5 Best Hotels in Southern Dalmatia, Croatia

The boutique Hotel Kazbek, located in the 16th-century home of a noble Dubrovnik family, offers five-star luxury on an intimate scale, with rooms individually decorated in classic Dubrovnik style, receptionists who know your name, and a peaceful courtyard pool that you'll never want to leave. Rooms are comfortable, tastefully designed, and welcoming, with a platter of sweets waiting at check-in, handmade furniture, king-size beds, bathtubs, and designer toiletries; opt for a room on the first floor if possible, as they have higher roofs and larger windows than rooms on the top floor. Breakfast is made-to-order at the restaurant, where you can also enjoy an excellent gourmet lunch or dinner on the shady courtyard terrace or indoors at a table in the old stone vault. The parent company of Hotel Kazbek, Pervanovo, also operates several apartments in the Old Town, as well as luxury villas.

Located on a quiet street just a five-minute walk from Gruž Harbor, this welcoming hotel run by a Croatian-Australian family is one of the best value properties in town and makes a comfortable and convenient base for exploring Dubrovnik and the surrounding areas. Rooms are stylish and well-equipped with designer toiletries, while rooms on the upper floors feature large terraces with sweeping harbor views. There is a small spa, pool, and jacuzzi on-site, and the included breakfast will keep you going all day.

Sprawling across its own rocky pine-studded peninsula, with quiet walking trails weaving through the property, this vast hotel offers guests the chance to find their own place in the sun or shade, seemingly miles away from the rest of the world. A 10-minute walk west of the town center, it has modern, softly furnished rooms, each with a balcony or terrace, five restaurants, indoor and outdoor saltwater pools, and some of Cavtat's best swimming spots (including a nude beach). There are five restaurants and bars on-site, including the Steakhouse Restaurant and seafood-centric Spinaker Restaurant, as well as a couple of bars and a buffet where breakfast and dinner are served.

A quite gorgeous boutique hotel in a gorgeous village on the coast, Ninon leaves no stone unturned in the quest for that perfect stay. The couple in charge of the place refers to it as a calling instead of a business; it is hard to disagree with that assessment, such is the commitment to care and comfort here. There are only nine rooms in this adult-only boutique hotel, but it is very much a case of quality over quantity.

This fantastical property in the center of the Old Town merges an impeccably restored 15th-century palace with a modern art gallery; each room was created by a different artist with explosions of color and photography, Murano chandeliers, collages, lavish prints, and everything draped in silk. The Superior Room features an original balcony overlooking Prijeko Street, draped with a 250-year-old grapevine. Double rooms are equipped with small kitchenettes and Nespresso machines. Every corner of the hotel features another unique piece of art so you'll want to go for a wander before heading into the on-site restaurant, Stara Loza, one of the best in town with one of the only rooftop terraces.