Lapad Peninsula

Hotel Dubrovnik Palace

★★★★★

The Dubrovnik Palace is the city's classic full-service resort, and it works best for travellers who want space, pools and the sea as much as the Old Town. It stands at the far western tip of the Lapad peninsula, surrounded by pine woods and facing the open Adriatic and the Elaphiti islands, so the views are wide and the sunsets are spectacular. The hotel is large by Dubrovnik standards, built in tiers down the slope to the water, and almost all rooms face the sea with balconies. Facilities are the main draw: several outdoor and indoor pools across the terraces, platforms and ladders into clear water along the rocky shoreline, a spa and fitness centre, a choice of restaurants and bars from casual poolside dining to evening restaurants, and activities in season that suit families. It belongs to Adriatic Luxury Hotels, the Dubrovnik group behind the Excelsior and the Bellevue, and shares their contemporary, polished style. Getting to the Old Town is easy: city buses run from right by the hotel to the Pile Gate, the ride takes around twenty minutes depending on traffic, and taxis are always available. The walking paths around the peninsula, along the Lapad promenade and up through the woods to Petka hill, are pleasant in the cooler hours. Around the hotel you are in Dubrovnik's resort district, with beaches, cafes and restaurants along Lapad bay a short walk away and the Gruž harbour, where island boats and many day tours depart, within easy reach. In 2026 the group listed the hotel as open while its seasonal sisters reopened in spring, which makes it a useful option outside the summer.

Choose the Dubrovnik Palace when the trip is as much about rest as sightseeing. Families especially appreciate the space: pools for different ages, sea access without crowded public beaches, room for children to move, and a bus to the Old Town for the morning walls circuit, after which you can return for a long afternoon by the water. For couples on a longer stay, the sunsets from the terraces and the quiet of the peninsula in the evening are a fair trade for not being able to walk to the Old Town.

The trade-offs are scale and distance. This is a big hotel with conference and event business, so it does not have the intimacy of a boutique property, and in high summer the pools are busy. The Old Town is a bus or taxi ride away, so evenings there need a little planning; the buses run late in summer, but taxis can be in high demand around big events. The sea access is by rocks and ladders rather than sand, which suits confident swimmers. Rates are high in July and August and drop significantly in the shoulder months.

Book the Dubrovnik Palace for family holidays, for stays of five nights or more, and for travellers who want a resort base with the city as a day trip. Combine it with an Elaphiti cruise from nearby Gruž, a kayak day, and a couple of early-morning Old Town visits by bus. In spring and autumn, when the city is quieter, it is also a comfortable year-round-style base for exploring Ston, Mostar and the Bay of Kotor by car or tour.