A signing at Vitturi Castle
The franchise agreement between Odien Group and Accor was signed on 10 November at Vitturi Castle, a Renaissance residence in Kaštel Lukšić. The future Sofitel Kaštela will be built on the site of the former Zeničko holiday centre in Kaštel Stari. Construction of the new-build property is under way.
The resort will open directly onto the beach. It sits between Split International Airport and two UNESCO World Heritage cities, Split and Trogir. Ömer Müftüler, Managing Director of Odien Group, said it will be the group’s third hotel on the Adriatic coast.
A resort designed for year-round operation
Sofitel Kaštela will offer 137 rooms and suites. According to the Croatian press, the property will include restaurants, bars, a spa, indoor and outdoor pools – one of them on the rooftop – a beach club, and meeting and events space.
As early as February 2026, before choosing a brand, Odien had announced that the resort would open all year round rather than only in summer. This is a key issue on a Dalmatian coastline where business remains heavily concentrated in the summer season.
An asset operated under franchise by Odien Hotels
Accor will not manage the hotel. It will be operated by Odien Hotels, the group’s hospitality division, under the Sofitel banner. Odien thus retains control of operations while drawing on Accor’s brand, distribution and ALL loyalty programme.
According to statements reported in the press, Maud Bailly, CEO of Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery and Emblems, sees the project as an opportunity to combine the brand’s French identity with the heritage and art de vivre of the Adriatic coast. Mike Saran, founder and owner of Odien Group, places it within a long-term strategy to establish Kaštela as an internationally recognised tourist destination.
Analysis – For Accor, franchising is playing a growing role in the expansion of its Luxury and Lifestyle brands, having long been reserved for its premium, midscale and economy segments. This model allows the brand to enter a country where it has no presence with limited capital commitment, provided the owner has the capability to operate a luxury property.
More than €100m of investment in Kaštela
Odien Group is a Prague-based investment company. In Croatia, the group already owns Le Méridien Lav in Podstrana, near Split. According to the Czech and Bosnian press, Sofitel Kaštela represents an investment of around €50m.
The project forms part of a wider programme. Through Odien Hotels and Odien Real Estate, the group plans to invest more than €100m in Kaštela over the next five years. In April 2026, it acquired Štafileo Castle, a 16th-century coastal fortress in Kaštel Štafilić, which it plans to convert into a luxury heritage hotel.
Sofitel is also continuing its expansion in Southern Europe, with projects backed by local investors such as Sofitel Porto, signed with Propreal Capital Partners. With Sofitel Kaštela, the brand makes its entry into Croatia.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Odien Group brings Sofitel to Croatia
Franchise agreement signed with Accor on 10 November 2026 at Vitturi Castle, Kaštel Lukšić
137-key beachfront resort between Split Airport and UNESCO-listed Split and Trogir, opening 2029
Operated by Odien Hotels; billed as Croatia’s first internationally branded luxury hotel
Approx. €50m project within Odien’s €100m+ five-year investment plan in Kaštela
Odien’s third Adriatic hotel, alongside Le Méridien Lav and the planned Štafileo Castle heritage hotel
