Sveti Jakov / East of Ploče

Villa Dubrovnik

★★★★★

Villa Dubrovnik is the hotel many Dubrovnik regulars quietly consider the best in town, and after its most recent transformation it has a strong claim to the title. It sits on the cliffs of the Sveti Jakov area, east of the Old Town beyond Ploče, on a site that seems designed for the purpose: the building steps down the rock in terraces toward the water, every room faces the sea, and the view takes in Lokrum just offshore, the open Adriatic, and the walls and towers of the Old Town along the coast. The house has a long history. It was designed in 1961 by the architect Mladen Frka as a residence for the political elite of the day, became an annex of the neighbouring Hotel Argentina, and grew into a small hotel; a 2000s redesign created a luxury property with an indoor pool and wellness centre, and in October 2023 it closed again for a full renovation led by the Brazilian practice Studio Arthur Casas. The new interiors draw on local craft, with references to the dry-stone walls of the Dalmatian landscape and traditional Croatian lace, and they display work by local artists and makers. Facilities include a heated indoor pool with a sundeck facing the Adriatic, the Villa Spa, a rooftop bar, Mediterranean gardens, a seaside herb terrace and access to a secluded stretch of coast for swimming. The hotel is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World and holds Michelin Keys recognition. The concierge arranges private boat trips to the Elaphiti islands, airport transfers of about twenty minutes, and transport to the Old Town, which is also reachable on foot along the coast road in around twenty minutes. This is a small, quiet, adult-feeling hotel for couples and occasions.

What makes Villa Dubrovnik special is the sense of seclusion so close to the city. From the terraces you see the Old Town but you do not hear it; mornings begin with breakfast in the sun above the water, afternoons are for swimming off the rocks below the hotel or lying by the indoor pool with the glass open to the view, and evenings move to the rooftop bar as the light turns the walls gold in the distance. Rooms are designed around the outlook, with large windows, balconies or terraces on many categories, and a pared-back palette of stone, wood and textiles that lets the sea do the work. The Villa Kolin Residence offers a private-pool option for families or groups who want a house of their own.

The trade-offs are honest ones. This is not an Old Town hotel: the walk to the Ploče Gate follows a road with steep sections, so most guests use the hotel's transport or a taxi for evenings out, especially in the heat of summer. The hotel is small, so it books up early for summer weekends and for the Dubrovnik Summer Festival weeks, and its rates sit at the top of the city's market. Its seasonal calendar should be checked before booking, as many coastal luxury hotels in Dubrovnik close or scale back in the deep winter months.

Book Villa Dubrovnik for honeymoons, anniversaries and any trip where the hotel is meant to be part of the memory. Ask for the highest floor available for the widest view, reserve a table on the terrace for at least one sunset dinner, and let the concierge arrange a private boat to the Elaphiti for a day of coves and island lunches. Pair the stay with a cable car sunset and an early walk on the walls, and use the hotel as your quiet retreat between the city's busiest hours.