New Year at Villa Majesty: A Family Celebration on Mali Lošinj

New Year doesn't always have to mean a crowded city square, a formal hotel program, or a party shared with strangers. There's a song that starts with "Summer moved on..." (a comeback hit in the early 2000s by A-HA), which makes you feel particularly sad because as summer passes, you too have to return to everyday life after spending a jolly good week on a Croatian island. But why wait for next summer? Mali Lošinj makes a beautiful setting for New Year too.

A German family of four, their dog, and a nanny spent New Year's at Villa Majesty, a luxury villa on Mali Lošinj in Croatia's Kvarner Bay, just 1 km from town. Here is their real story, from truffle hunting to a private New Year's Eve celebration by the sea - and an example of what a winter villa holiday in Croatia can look like when the accommodation and services are planned around the people traveling.

Why They Chose Mali Lošinj for New Year

Mali Lošinj is generally associated with summer holidays, pine-shaded beaches and days spent beside the Adriatic. Winter reveals a quieter side of the island. The waterfront remains ideal for walks, the air carries the scent of the sea and surrounding pine forests, and the town can be explored without the pace and crowds of the main summer season. Days are slower, restaurants are more relaxed, and the island feels more personal.

For this family, Mali Lošinj offered something they could not have found at a conventional New Year celebration: privacy, time together and a complete change of surroundings.

Their villa was about one kilometer from the town, giving them a private seafront setting while staying close enough to visit Mali Lošinj whenever they wished.

Mali Lošinj at sunset - a quieter, more personal side of the island that the family discovered outside the summer season

Reaching Mali Lošinj Without a Long Road Journey

Mali Lošinj can be reached by car, but the road journey normally involves traveling across either Cres or Krk and continuing south towards Lošinj. For guests arriving from outside Croatia, particularly for a shorter winter stay, that route may take away a significant part of the holiday.

This family chose to fly.

Traveling by private plane made their arrival much simpler and let them start the holiday without a lengthy combination of driving and ferry connections. It was particularly convenient for a family traveling with children, a nanny, luggage, and a dog.

Private flights aren't necessary for every stay, but in this case, the arrival method became part of the experience. It also gave the family more time at the villa instead of spending much of their first and final days in transit.

Flying in saved the family a long drive through Cres and Krk - more time at the villa, less time in transit

Villa Majesty: A Private Winter Home by the Sea

Villa Majesty is a five-bedroom seafront property accommodating up to 12 guests. With approximately 450 m² of living space and around 2,000 m² of grounds, it offered far more room than the family needed - and that was part of its appeal.

The adults had privacy, the children had their own spaces, and the nanny could stay with the family without everyone feeling as though they were sharing one compact holiday home.

The villa includes plenty of facilities, which matter even more during a winter stay. The family did not have to depend on warm weather to enjoy the property. They could swim in the heated pool, use the sauna and gym, watch a film together, or spend an evening inside without feeling confined.

A private cinema room - one of several ways the family stayed entertained without depending on the weather

The rooftop jacuzzi, with uninterrupted sea views - a quiet spot for the adults even in winter

A separate bar and games area gave the adults their own space, away from the children's rooms

The private gym let guests keep up their routine without leaving the villa

The sauna added another reason to stay in on a winter evening rather than venture out

A Villa Designed for Both Adults and Children

Choosing a high-standard villa for a family holiday involves more than finding enough beds. Children and adults often use the property differently, especially during a winter stay when you may not spend every day outdoors.

Villa Majesty gave the children several places to play and unwind. The children’s room features cabin-style beds, playful details, and table football, while the private cinema lets the whole family enjoy a film evening without leaving the villa.

Bicycles provided another way to explore the surrounding area and ride towards Mali Lošinj when the weather allowed.

Meanwhile, the adults could enjoy the wellness facilities, rooftop Jacuzzi, sea views and quieter living areas. Everyone stayed together, but they didn't have to do the same thing all day.

That balance was one reason the property worked so well for the group.

Villa Majesty's layout gave adults and children separate spaces to unwind, across several terraces and living areas

The children's room, with cabin-style beds and table football - one of several spaces just for them

A quieter living area for the adults, with sea views and a fireplace for winter evenings

Celebrating New Year Without a Fixed Hotel Program

A hotel celebration usually follows a schedule: dinner begins at a set time, entertainment is selected for all guests, and breakfast ends at a predetermined hour.

A private villa offers a different rhythm.

The family could decide when to dine, when the children would go to bed, and how they wanted to spend the year's final evening. No one needed to dress for a crowded ballroom or stay at a table longer than the children enjoyed.

With a private chef, the family could plan the New Year menu around their preferences. Meals could be adapted for adults and children, dietary requirements could be considered in advance, and the family could enjoy dinner in the privacy of the villa.

The private chef behind the family's New Year's menu, freeing them to spend the evening together instead of in the kitchen

The chef and support team handled the preparation and kitchen work, leaving the guests free to spend the evening together.

For this family, luxury was not formality. It was the ability to celebrate without worrying about shopping, cooking, cleaning, or coordinating several separate reservations.

