RICARDO Team-Hostel
Adults-only beachfront hostel with on-site bar, host-cooked dinners, and the friendliest dog in Pula
Adults-only beachfront hostel on Pješčana Uvala bay, 5km south of the Old Town. On-site bar and restaurant, sun terrace, garden, soundproofed rooms. Run by Ricardo and Antonella, with the friendliest dog in Pula. The pick if you want sea-swim-and-cocktails over Old Town walks.
RICARDO Team-Hostel sits on Pješčana Uvala, a small sandy bay 5km south of Pula's Old Town. It's an adults-only place run by Ricardo and Antonella — a Croatian-Italian couple — and the personality of the hostel is theirs: the dog greets you at the gate, the bar is open whenever guests are around, and Antonella's freshly grilled fish dinners are an actual menu option you should not skip.
The building is purpose-built and feels more guesthouse than backpacker-bunker. Rooms are soundproofed (genuinely — you don't hear anyone), every room has a balcony or terrace, AC throughout, work desks, and bathrooms designed by someone who has actually backpacked before. The on-site bar and restaurant face the garden; the sun terrace overlooks the bay; and the minimarket on-site means you don't need to walk anywhere for breakfast supplies.
The move with this hostel is to ditch the Old Town daily-walking checklist and just live in Pješčana Uvala for 4-5 days. The beach is two minutes away, the Cave Romane (a Roman quarry-turned-amphitheater that hosts summer festivals) is a 10-minute walk, hiking trails along the rocky coast start at the door. Bus 2A or 5 to the Old Town runs every 30 minutes and takes 15 minutes. Adults-only means no kids, by the way — this is not a family hostel.
- 01Two minutes to Pješčana Uvala beach, on-the-water
- 02Adults-only, soundproofed, no chaos
- 03On-site bar and host-cooked grilled dinners
- 04Ricardo and Antonella personally run the place
- 05Cave Romane and coastal hiking trails right outside
- 2 min walk to Pješčana Uvala beach
- Adults-only, on-site bar + restaurant
- Soundproofed rooms with balconies
- Free welcome shot, host-cooked dinners
“Ricardo and Antonella are super friendly and very helpful! The location is great, very close to the beach. Just a few minutes walk and you have two beaches and an area to hike and look for more spots to get into the sea.”
“The staff who welcomed me and showed me around were incredibly friendly, making me feel at home. The bathrooms and showers were spotless and well-stocked. I loved the bar and lounge.”
“Amazing!! Host couple is fantastic, with very good hospitality. They gave us a free welcome shot, freshly grilled dinner, and the hostel's own bar. The beach is two minutes walk away. Looking forward to coming back.”
- Pješčana Uvala beach2 min walk
- Cave Romane (Roman quarry)10 min walk
- Coastal hiking trail5 min walk
- Bus 2A / 5 to Old Town3 min walk
- Old Town / Roman Arena15 min by bus
- Pula Airport15 min by car
