Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Excelsior

On the coastal road east of the center, this prestigious hotel was the first five-star property in Dubrovnik, dating back to 1913—everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to Francis Ford Coppola has come to stay. It offers elegantly furnished rooms in muted creams, browns, and blues, most with balconies overlooking the sea. There is a luscious indoor pool, a private beach, three restaurants, and a piano bar. Whether or not you book a room here, you should pay a visit; views of the Old Town from its palm terrace, day or night, are unparalleled.