June 23 (SeeNews) - Dogus Group Croatia, a unit of Turkish conglomerate Dogus Group, will open at the end of next month its D-Resort Sibenik on the Adriatic country’s coastline, the company’s regional director said.
The 25 million euro ($28.1 million) resort will feature an upscale hotel capable of accommodating up to 150 guests, three exclusive 150 sq m villas, an outdoor swimming pool, a modern conference center as well as wellness and fitness facilities, Burak Baykan said in an emailed interview with SeeNews.
The hotel will have 69 rooms and six suites while the villas will boast private gardens and swimming pools, intended for families on vacation desiring more space, Baykan said.
In Croatia, Dogus Group also owns the five-star Villa Dubrovnik hotel in Dubrovnik, three yacht marinas- D-Marin Mandalina, D-Marin Dalmacija and D-Marin Borik, as well as a 10.9% stake in state-controlled marina operator ACI.
The Turkish group fully acquired D-Marin Dalmacija and D-Marin Borik in 2012.
D-Marin Dalmacija, near Zadar, offers 1,200 berths in total while D-Marin Borik, also in the Zadar area, accommodates as many as 185 yachts up to 40 m in the water with an additional 50 berths on the hardstand.
Last August, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said it was providing a 30 million euro loan to D-Marin Dalmacija and D-Marin Borik for the refurbishment of their facilities which have a key role in boosting nautical tourism along the Croatian coast.
Dogus Group acquired D-Marin Mandalina in Sibenik in 2009, and since then has invested around 20 million euro in its modernization and transformation into the first super yacht marina in the Croatian part of the Adriatic.
The marina holds 429 sea berths, 50 on land and has unlimited draft. It can provide berthing to yachts of up to 140 m in length, as well as necessary energy infrastructure.
“As our strategy is to raise standards of service in our facilities, we decided to open a high-end resort which will attract more guests to Sibenik and offer additional content for our marina guests. We are convinced that the facilities offered by D-Resort Sibenik will have a positive impact on the marina,” the official said.
In his view, the accommodation capacity on offer along Croatia’s Dalmatian coast is limited in terms of quality and Dogus Group aims to fill this niche by offering services which will attract people seeking upscale accommodation.
Dogus Group recently acquired an old facility of the Maraska beverage factory in Zadar and is planning to transform it into an upmarket hotel with 120 rooms and a residential area with 80 apartments, which will be complemented by a new zone with shops, restaurants, cafes and bars.
The hotel and residential area will be managed by an international luxury hotel chain, Baykan said.
“We are currently investing in D-Marin Dalmacija, which is the biggest marina in the region and have so far completed a new reception area and administrative building. We are also planning to build an exclusive beach club, which would be ready for the 2016 season. After that, we will focus on D-Marin Borik, which is our boutique marina.”
The company will also continue to develop the 56-room Villa Dubrovnik boutique hotel whose acquisition it completed last year.
($=0.8896 euro)