Welcome back! We are looking forward to seeing you again!
Thrilled to be able to welcome you back to our beautiful island, we have received the first guests of Hotel Aurora, which resumed operation on 20 May. Among them are Mr and Mrs Segedi, who decided to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Lošinj. Read the following interview to find out why they decided on Lošinj and what their vacation experience was like.
1. We understand you made your booking recently. What made you book a trip as soon as you got a chance to? Was it a last-minute decision?
Mrs Segedi: We have two children and five grandchildren and we are a close-knit family. So obviously we wanted to celebrate an occasion as important as a 50th wedding anniversary with family. However, until 15 days ago the situation regarding the coronavirus made it unclear whether it would be possible to have our celebration in a restaurant and under what conditions, if we could have a priest present, or hug our grandchildren, which is why we decided not to disturb or put pressure on anyone and celebrate on our own. As the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining. If you ask us, we couldn’t have made a better decision. When we were choosing the destination, we couldn’t decide between Dubrovnik and Opatija. Then a friend of ours told us that Hotel Aurora was reopening on 20 May and I made the call right away. Considering the location of Hotel Aurora, it was an easy decision.
2. That’s exactly what our next question is. How come you decided on Lošinj and Aurora for your special holiday?
Mr Segedi: What mainly drew us were the walks, nature, and overall feel of Lošinj that we know well.
Mrs Segedi: It is our fifth time visiting Lošinj. The first time we came was back in 1968, when we were visiting a friend on the island of Koludarac and where we stayed in a tent. After that, I visited Veli Lošinj on a school trip, because I work as a teacher. We came back on several occasions after that, so we know the island very well. I am originally from Hvar and we have a summer home there, in Lozna Bay. Sunčana Bay reminded me of my dear Lozna Bay, which was one of the reasons we chose Aurora.
We have travelled across the Adriatic, but there’s no place with this many landscaped and picturesque promenades along the seafront. We visited Mrtvaška Bay the other day, when it was very windy. It was amazing. The untouched nature, the views… There are not many destinations that can offer you that. There are a lot of hiking trails here. Which is an added plus for nature lovers who enjoy cycling or hiking.
I also got to know Lošinj through a dear friend of mine who you worked with on organising a school of therapeutic fasting. I even took part in such a programme when I stayed at Hotel Bellevue.
In other words, what drew us the most were the beautiful walks you can take on Lošinj, and Sunčana Bay, which reminds me so much of my dear Lozna Bay. When we heard you were reopening on 20 May, our minds were made up.
3. Do you have a favourite place on the island, considering you know it so well?
Mrs Segedi: Veli Lošinj is quite special, its architecture, the town square… a joy to experience. And what about that view of Veli Lošinj from the hilltop of St. John, amazing!
Mr Segedi adds: I learned how to swim in Veli Lošinj when I was a kid.
4. Is there anything else you would like to see or experience on Lošinj?
Mr Segedi: If it wasn’t for the strong bora winds, we would have rented a boat and wandered around the island.
5. You said you enjoyed going on walks. Do you know we organise guided tours with instructors?
Mrs Segedi: I have been experiencing health problems in the last two years, and the current situation regarding the coronavirus has only made it worse. I used to lead a very active lifestyle and I was in good shape. I would love to get back in shape, at least to some extent. And that is why we go on walks. But it is still hard for me, so we stop a lot and take breaks. I wouldn’t want to bother the instructor, or the rest of the group.
We have already mentioned that we travelled the entire coast, there are only a couple of islands left that we have yet to visit. I said straight away that we needed a bit of Lošinj in our lives so I think it was a perfect decision. I am really happy we came here and already the next day we felt the warm reception of all of the staff. They had a friendly, yet professional approach. Just today our housekeeper ran after us to congratulate us on our anniversary. The staff arranged a table specially for us at the restaurant and when we first arrived at the hotel, I got flowers from the front desk and we received a warm welcome to our room. It is the details that make you happy. I was delighted by the friendliness of the staff and their joy to start working again. Finally, things are getting back on track. The joy of working, that is what I felt.
We are visiting from Zagreb, where we were spending most of our time at home as we are in the high-risk group. And then we had the earthquake as well… So imagine coming from a place like that here and experiencing the joy of outdoor living, from a closed to an open world. Of course, we are enjoying ourselves!
This was a double-period class. Just be sure to have your introduction, main part and conclusion. (Mrs Segedi adds jokingly.)
Mr Segedi: Yes, we are really pleased, especially with the staff. We have had a great experience in every way, which is something I need to stress and the beautiful nature of Lošinj is no secret, anyway. It is a joy to come to Lošinj at the end of May and have all of this space for yourselves. We have even spotted some dolphins! That is what makes it so special, to experience something no one ever has or will experience.
Mrs Segedi: Every cloud has a silver lining. We are certain that God has granted us something truly special – concluded Mrs Segedi.