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Guestbook

Rick und Denise

I can whole-heartedly recommend this wonderful establishment and the Moll family who own and run it. Stancija 1904 is very up-market, set in large grounds, with excellent rooms. Located in a small village, away from the tourist hordes but excellently placed to be able to visit everywhere in Istria with ease. The quality of the rooms and the attention to detail is second to none – they are spacious, comfy, stylish. You actually don’t want to leave! The Moll’s have created a wonderful marriage of Croatian beauty and Swiss style – not only in their home but in their lives as well.

Breakfast on the veranda is a treat, and there is no pressure on when you take this – whenever you can force yourself out of the wonderful beds! But it is a treat worth getting up for. The room’s well equipped kitchen means you can dine ‘at home’ if you wish, and enjoy some fine wine, a light supper, while sitting out on the veranda gazing at the stars.

The whole family are so welcoming and helpful it feels like you are staying with friends – from your first arrival and welcoming drink, through providing lots of helpful advise and suggestions on places to visit, restaurants to try, or wine to sample, to the final farewell.

Stancija 1904 is a haven of tranquillity and comfort in which you can spoil yourselves to your hearts content. I just wish I was back there now.

With Spouse/Partner

Immediately upon arrival at Stancija 1904, we were treated like family. Although the owner was assisting someone with upcoming wedding arrangements, a visiting friend invited us to sit down and enjoy some drinks on the patio while we waited. The grounds were very nice and the atmosphere relaxing. Our handicap-accessible room was very large and had a full kitchen; however, there was no air conditioning. Although the breakfast was not included, it was well worth the extra fee; a variety of homemade breads and jams, local olive oils, and eggs with truffles were on offer. We would gladly return for a longer visit.

John J. Goddard

Driving west from Zagreb to the Istrian peninsula is a bit like bidding farewell to a tipsy uncle at a boisterous family gathering as you retreat to the peace of a cottage in the forest. Croatia’s remarkable diversity isn’t reflected only in its food, dialects and microclimates, but also in the distinctive moods that hang in the air of each and every locale. While Zagreb chuckles mischievously behind a deceptive façade of imposing architecture and lingering Austro-Hungarian formality, the soul of Istria whispers dark green aromas of sea mist, pine smoke and herbs from the crisp silence of wooded hills.

The sleepy Istrian village of Smoljanci exemplifies such serenity. While it’s a bit of a trek from Zagreb, it’s only a short drive from the fairytale city of Rovinj. Tourism is not highly developed in Smoljanci, but if you’re up for some classic Istrian cooking with local wine and brandy, the rolling estate at Stancija 1904 is worth the extra coin for a night or two.

Stancija 1904 is an idyllic agroturizam getaway tucked back from the rest of the world. ‘Agroturizam’ means simply that the accommodations and dining of a tourist property emphasize natural, traditional and home style offerings rather than the glitz and champagne of large hotels. While getting to Smoljanci entails navigating a maze of two-lane roads flanked by ancient stone fences, the estate’s website offers what are arguably the clearest, most accurate driving directions ever given in Croatian history. The adventurous will enjoy the ride through the Istrian countryside, and Stancija 1904 is worth the trip.

When you arrive in Smoljanci, the first full breath of pure Istrian air will reach into every cell of your being, confirming that you’re no longer in Zagreb. At night the only sounds audible on the sprawling estate are those of frogs and the massive boughs of Stancija’s ancient oak, creaking and groaning under the wind. Upon entering the resort’s rustic stone dining hall, you’ll be greeted in the traditional fashion with krostule – a crisp, fried pastry dusted with powdered sugar – and a snifter of superb, locally distilled herb brandy to whet the appetite. Chef and proprietor Drazenka Moll will be busy in the wood-fueled outdoor kitchen putting the final touches on your supper, concocted entirely from local, seasonal ingredients.

