British tourist beaten with metal pole at Croatian hostel

Tourist Laura Denmar said hostel staff in Croatia attacked her with a metal pole. Photo / Supplied

A British tourist says she was bashed with a metal pole after she refused demands to pay extra for her hostel in a Croatian holiday town, reports news.com.au

Laura Denmar, 26, an actor and musician from Cambridge, UK, was holidaying in Split with her boyfriend Jeremy Lafond, 39, when the hostel owner allegedly pinned Mr Lafond against a wall and a cleaner beat Ms Denmar so badly she ended up with a fractured hand and a cut on her head.

Ms Denmar claimed the hostel staff turned on them after the couple refused to submit to "illegal" demands for more money at the end of their stay.

The MailOnline reported the couple travelled to Croatia last month and booked a hostel for about $105 a night in popular Split through a major booking website, which has not been named.

Ms Denmar is a student at London's Royal Central School for Speech and Drama. Photo / Facebook.com

But when they showed up in Split, they discovered the accommodation — which ended up being in a "grimy" part of town — was not at all what they expected.

"When we arrived we realised that it was not legitimate at all — there were 30 beds and only one bathroom and no one there running anything," Ms Denmar said.

"We had nowhere else to stay and we had already paid so we decided to make do."

Ms Denmar said the violent incident erupted on their last day, when a cleaner came into their room early and said they either had to pay more money or get out immediately.

"I told her that was unreasonable and refused to hand over any money and so she told us she would call the police if we did not leave," she said.

Ms Denmar was holidaying with her boyfriend in Split, Croatia. Photo / Facebook.com

"I knew what they were doing was illegal so I told her to go on and call the police. Instead she called a man who we think was the owner.

"We decided to get out of there as soon as possible, but she locked the doors so we could not leave until the man arrived.

"When he did, he slammed Jeremy into a wall with another guy and the woman started beating me with a metal pole. It was awful."

Ms Denmar was taken to hospital with a fractured hand, bruises on her arms and body, and a cut on her head that needed stitches.

Ms Denmar said the beating left her with a broken hand, cuts to her head and upper body. Photo / Supplied

She said she had been in contact with Croatian police, the British Embassy and the website through which she booked the hostel.

Police in Split said they were investigating an assault, the MailOnline reported.

"What happened to us was awful and I would hate for it to happen to anyone else," Ms Denmar said.

"I just want people to know what happened to me so it never happens again."

Tourist Laura Denmar said hostel staff in Croatia attacked her with a metal pole. Photo / Supplied