T he first relief: Some of the decor is a bit worse for wear, and the fuses keep blowing. Can a few days of a Mediterranean version of the paleo diet β in which carbs are reduced, proteins and healthy fats increased, processed food eschewed and fruit and vegetables abound β set me on the road to wellness? Hotel Ola is a short distance away, through the tiny settlement of Seget Donji, and each of its 50 rooms has a balcony with a direct sea view.
Only open a few months, the hotel is quiet, spacious, immaculately clean and deeply soothing: Though this retreat is not one without its challenges β¦. Perhaps the greatest of these is the most innocuous sounding: I particularly admired his tactful habit of pointing towards objects on the horizon to facilitate frequent rests. Of course, I felt marvellous once it was over, and it had the additional advantage of making my other exercise sessions β early-morning yoga and gym-based training β look like a flat, leisurely walk in the park.
Once again, the instructors could not have looked more kindly on me β one even encouraging my clearly fantastical dreams of completing a 10k run before I hit Puddings, Dalmatian wine and a large terrace on which to eat and watch the boats go by sweep away any longing for chips. Indeed, those in pursuit of a hair shirt would probably find Hotel Ola a little too easygoing, although there are more rigorous weight loss and detox programmes on offer.
However, Hotel Ola presented a rather lovely reset, and I felt significantly better, more rested and even a little slimmer at the end of my five-day stint. Admittedly, I went from Split directly to Italy, where I attended a wedding of such epic largesse β and such monstrously delicious plates of carb-heavy pasta β that I returned to London too fat to do up my seat-belt on the plane.
But what are you going to do? Go to Tuscany and eat carob bread? And, a month or so on, I have. I now go to yoga and Pilates classes five times a week, swim regularly and eat more fish and vegetables. Chia seeds, not so much. Topics Croatia holidays The Observer.