Notable elements of Stancija’s multi-course supper may include fresh, homemade goat cheese with nettles, a salad of arugula and wild strawberries, or handmade pasta with crabs and mixed seafood. But it’s the local Istrian wine that might make the most indelible impression, transporting you to an entirely new world of oenophilia. Among other notables in the cellar, Stancija’s wine list boasts an Istrian Teran with remarkable herb flavors.

All told, the expertly prepared food, exquisite wine and quiet, fire-lit ambience will combine to make your stay night memorable. If it’s the mystical serenity of Istria you seek, you’ll find it in the village of Smoljanci.

Alexis Touchet

We arrived in the village to find a fireside dinner awaiting us at Stancija 1904, the 104-year-old villa owned by Draženka (“Dada”) and Rolf Moll. The couple turned out to be the perfect hosts, and learning to cook Istrian food with Dada was so comfortable that it felt like gearing up for a family feast, as if every day was Thanksgiving. One afternoon, she showed us how to shape the local pasta, fuži, rolling up the squares of dough around a very small dowel to produce penne-like tubes. Dada made it look easy. It wasn’t, but she laughed and told us to keep going. Tagging along with her to the provisioners in nearby Pula, my fellow student and I repeatedly helped make all the decisions about what to have for dinner, gleefully loading up at the fishmonger’s, the bakery, and the produce market. On the trip back to the estate, we stopped by a farm where Dada buys her goat cheese and eggs and had a quick look at the black-and-white-splotched goats that provide the milk for the cheese. The owner offered us a glass of her homemade wine and sent us away with the last of the season’s peaches. On other day trips, we visited lovely villages like Grožnjan, which has become something of an art colony. Dinners were accompanied by wines made from the local grapes Malvazia and Teran, which perfectly matched the rustic cuisine.

Florence, Dushyant and Anzo Patel

Hi Rolf and Drazenka,

Sorry it took me so long to write to you but we wanted to thank you again for our lovely stay with you in September. We keep a very nice memory of your place in Istria and hope to come back sometime in the future.

Anzo is back to normal now, what an adventure!!

Best Regards to your family and Cha-cha,

Florence, Dushyant and Anzo Patel

Simon and Caroline

Dear Rolf and Drazenka

Many, many thanks for your mail and for your hospitality during our stay with you. Now safely back in the UK, we had a superb tour of both Slovenia and Croatia but would certainly hope to return to your fantastic accommodation and food in the next few years. Moreover I have already been recommending you to friends and colleagues!

Thanks again!

Family Schmid-Parker

Dear Rolf, Drazenka Vera and Cha-Cha

We hope you're all keeping well and are finding time for yourselves in your very busy schedule. We would like to thank you for your hospitality once again: this made our short holiday in Istria even more enjoyable. It was so nice to come back to a nice hotel in the evening with all the comfort of home and then, to get up to those fine, big breakfasts in the morning was a real treat! We very much appreciated the wonderful company throughout our stay. Our very best regards to you all and hope to see you again soon!

Alison, Raphael, Shirley and Gregory from Kanton Aargau.

Ayala and Bob

Hello to all the Family,

Thank you so much for a great time.

We had the best B-Day !!!!!

Your place is beautiful and we will remember it forever. We just got back last night after a great trip in Venice, Verona, Padua, Lake Garda and more.

The weather was beautiful and we are sorry to be back at work.

We will tell everyone about your place. Thank you so much again....the strawberry liquor arrived safely and we will share it with our friends.

Tell Drazenka that I‘ll make a dinner to my friends a typical Istrain dinner.

She is a great cook and also a very beautiful lady.

Kiss the dog for me.

Love

Ayala and Bob

Wray

Thank you for your attention and response. Wonderful website!

Wray

Jsmeta and Jan

Dear Family Moll

Thank you very much for your hospitality. We had a wonderful stay and we will be sendig our friends in the future.

Special thanks to "Maza" (Cha-cha) for keeping an eye on us during breakfast.

Jsmeta & Jan

Paola Tinti

If you need relax, nature, peace and quiet you could surely find them in Stancija. You will have also the lack to know Rolf and his wife that are very very kind person.

