Dubrovnik hotels

This is Dubrovnik’s original grande dame hotel. Opened in 1897, it drew in travellers from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, who came by steamship to spend winter weeks here by the sea.

I love the sense of history here. It’s known locally as “a hotel which remembers much”: Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson danced in the garden in 1936, while refugees sheltered here during the Homeland War of the 1990s when it was severely damaged.

But it was renovated in 2018 by Hilton, who have done a good job. The colourful balcony railings have been preserved, along with the original staircase and cornice ceilings. Abstract paintings and a blue-and-grey decor give it a contemporary twist.

Times have changed but it’s easy to time-travel back, lounging on the terrace and sipping a Victorian-era cocktail at the bar. This is one of the best hotels in Dubrovnik for atmosphere and old-school glamour.

Prijeko Palace is an Old Town hotel set inside a 15th-century palace. To make it even more special each bedroom is designed by a different Croatian artist. There is a sense of theatrical grandeur with original paintings and photography from the artists, along with quirky details such as dressmaker’s dummies decorated with jewellery.

How much you like each room depends on what you make of the artwork. The pink-toned Kramaríc room, for instance, was curated by a Dubrovnik artist of the same name, who has her studio nearby. My favourite is the Trnski one, with its antique bed and writing desk, and a balcony over the street for people-watching.

But it’s also one of the best hotels in Dubrovnik for its food. The Stara Loza restaurant is spread across three levels, with a street-facing terrace, third-floor restaurant and a rooftop terrace – don’t miss the cuttlefish black risotto.

It has a lot of competition, but I think this is one of the best hotels in Dubrovnik for sea views. Particularly at sunset, when you stand by the pool looking out towards the Elafiti Islands, the waves crashing on the rocks below.

The hotel is set on the pine-covered Lapad peninsula just outside the main town, with 10 floors descending down (so you need to press down not up for your room in the lift, which takes some getting used to!) It’s a bit like a smart cruise ship, with little terraces on the bedrooms – all clear-cut, contemporary spaces with large abstract prints – and panoramic views from the restaurant and top-floor bar.

It’s good for families (lots of rooms inter-connect), though the pool bar draws in couples who like to dawdle all day, dipping in and out of the water. The PADI team are very friendly if you fancy diving.

This is one of the best hotels in Dubrovnik for families. It’s set on the Lapad peninsula, about a 10-minute transfer from the Old Town, with the secluded Sunset Beach below perfect for children (sunbeds are reserved for guests). There’s also the promenade nearby with cafés and bars and a running trail, so there’s a lively scene here in summer.

I like the sleek, all-white modernist design. It was originally a Sixties hotel but had a reboot in 2015 that still feels fresh, with creams and pastels, and charcoal flower sketches by a Croatian artist.

The sea views are some of the best in town (make sure to book a sea-facing room), which the restaurant, bar and terrace all take advantage of. The spa is worth mentioning too – small but well-designed, with a freshwater indoor pool.

Dubrovnik is a place with one foot in the present and the past, to such an extent that they still talk about the 1667 earthquake as if it happened last year. This Old Town hotel is set in a former 16th-century house that survived the disaster, just five minutes from the main gate and very close to the time-polished stones of Stradum (the main street).

It’s one of the best hotels in Dubrovnik for Old Town views. From the rooftop restaurant, you can look across the terracotta tiles to the dome of the cathedral. The food is pretty good too, with mushroom tortellini and duck breast with cauliflower gratin on the menu.

Don’t expect huge rooms, that’s not the point, although their ceilings are high. And the hotel packs a lot in, with authentic Thai massages in the little spa and a private motor launch for voyages along the coast.

This is one of the best hotels in Dubrovnik for a real insight into the region’s history and culture. Part of that comes from the fact that it’s set in a 16th-century townhouse in the Old Town, just off the main Stradum thoroughfare, with original features such as thick stone walls and wooden rafters.

But it’s also owned and run by a family – Croatian-born Gordana and Irish husband Seán – who are happy to share their local knowledge. It’s very cosy, with just six suites (my favourites are the King Suites) decorated in greys and whites with chandeliers and big armchairs to sink into.

Breakfast, including the signature green smoothie and flaky burek pastry, is served in-room each day. The separate cottage nearby, with three rooms and its own kitchen, would make a great place to rent with friends or family.

As magical as it is, not everyone who comes to Dubrovnik wants to tackle the crowds of the Old Town. The Adriatic Riviera stretches for miles on either side with beaches, coves and little villages to explore. Set north of the main town outside the village of Orasac, this is one of the best hotels in Dubrovnik for a relaxed family holiday.

I say hotel, but this is actually a resort with an extensive range of activities, from mountain bikes and table tennis to a climbing wall and tennis courts – plus three outdoor pools. Particularly popular are the summer football camps and swimming lessons for children.

Of the eight restaurants, I like Cilantro for its Italian-inspired menu and The Market for its fresh seafood (try the mussels buzara). As for the Old Town, it’s a half-hour boat ride away, making it a good day-trip destination rather than the main event.

Not many hotels in town have a piano bar, and not many can say they’ve welcomed both Elizabeth Taylor and Elizabeth I. This is old-school Croatia at its finest, and one of the best hotels in Dubrovnik for its sheer luxury and old-fashioned charm.

Set to the south of the Old Town, it has evolved over the years, adding a Tower wing to the original 1913 villa. There’s also a freshwater pool and extensive spa with an indoor pool, snow fountain and steam room.

I’d recommend booking a room in the villa, which is more characterful, with high ceilings, antiques and bath tubs. Of the two restaurants, Prora is my favourite, set within an almost cave-like space with views out to sea through mighty stone arches. Don’t leave without ordering the seabream ceviche.

At most hotels, the lifts take you to the rooms – at the Bellevue, there’s a lift that takes you straight down to the beach. Which makes it one of the best hotels in Dubrovnik for beach access, although there are plenty of other reasons to recommend it.

It’s set into the clifftop on the quiet Miramare Bay, between the Old Town and the Lapad district, and bedrooms are soothing spaces with string chairs and framed photographs of Sixties-era Dubrovnik (the corner Deluxe Suites are best).

It’s also one of the best hotels in Dubrovnik for its spa, one of the largest in town, with an indoor pool and skincare treatments. I love sitting on the terrace at the Vapor restaurant here, looking out to sea at breakfast. In the evening there’s a creative tasting menu prepared with local ingredients like crab, samphire and pumpkin.

This hotel feels like a secret place, although the building has been here since 1573. It’s set on the Bay of Gruz, just three kilometres from the Old Town, but Gruz itself feels like a discovery, providing a fresh perspective on Dubrovnik.

You’ll see a more local side of life here, with the open-air food market and TUP, a former factory that now hosts art events, as well as the promenade that runs into the Lapad district.

Kazbek is a neatly converted mansion carved out of Dalmatian stone. It once belonged to the Zamanje family but has had an interesting history since then, having burnt down in 1806 and later becoming a PoW centre during the war.

Now there’s an outdoor pool, a courtyard restaurant and bedrooms furnished with vintage furniture and original artworks. Plus, a hotel speedboat that will zip you around the nearby islands.