CROATIA

Accommodation
Private rooms have long been the mainstay of Croatian tourism, especially on the coast, and represent an inexpensive way of finding a bed for the night. There are well-appointed campsites all along the Adriatic coast, although Croatian hotels tend to be bland and overpriced. Wherever you stay in Croatia, you're obliged to register with the local police on arrival. If you're staying in a hotel, hostel, campsite, or a private room arranged by an agency, this will be done for you. If you're staying with a friend, or in a room offered to you by a private individual, you'll have to undertake the job of registration yourself.

Hotels and private rooms
Croatian hotels tend to be modern multi-storey affairs providing modern comforts but little atmosphere. They are classified by letter: generally speaking, C-class hotels have rooms with shared WC and bathroom; B-class have rooms with en-suite facilities; A-class is business class; and L-class are in the international luxury bracket. A double room in a C-class establishment will cost around L30/$45, although these tend to be in short supply, and in many towns you'll be dependent on B-class places, where you should expect to pay L40/$60 a double. Private rooms (privatne sobe) and appartments (apartmani) are available just about everywhere in Croatia. Bookings are administered either by the local tourist office or by private travel agencies. Agencies are usually open daily 8am-8pm in summer, although they may take a long break on Sunday afternoons. You may also be offered rooms by people waiting outside train, bus and ferry stations. Don't be afraid to take a room offered in this manner, but be sure to establish the location of the room and agree a price before setting off - and if anything makes you feel uncomfortable about the situation, don't go. However you find a room, you can usually examine it before committing yourself to paying for it. Prices hover around L6/$9 per person for a simple double sharing your host's WC and bathroom, rising to around L8/$13 per person for a double with en-suite facilities; stays of less than three nights are subject to a surcharge of 30 percent or over. Places fill up quickly in July and August, when it's a good idea to arrive in town early in order to begin your search. Single travellers sometimes find it difficult to get a room in high season unless they're prepared to pay the price of a double.

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