We spent a wonderful holiday, and we are sure we will come back soon in Stancija.

Rick und Denise	I can whole-heartedly recommend this wonderful establishment and the Moll family who own and run it. Stancija 1904 is very up-market, set in large grounds, with excellent rooms. Located in a small village, away from the tourist hordes but excellently placed to be able to visit everywhere in Istria with ease. The quality of the rooms and the attention to detail is second to none – they are spacious, comfy, stylish. You actually don’t want to leave! The Moll’s have created a wonderful marriage of Croatian beauty and Swiss style – not only in their home but in their lives as well. Breakfast on the veranda is a treat, and there is no pressure on when you take this – whenever you can force yourself out of the wonderful beds! But it is a treat worth getting up for. The room’s well equipped kitchen means you can dine ‘at home’ if you wish, and enjoy some fine wine, a light supper, while sitting out on the veranda gazing at the stars. The whole family are so welcoming and helpful it feels like you are staying with friends – from your first arrival and welcoming drink, through providing lots of helpful advise and suggestions on places to visit, restaurants to try, or wine to sample, to the final farewell. Stancija 1904 is a haven of tranquillity and comfort in which you can spoil yourselves to your hearts content. I just wish I was back there now.
With Spouse/Partner	Immediately upon arrival at Stancija 1904, we were treated like family. Although the owner was assisting someone with upcoming wedding arrangements, a visiting friend invited us to sit down and enjoy some drinks on the patio while we waited. The grounds were very nice and the atmosphere relaxing. Our handicap-accessible room was very large and had a full kitchen; however, there was no air conditioning. Although the breakfast was not included, it was well worth the extra fee; a variety of homemade breads and jams, local olive oils, and eggs with truffles were on offer. We would gladly return for a longer visit.
John J. Goddard	Driving west from Zagreb to the Istrian peninsula is a bit like bidding farewell to a tipsy uncle at a boisterous family gathering as you retreat to the peace of a cottage in the forest. Croatia’s remarkable diversity isn’t reflected only in its food, dialects and microclimates, but also in the distinctive moods that hang in the air of each and every locale. While Zagreb chuckles mischievously behind a deceptive façade of imposing architecture and lingering Austro-Hungarian formality, the soul of Istria whispers dark green aromas of sea mist, pine smoke and herbs from the crisp silence of wooded hills. The sleepy Istrian village of Smoljanci exemplifies such serenity. While it’s a bit of a trek from Zagreb, it’s only a short drive from the fairytale city of Rovinj. Tourism is not highly developed in Smoljanci, but if you’re up for some classic Istrian cooking with local wine and brandy, the rolling estate at Stancija 1904 is worth the extra coin for a night or two. Stancija 1904 is an idyllic agroturizam getaway tucked back from the rest of the world. ‘Agroturizam’ means simply that the accommodations and dining of a tourist property emphasize natural, traditional and home style offerings rather than the glitz and champagne of large hotels. While getting to Smoljanci entails navigating a maze of two-lane roads flanked by ancient stone fences, the estate’s website offers what are arguably the clearest, most accurate driving directions ever given in Croatian history. The adventurous will enjoy the ride through the Istrian countryside, and Stancija 1904 is worth the trip. When you arrive in Smoljanci, the first full breath of pure Istrian air will reach into every cell of your being, confirming that you’re no longer in Zagreb. At night the only sounds audible on the sprawling estate are those of frogs and the massive boughs of Stancija’s ancient oak, creaking and groaning under the wind. Upon entering the resort’s rustic stone dining hall, you’ll be greeted in the traditional fashion with krostule – a crisp, fried pastry dusted with powdered sugar – and a snifter of superb, locally distilled herb brandy to whet the appetite. Chef and proprietor Drazenka Moll will be busy in the wood-fueled outdoor kitchen putting the final touches on your supper, concocted entirely from local, seasonal ingredients. Notable elements of Stancija’s multi-course supper may include fresh, homemade goat cheese with nettles, a salad of arugula and wild strawberries, or handmade pasta with crabs and mixed seafood. But it’s the local Istrian wine that might make the most indelible impression, transporting you to an entirely new world of oenophilia. Among other notables in the cellar, Stancija’s wine list boasts an Istrian Teran with remarkable herb flavors. All told, the expertly prepared food, exquisite wine and quiet, fire-lit ambience will combine to make your stay night memorable. If it’s the mystical serenity of Istria you seek, you’ll find it in the village of Smoljanci.
