May 29, 2020 – One of the projects we monitored closely in 2019 was the renewal of the Arena Grand Kažela campsite in Medulin, Istria. Close by the sea, this campsite has been renovated to add more services and make it a premium accommodation facility for any target.
The Arena Hospitality group has an interesting entrepreneurial story to tell and can be considered one of the best open-air accommodation facilities in Croatia. Pursuing renewal to meet the requirements of the most demanding guests is their motto.
We believe that Arena Grand Kažela can be taken as an example. Manuela Kraljević, Member of the Management Board & Marketing and Sales Director, helped us understand more about it by answering our questions and giving us an overall picture of the interventions and spirit that drove this successful project.
Arena Grand Kažela campsite is part of the Arena Hospitality Group. How many campsites does the group have and where are they located? What is their shared feature?
The Arena Hospitality Group is one of the best hotel groups in Croatia, counting over 10,000 rooms and accommodation facilities in Croatia, Germany and Hungary. We focus on campsites and resorts. We started developing the first campsites in the 1960s. Over the years, our offering has grown considerably combining nature, comfort and innovation.
Today, we manage eight campsites. Arena Grand Kazela and Arena Medulin are in Medulin, one of the most visited places in Croatia, whereas Arena Stupice, Arena Runke and Arena Tašalera are in Premantura. Arena Indije is in Banjole and Arena Stoja in the homonymous peninsula and is the only campsite near Pola. That’s why it is a true oasis of peace.
The new Arena One 99 Glamping is located in the Pomer Bay and is our exclusive glamping village. It’s the best choice for those who dream of a holiday immersed in nature without compromising comfort.
Arena Grand Kažela has been recently renovated. What’s the story of this campsite?
Kažela’s story began in 1968, and it was conceived as a naturist resort. In the 1990s, this campsite decided to open its doors to all open-air holiday lovers. The naturism concept was abandoned in the 2000s. Over the years, this campsite has become extremely popular because campers here can enjoy an incomparable number of facilities and two kilometres of beach.
It is located in Medulin, on the south coast of the Istrian peninsula. Its renovation – worth 28 million euro – has made the Arena Grand Kažela campsite the symbol of our dedication to guests and passion for tourism that we have developed in over 50 years.
The new 209 camping/mobile homes are built with environmentally-friendly and recycled materials. They feature an elegant design and allow guests to immerse themselves in nature. The three mobile homes available – Camping Villas, Camping Home Green and Camping Home Next – are all equipped with air conditioning, Egyptian cotton linen, coffee machine, flat-screen TV, WI-FI, etc.
What major innovation have you introduced with the latest renovation? The Infinity swimming pool seems to be very interesting.
Besides the new luxury accommodations, the resort has a brand new set of swimming pools with a surface of over 600 sq.m. Besides these swimming pools, there are those for children, which feature a water slide and a shoreline with shade areas. The Infinity swimming pool is one of the most particular ones, as it’s the longest swimming pool in Croatia (80 m). The relaxation and wellness areas, where guests can enjoy a wide array of sports activities, are other gems.We have also introduced the 4G internet connection and used environmentally sustainable materials.
As for the mobile homes, what can you offer, in what type of location and why did you choose CrippaConcept as your main partner?
Mobile homes provide a contemporary space to a maximum of five people. “Camping Villas” have large windows that go from the floor to the ceiling, making nature the superstar even from the inside and highlighting the beauty of the blue water of the sea and the pebble beaches.
Environmentally-sustainable travellers will feel at home in our “Camping Home Green” mobile homes, which has been made with eco-friendly and recyclable materials. “Camping Home Next” mobile homes have an elegant design and wonderful locations a few steps away from the sea.
We chose CrippaConcept as our partners because of their stylish and eco-friendly design. But other less obvious aspects helped us in this decision, such as their conformity to European regulations and safety and health requirements for the people who use our mobile homes.
What are the characteristics of CrippaConcept mobile homes you and your guests appreciate the most?
You can enjoy your stay in comfortable CrippaConcept mobile homes or tents, which have been designed in a functional way. Our customers particularly enjoy Evo Green and Freed-home.
Following the international regulations concerning the ongoing pandemic, have you organised special activities to protect your customers for this 2020 season?
Our guests’ safety is our priority. In a critical moment like this one, campsites, with their large spaces, have huge potential for offering a safe stay. Indoor spaces are minimised, and the one-metre distance can be taken for the peace of mind of every guest. Cleanliness and hygiene have always been a priority for our facilities. We are assessing new strategies for implementing cleaning shifts and sanitising all shared areas, adopting all the measures required to make our guests’ stay and our staff safe and healthy.
Besides the provisions of the Ministry of Health, we will take into consideration the reference parameters published by the WHO in March in collaboration with the UNWTO, the ONU agency dedicated to tourism. This document contains the guidelines that accommodation facilities must follow during the COVID-19 emergency, including aspects such as accommodation, cleanliness, service, personnel management and risk prevention.
When are you going to open again?
We are going to open our facilities by the last week of May, depending on how the Covid-19 epidemic evolves.
Thank you, Manuela for your time and for choosing us as a partner in this wonderful project.