Meals on the family's own schedule - no set hotel mealtime, no shared ballroom

Their Most Unusual Experience: A Private Truffle-Hunting Trip

The stay was not limited to the villa.

The family wanted to include one distinctive experience during their Croatian winter holiday: truffle hunting. Since Lošinj is not Croatia’s principal truffle region, the excursion required more planning than a conventional day trip, so we arranged a private jet to fly them to truffle country, along with a photographer to capture the day.

The result was not simply an excursion added to an itinerary. It became a family memory connected to a particular place, season, and celebration.

This is where personalized concierge planning makes a difference. The guests started with an idea that wasn't available as a standard local excursion, and we brought together the necessary transport, activity, and photography around their stay.

The truffle hunt itself - trained dogs at work, arranged as a private day trip built around the family's stay at Villa Majesty

Traveling to Croatia With a Dog

The family did not want to leave their dog at home for the holiday, so pet-friendly accommodation was essential.

Villa Majesty accepts pets, subject to applicable conditions, so the whole family can travel together. The villa’s extensive grounds and the surrounding walking areas were especially practical during a winter stay.

Guests traveling with a pet should always confirm:

• Does the villa accept pets
• The number and size of pets permitted
• Any applicable pet fee
• Rules concerning furniture and pool areas
• Documentation required for entering Croatia
• Arrangements for private or air transportation
• Nearby walking areas and veterinary services

Pet-friendly does not mean every type of pet is automatically accepted, so you should always agree on details before confirming the reservation.

What Made This New Year Stay Work?

The stay's success wasn't based on one extravagant element. It came from matching the villa and services to the family.

They needed:

• A private home rather than several hotel rooms
• Comfortable accommodation for the family and nanny
• A villa that accepted their dog
• Indoor activities for the children
• Heated pool and wellness facilities suitable for winter
• Private dining rather than a public New Year program
• Convenient transportation to the island
• One special experience beyond the villa
• Local assistance before and during the stay

Villa Majesty provided the setting, while planning connected the accommodation, travel, chef service and truffle-hunting excursion into one coherent holiday.

Is Mali Lošinj a Good Destination for New Year?

Mali Lošinj is a strong choice for travelers who prefer a quiet, private New Year to a large public celebration.

It is particularly suitable for families traveling with children, multigenerational groups, guests seeking privacy, travelers who enjoy wellness facilities, couples sharing a villa with friends, guests traveling with pets, visitors who prefer nature and the sea to nightlife and travelers who want a fully planned stay without a rigid program

Since winter on the island is not the same as summer, the villa should provide enough indoor comfort to remain enjoyable regardless of the weather. Heating, wellness facilities, common areas, a cinema room, and chef services aren't just extra amenities during New Year—they shape the quality of the stay.

How to Plan a New Year Villa Holiday in Croatia

New Year villa stays require more advance coordination than an ordinary winter weekend.

Choose a villa suitable for winter

A beautiful pool terrace is not enough. Look for proper heating, comfortable indoor living areas, and facilities you can enjoy throughout your stay.

Confirm which services are available over the holidays

Private chefs, drivers, housekeeping teams and activity providers may have limited availability between Christmas and New Year. Reserve these services as early as possible.

Plan food and groceries before arrival

Opening hours can change during the holiday period. Grocery pre-stocking ensures that breakfast items, drinks, children’s food and other essentials are waiting at the villa.

Keep part of the program flexible

Winter weather may affect boating, flying and outdoor excursions. A well-equipped villa helps ensure a changed plan doesn't become a lost day.

Check pet arrangements in advance

If traveling with a dog or another pet, request written confirmation from the villa and transportation providers before booking.

A Different Way to Welcome the New Year

For this family, the stay at Villa Majesty was not about attending the largest party or following a packed itinerary.

They welcomed 2025 together in a private villa by the sea. The children had room to play, the adults could enjoy the wellness facilities, the nanny stayed comfortably with the family, and their dog traveled with them.

They shared a privately prepared New Year dinner, enjoyed the villa at their own pace and added an unusual truffle-hunting trip by private aircraft to the experience.

That combination made the holiday personal. It was not a standard New Year package that could have taken place anywhere. It belonged specifically to this family, this villa and this Croatian island.

When the Villa Becomes Part of the Memory

Some holidays are remembered through a particular dinner, destination or excursion. Others stay with us because everything came together so naturally.

At Villa Majesty, the family did not have to choose between privacy and personal service, or between time together and space for themselves. The villa became their home for the holiday - comfortable enough for quiet winter days and flexible enough for a celebration created entirely around them.

Their stay also showed that the Croatian islands are not only summer destinations. In winter, Mali Lošinj offers something rarer: peaceful surroundings, open views of the Adriatic, and the feeling that time moves a little more slowly.

For families who value privacy, comfort, and experiences with a genuine sense of place, celebrating New Year on a Croatian island can be far more meaningful than following a conventional festive program.

Discover Villa Majesty and imagine what your own winter stay on Mali Lošinj could look like