National parks in Croatia and Bosnia
Plitvice Lakes national park in Croatia is booming, but quieter areas with crystal-clear rivers to enjoy are nearby, including across the border in Bosnia-Herzegovina
Hotels, apartments, B&Bs, and campsites have popped up at a rapid rate, their owners catering for visitors to these glorious, Unesco-listed lakes: 16 of them, tumbling down countless waterfalls in every shade of blue and green, from jade to turquoise and deep ocean blue.
When I reached Ličko Petrovo Selo, I was prepared for the sight of ruined houses in this predominantly ethnic Serbian village, because I knew it had suffered in 1995, at the end of the Croatian war.
Built on the site of the derelict village school, the 58-room hotel has gone against the local grain of faux-rustic and has a sleek, modern style: the steeply sloped roof sits against a towering wall of pine trees and the decor is low-key and contemporary, with original artworks and a sophisticated glass-walled lounge bar.