The five-star Aminess Younique Korčula Heritage Hotel has opened its doors at the site of a historic building from 1912, with the 7 Seas restaurant led by a chef who has climbed Mount Everest.
Korčula is now richer for another hotel gem. Aminess Hotels & Resorts has officially opened the doors of the Aminess Younique Korčula Heritage Hotel, an exclusive five-star property with an investment of €3.4 million. It is the sixth hotel of the highest category in this group's portfolio, located right next to the old town core and the sea.
The property, with over a century of tradition-operating since 1912-has been a favorite destination of the world's elite for decades. Legendary guests such as Sophia Loren, Jackie Kennedy, and Wallis Simpson have stayed in its rooms, finding peace and discreet luxury here. Today, the hotel offers 11 premium rooms, each named after the island's inspirations-from stone alleyways to shipbuilding.
An indispensable part of the offering is the 7 Seas restaurant, led by chef Matija Bogdan. His résumé includes stints at COI in San Francisco, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, and work at London's The Ledbury. The turning point came when, at age 22, he decided to send dozens of emails to the world's best restaurants, offering to volunteer. The first response came from San Francisco, and Bogdan went to America with almost no money for a months-long internship-an experience he now describes as a moment that completely changed his life.
In 2015, he moved to London and began working at the famous The Ledbury under chef Brett Graham, where he stayed for four and a half years, rising to the position of sous chef. However, the toxic work environment eventually took its toll, so he decided to return to Croatia. After returning, he worked for a time as head chef at Zagreb's ManO restaurant, and then began his collaboration with Aminess.
Bogdan recently achieved a feat few chefs can boast: he climbed Mount Everest, at 8,849 meters above sea level. From the roof of the world, he unfurled a flag reading "PPČ"-an acronym for "punk, drunks, and Čakovec folks." At the 7 Seas restaurant, he now brings a contemporary approach to fine dining, relying on local ingredients and Mediterranean tradition.
"As a high-category heritage hotel, the Aminess Younique Korčula Heritage Hotel further elevates the quality of the island's tourism offering. Korčula thus cements its status as one of the most desirable destinations on the Adriatic while simultaneously strengthening its recognition in strategically important source markets such as the UK and the USA, where interest in this type of boutique accommodation is continuously growing," said Mladen Knežević, President of the Management Board of Aminess.
Knežević emphasizes that the hotel will attract higher-spending guests for a larger part of the year, opening new opportunities for the local economy and further valorizing the island's cultural heritage. The redesign of the historic building is by the architectural studio Atellior, which combined heritage preservation with the highest hotel standards.
The hotel has recently become a member of the Association of Unique Croatian Hotels Impresia. Last week, the Association announced that it expects results in July and August at the level of 2025, with some hotels anticipating an increase in overnight stays for the peak season.
"Among Impresia members, June and September are increasingly filling up first, with prices comparable to the main summer months. Impresia members also record good spending in the food and beverage segment, with a strong guest focus on value for money," said Nenad Nizić, President and Founder of the Association.
With the addition of new members, the Association further strengthens its presence in Pula and Korčula, where it now gathers two hotels each, and in Dubrovnik as one of Croatia's leading luxury tourism destinations. Nizić also highlights collaboration with local restaurateurs, winemakers, and private guides, thereby extending the potential of luxury accommodation beyond the hotel walls themselves.
