenic flights above the Adriatic, tasting autochthonous Croatian cuisine at handpicked restaurants and horseback riding along the river, to unforgettable parties by the sea at Croatia's finest beach clubs — everything is curated with one goal: to make your holiday in Croatia unforgettable.
Welcome to Croatia Premium Stay
We may not be growing at the speed of light, but we are building something with depth. Every villa on Croatia Premium Stay has passed through our hands. We are building Croatia's first platform that does not just sell accommodation — it sells a ticket to a real, authentic and high-quality Croatia.
Discover our luxury villas in Croatia and curated experiences — directly from owners, with zero hidden fees.
Yours, Ivana
Founder of Croatia Premium Stay