Hvar Away exists to inspire memories through the beauty and magic of the island.

far

The house with no neighbours. Steps away from the sea.

The stone cottage with the private courtyard. Home away from home.

The villa with the infinity pool. Sunsets that take your breath away.

Hvar Away is the luxury villa rental company that connects visitors to places imbued with the island’s magic; designed to inspire memories, rooted in nature and history. Be our guest.

See our villas

OUR STORY

Created and run by foreigners turned locals

Hvar Away founders Elisha and Matt moved to Hvar in 2020, having visited the island only once before. The pandemic motivated them to take a leap of faith, bidding farewell to the UK in pursuit of building a new life in Croatia.

Having escaped from medical studies at Oxford University and subsequent world traveller, Elisha heads up operations and guest services. Originally from Poland, Matt is a multi-skilled tradesman, former strongman coach, and is fast gathering a reputation as the island’s own superhero.

They soon realised that together, with complementary skillsets and an international perspective, they could lay the foundations of something truly special. Their idea was to create more than just a travel agency; instead, to curate a collection of special properties and experiences that would allow others to discover the true magic of this small island.

Our values

We design holidays that are true getaways.

1. AWAY FROM WORRY

Each villa in our collection is vetted by us personally. The homes we select are top of their class as far as quality, design, location, character, and amenities – all in value alignment with their price.

Our meticulous inspections also allow us to craft accurate descriptions, covering every detail from bed size to balcony rail heights. So with us, what you see and read is precisely what you'll experience – no embellishments or errors – just worry-free peace of mind.

2. AWAY FROM STRESS

Summer holidays come once a year. We are dedicated to making your time away count with our curated local Experiences that are tailored to your timetable and tastes.

For ultimate peace of mind, leave the organising to us (think speedboat transfers, private chefs, boat charters, guided tours, restaurant reservations, car hire, and more). We are deeply committed to anticipating your every need, so you can make the most of your precious holiday time and leave behind the usual stress of planning your trip.

3. AWAY FROM THE MUNDANE

Hvar is a magical location, but that magic can quickly fade if faced with practical issues like a malfunctioning air conditioner or a washing machine that refuses to turn on.

Relax with confidence that our island-based support team stands ready, day or night, to address any issue. With us, your holiday is promised to be protected from the mundane household headaches of home.

We share places close to our hearts ...

We believe the best way to discover special places is from those who call it home. We seek out properties filled with the island’s magic. Many of them are only available through us. As “foreigners turned locals” living on the island all year round, we know each villa in our collection intimately – the story, the details, and the owners – so we can connect guests with their perfect escape.

Medvidina Bay is a secluded spot on the southern coast of Hvar, and was the place we chose to spend the first summer after our spontaneous move to the island. It is also place where the Hvar Away story began.

At the end of the long, winding road that leads to Medvidina Bay, you will find just a handful of houses. One of those houses belongs to a French gentleman called Pierre, who we quickly formed a bond with during long summer days together in the bay. Upon his departure home to Paris, having known us for approximately two weeks, Pierre handed us the keys to his almost-finished house and asked if we wouldn't mind living in it over winter and keeping an eye on things.

"Also," he added, "if you could manage renting it next summer, that would be great."

Many times, you don’t know the significance of a moment until you reflect back on it.

Pictured above is La Villa Bleue – or for us, “Pierre’s house” – and it’s still to this day our most sought-after villa.

We chose this island as home because of its unparalleled beauty, and we were able to build a life here because of its hidden serendipity. We even had the pleasure of holding our wedding on Hvar in June 2023.

We’re eager to share this magical place with you.

... close to home

Hvar Away provides round-the-clock property maintenance support. Matt is always close by. He lives on the island all year round, spending the off-season period running the island's leading property maintenance and repairs company. Throughout your stay, Matt remains easily reachable by phone, so you are assured of a prompt response to any arising issues.

... and loved by our guests.

INCREDIBLE stay and hosts! Matt & Elisha could not have been more helpful, welcoming, and friendly. Our large group of 9 guests required substantial coordination, and Elisha was proactive, thorough, and extremely helpful in facilitating our transportation and logistics while visiting Hvar. Matt was kind enough to be available to help transport our luggage and dropped by to help when we had minor needs (how to work the coffee machine, dispose of trash, etc). Both could not have been more kind - they really made our stay a breeze! The villa itself is simply spectacular. Having visited Croatia multiple times, nothing compares to the secluded, nearly-private beach experience on the most stunning island of Hvar. The home was fully equipped with all of the essentials and we were heartbroken to have to leave!

M. KEJAS, JULY 2024

Our stay at Vertigo Palace was made absolutely extraordinary thanks to Elisha. She went above and beyond to ensure every moment of our trip was perfect. Elisha was instrumental in crafting our itinerary, offering insightful recommendations on what activities to prioritize and which to skip, tailored perfectly to our group's preferences. We really had some unforgettable experiences. What truly meant a lot was Elisha's attention to detail and unwavering support throughout our stay. Not only did she meticulously coordinate travel plans for 9 people arriving at different times with various needs, she made everything seamless for our group and was also incredibly responsive and helpful on a daily basis. We cannot recommend Hvar Away highly enough and look forward to returning to Croatia, knowing that Elisha will ensure another exceptional experience.

L. BRADFIELD, JULY 2024

We traveled to many different locations in Croatia but Hvar was by far our favorite and mainly thanks to Hvar Away and their amazing customer service. First off Elisha was absolutely incredible to work with. She went above and beyond to ensure that my family and friends stay on Hvar was nothing short of amazing.

Our time on Hvar island though short was made very special by all of Elisha's recommendations and attentiveness to making sure our stay was nothing short of perfection. If you are looking for the most amazing getaway on the island of Hvar with a curated experience from a local expert then do not pass up the opportunity to book with Hvar Away. Thank you so much for making the trip of a lifetime that much more special for us!

K. WENTZ, JUNE 2024

Wow we visited the seemingly undiscovered Jewel that is the island of Hvar what a wonderful place ! - matched only by the level of professionalism and service my family and I received from the team at Hvar Away - Matt & Elisha.

I can’t thank them enough for making it such a wonderful trip for us … until next time …

D. MUNN, AUGUST 2023

We found La Villa Bleue, the villa of our dreams for our summer vacation, at the best price on Hvar Away’s website. Everything went perfectly… from being greeted with Matt’s big smile when we arrived right through to the end of our week in paradise. The house itself was just stunning… you cannot believe the location until you experience it. We have already booked another beachfront villa with Hvar Away for next summer! Big thank you to Matt and Elisha!

M. ADŽAGA, JULY 2023

A WORLD AWAY

We value your precious holiday time entrusted to us.

Traditional agencies

  • Non-vetted homes
  • No availability calendars
  • Slow booking process
  • International bank transfers only
  • Provide third party contacts for extra services like car rental and boat trips
  • No local support, rely on hosts to fix any maintenance issues
  • Inspected homes
  • Synced calendars
  • Book instantly
  • Fast & secure card payments
  • Services and experiences booked through us
  • On-island 24/7 in-house support ready to assist

We’re here to craft your dream Mediterranean villa escape.

Feeling inspired? Talk to our on-island team to make your travel dreams a reality.

Get in touchSee villas