Villa Dubrovnik
Relais & Châteaux Ploče cliffside flagship — 56 rooms, cable-car access to a private beach, best Old Town view.
Ploče · Ultra-luxury
Where to stay
Best Hotels in Dubrovnik: 15 Old Town, Ploče & Lapad Stays
Dubrovnik earned the name Pearl of the Adriatic — a compact medieval walled city that rewards travellers who base close to the walls and walk everywhere. Below is our shortlist across Ploče, the Old Town and Lapad and how to book with live rates through our licensed hotel partner.
Ploče vs Old Town vs Lapad vs Babin Kuk
Ploče (east of the Old Town): five-star clifftop luxury hotels — best Old Town views, 5-10 min walk to Pile Gate. Excelsior, Villa Dubrovnik, Grand Villa Argentina, Hotel More.
Inside the Old Town walls: small boutique guesthouses only — no cars, luggage porters required. Best for one-time-in-a-lifetime atmosphere.
Lapad Peninsula (west): family beach resorts, calmer, walkable promenade, 20 min bus to Old Town. Rixos Premium, Royal Blue, Kompas.
Babin Kuk (further west): quiet family peninsula — Hotel Dubrovnik Palace, Valamar Lacroma, best pool complexes.
Which segment fits your trip
Ultra-luxury (EUR 700+/night): Villa Dubrovnik (Relais & Châteaux), Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik, Hotel More.
Luxury (EUR 350-650/night): Grand Villa Argentina, Rixos Premium Dubrovnik, Sun Gardens Dubrovnik (Orasac, 15 min north).
Boutique Old Town (EUR 250-500/night): The Pucic Palace, St. Joseph's, Prijeko Palace.
Family / value (EUR 180-350/night): Valamar Lacroma, Valamar President, Hotel Kompas.
Getting there and around
Fly into DBV Dubrovnik Airport — direct from London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Vienna, Zurich, Munich, Rome, Milan, Athens, Istanbul, and seasonal from JFK, EWR, PHL.
DBV to Old Town is 25 minutes. Pre-book a Kiwitaxi private transfer — the shuttle bus is cheap but slow.
You don't need a car in Dubrovnik itself. Rent one only for the coastal drive to Split, Kotor (Montenegro), or Mostar (Bosnia).
The must-do experiences
Walk the 2 km City Walls at opening (8 am) or golden hour — the single best experience in Dubrovnik.
Cable car to Mount Srđ for the sunset panorama over the Old Town and Elaphiti islands.
Elaphiti Islands day cruise — Kolocep, Lopud and Sipan. Book via GetYourGuide.
Sea kayak tour under the walls to Lokrum Island — best small-group afternoon activity.
Day trip to Kotor Bay, Montenegro — via GetYourGuide small-group tour.
15 handpicked Dubrovnik hotels
Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik
1913 Ploče icon fully refreshed — 158 rooms, ALH-flagged, Prora restaurant with Old Town view.
Ploče · Ultra-luxury
Hotel More
Adults-friendly Lapad clifftop boutique — Cave Bar carved into the rock, spa on the sea.
Lapad · Luxury boutique
Grand Villa Argentina
Ploče historic complex — 131 rooms across four villas, private beach, best pool complex in Ploče.
Ploče · Luxury
The Pucic Palace
18th-century Gundulic Square palazzo — 19 rooms inside the Old Town walls, best-atmosphere pick.
Old Town · Boutique luxury
St. Joseph's
Tiny Old Town boutique — six suites in a restored 16th-century townhouse, quiet-luxury pick.
Old Town · Adults-only boutique
Prijeko Palace
Boutique 9-room Old Town palazzo — art-hotel on the main Prijeko street.
Old Town · Boutique
Boutique Hotel Stari Grad
Eight-room Old Town boutique — rooftop terrace with the city's best sunset view over rooftops.
Old Town · Boutique
Rixos Premium Dubrovnik
Adults-only Lapad flagship — 313 rooms, largest pool complex in Dubrovnik proper.
Lapad · Adults-only luxury
Royal Blue Hotel
Adults-only Lapad Bay boutique — sister to Royal Blue Ariston, Copacabana Beach at the door.
Lapad · Adults-only luxury
Sun Gardens Dubrovnik
Family flagship in Orasac (15 min north of Dubrovnik) — 400 rooms, six pools, four restaurants.
Orasac · Family luxury
Hotel Dubrovnik Palace
Babin Kuk five-star — 308 rooms, three private beaches, best-value large luxury.
Babin Kuk · Family luxury
Valamar Lacroma Dubrovnik
Babin Kuk family resort — 401 rooms, huge pool complex, best-family-value hotel in Dubrovnik.
Babin Kuk · Family
Hotel Kompas Dubrovnik
Lapad Bay four-star — 173 rooms directly on Copacabana Beach, walk to Sunset Beach.
Lapad · Family mid-range
Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik
Adults-friendly Miramare Bay boutique — 91 rooms, private beach carved into a cove, 15 min walk to Old Town.
Miramare · Luxury boutique
Check live hotel rates in Dubrovnik, Croatia
Real availability and prices from our licensed booking partner. No hidden fees.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Dubrovnik?
May-June and September-early October give the best mix of warm weather, swimmable sea and manageable crowds. July-August is peak season — hot, crowded and expensive. Winter is quiet with many restaurants closed but city walls fully open.
Should I stay inside the Old Town walls?
For one to three nights, yes — the atmosphere is unmatched. For longer stays or with luggage, pick Ploče (5-min walk, five-star luxury) or Lapad (beach, family resorts). Old Town cars can't enter, so bring soft luggage.
How do I get from DBV airport?
The airport is 25 minutes from Old Town by pre-booked Kiwitaxi private transfer. Airport shuttle buses go to the main bus station in 40 minutes. Uber and Bolt operate but supply thins in high summer.
Dubrovnik or Split — which one?
Dubrovnik for the walled Old Town, drama and one-city trips. Split for the lived-in Diocletian's Palace, easier ferry access to the Dalmatian islands (Hvar, Brac, Vis) and better value. Do both in a Dalmatian 10-day trip.
Is Dubrovnik family-friendly?
Yes — the Old Town's traffic-free lanes suit older kids. Younger families do best on Lapad or Babin Kuk (Sun Gardens, Valamar Lacroma) with pools and beach access.
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