Ok, settle in, and here is a story.
After the Second World War, there were some German prisoners of war held in camps in Jugoslavia, and they were put to work to build a luxury hotel, the first of many to start the wave of tourism. When the hotel was finished in 1946 (and who could argue that it was an arduous life for the POWs living in that environment) the prisoners were released. It was the first hotel in Tucepi, and was certainly a forerunner in hotel accommodation in the area. It was large, sumptuous, and well appointed (in real estate ad talk).
In the following years many famous and wealthy visitors stayed at Hotel Jadran, enjoying the beautiful private beach and the wonderful summers. I’ve been told that even some of the POWs who built the hotel returned there as paying guests.
In the most recent war, as waves of refugees swept across the country from the interior to the coast, the Tudeman government opened up all hotels to house the homeless. Some stayed for a year, others stayed until they had a permanent alternative in other countries. Sadly, as the war came to an end and people left, the hotel was looted and trashed – by those who had stayed there and by all accounts, also sadly by local people.
The next step in the rise and fall of Hotel Jadran, was that the government decided to try and privatize some of the countries valuable assets, and the now tragic hotel (in the perfect location) was sold to a wealthy Russian businessman. Before money changed hands promises were made (of course) as to what could be done with the hotel and the site, but when actual plans were drawn and presented to the local opcina for approval (with a ‘ch’ – the council chambers) no building permits were given.
And so it sits. Since then Hotel Jadran has sunk further into disrepair. All windows have been smashed, all fittings have been removed¸ and the interior has been vandalized. The marble floors are littered with broken mirrors and glass, and the beautiful French doors from the dining room are hanging from their hinges. It would have been beautiful in its prime – imagine sweeping down the spiral staircase in a long gown to attend a ball in one of the many rooms. Imagine waking up in any of the 100 or so rooms overlooking the beautiful Adriatic Sea.
The forecourt of the hotel is used for parking for the visitors to the beach, and also as a rubbish dump. I don’t know what has become of owner or whether anything will ever happen to the hotel but I wish I had seen the hotel in all of its former glory.
So that’s today’s story – part A in a two part story of Privatization!
(Please be very impressed that the photos for this story were sourced personally at great effort – this morning at 11 I rented a mountain bike and cycled to Tucepi – along the old dust and gravel track, which at first glance you may think is flat, but I can tell you, it isn’t. Half way through taking photos, the battery died on the camera – I cycled back (huff, puff – had a swim on the way), charged the camera, cycled back (this time on the main road) and finally got back in time to return the bike by 6. And there was me who thought that bikes would be forbidden after France…)
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