Alexis Touchet	We arrived in the village to find a fireside dinner awaiting us at Stancija 1904, the 104-year-old villa owned by Draženka (“Dada”) and Rolf Moll. The couple turned out to be the perfect hosts, and learning to cook Istrian food with Dada was so comfortable that it felt like gearing up for a family feast, as if every day was Thanksgiving. One afternoon, she showed us how to shape the local pasta, fuži, rolling up the squares of dough around a very small dowel to produce penne-like tubes. Dada made it look easy. It wasn’t, but she laughed and told us to keep going. Tagging along with her to the provisioners in nearby Pula, my fellow student and I repeatedly helped make all the decisions about what to have for dinner, gleefully loading up at the fishmonger’s, the bakery, and the produce market. On the trip back to the estate, we stopped by a farm where Dada buys her goat cheese and eggs and had a quick look at the black-and-white-splotched goats that provide the milk for the cheese. The owner offered us a glass of her homemade wine and sent us away with the last of the season’s peaches. On other day trips, we visited lovely villages like Grožnjan, which has become something of an art colony. Dinners were accompanied by wines made from the local grapes Malvazia and Teran, which perfectly matched the rustic cuisine.
Florence, Dushyant and Anzo Patel	Hi Rolf and Drazenka, Sorry it took me so long to write to you but we wanted to thank you again for our lovely stay with you in September. We keep a very nice memory of your place in Istria and hope to come back sometime in the future. Anzo is back to normal now, what an adventure!! Best Regards to your family and Cha-cha, Florence, Dushyant and Anzo Patel
Simon and Caroline	Dear Rolf and Drazenka Many, many thanks for your mail and for your hospitality during our stay with you. Now safely back in the UK, we had a superb tour of both Slovenia and Croatia but would certainly hope to return to your fantastic accommodation and food in the next few years. Moreover I have already been recommending you to friends and colleagues! Thanks again!
Family Schmid-Parker	Dear Rolf, Drazenka Vera and Cha-Cha We hope you're all keeping well and are finding time for yourselves in your very busy schedule. We would like to thank you for your hospitality once again: this made our short holiday in Istria even more enjoyable. It was so nice to come back to a nice hotel in the evening with all the comfort of home and then, to get up to those fine, big breakfasts in the morning was a real treat! We very much appreciated the wonderful company throughout our stay. Our very best regards to you all and hope to see you again soon! Alison, Raphael, Shirley and Gregory from Kanton Aargau.
Ayala and Bob	Hello to all the Family, Thank you so much for a great time. We had the best B-Day !!!!! Your place is beautiful and we will remember it forever. We just got back last night after a great trip in Venice, Verona, Padua, Lake Garda and more. The weather was beautiful and we are sorry to be back at work. We will tell everyone about your place. Thank you so much again....the strawberry liquor arrived safely and we will share it with our friends. Tell Drazenka that I‘ll make a dinner to my friends a typical Istrain dinner. She is a great cook and also a very beautiful lady. Kiss the dog for me. Love Ayala and Bob
Wray	Thank you for your attention and response. Wonderful website! Wray
Jsmeta and Jan	Dear Family Moll Thank you very much for your hospitality. We had a wonderful stay and we will be sendig our friends in the future. Special thanks to "Maza" (Cha-cha) for keeping an eye on us during breakfast. Jsmeta & Jan
Paola Tinti	If you need relax, nature, peace and quiet you could surely find them in Stancija. You will have also the lack to know Rolf and his wife that are very very kind person. We spent a wonderful holiday, and we are sure we will come back soon in Stancija.