BACK TO BRAC

INSPIRED BY HER HUSBAND NINO'S CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF CROATIA'S INCREDIBLE ISLANDS, CAROLE MALONE JOINS HIM FOR A MAGICAL STAY AT THE AWARD-WINNING HOTEL LEMONGARDEN

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IT BEGAN as a kind of homecoming. Thirty-six years ago, my husband Nino, who is from Bosnia had been commander of the Yugoslav Navy diving team based in Split, Croatia.

But the story started years before even that when as a child he and his family, who are from Sarajevo in Bosnia, would often holiday in Dubrovnik or the islands around Split - Hvar, Korcula, Mljet and Brac.

A lot has happened in the years in between - not least a devastating war. But thankfully time has helped heal some of its scars and normal life has been resumed.

And so having listened to Nino talk about these incredible islands for so long, we decided to visit Brac... And it was one of the best decisions we've ever made because while it felt like a homecoming for Nino it immediately felt like home to me too.

We stayed at the spectacular Hotel Lemongarden in the village of Sutivan. Brac is often overshadowed by its glamorous neighbour Hvar. But this hotel nestled on Sutivan's stunning seafront has all the glamour and pizazz Nino and I will ever need.

In fact, last year it won the Croation National Award for the best hotel. And it richly deserves it.

I'd never heard of the place until last year on holiday in Italy we met a couple who'd been there and were raving about it.

And they were right to rave. It's beyond beautiful. Literally perfection. The hotel itself is a village within a village spread across three 300-year-old houses. It's situated in the middle of the village but weirdly it feels like it IS the village - its heart.

It has thick stone honey-coloured walls which keep the rooms cool.

Every room, every suite is deserving of an individual interior design award for its bold, bright courageous designs.