Adventures in the Adriatic: Exploring Croatia's Finest Hotels with Leading Hotels of the World
Having had a number of trips cancelled during the lockdown period and not wanting to (yet) book anything further afield or too far in advance, I opted to book 8 nights in Croatia split equally between Dubrovnik and Hvar, with a night en-route at the Sofitel London Heathrow. Other than having to complete a health form for arrivals, which could be completed in advance online, and then completing the online UK Government arrivals form for the return; all seemed set and thankfully Croatia (during our time there) remained on the quarantine-free list (but this was introduced as of Saturday 22 August 2020).
Dubrobnik Walled Old Town, Croatia.
Hvar Harbour, Croatia.
We chose two fantastic properties - Hotel Villa Dubrovnik and The Palace Elisabeth in Hvar; with these both being Leading Hotels of the World hotels I plan to write a ‘compare and contrast’ blog. I’ll say at the outset though that this isn’t going to be a case of choosing one over the other - the two properties and locations made for a fantastic two-centre holiday and both were world-class, albeit both very unique.
About Leading Hotels of the World
Leading Hotels of the World is a fantastic collection of uncommon luxury hotels - this is a group of over 400 hotels in over 80 countries and I have been lucky enough to have visited in the region of about 50 of them. They never tend to disappoint and although there is consistency in terms of outstanding architecture, design, service and quality all hotels are under independent management and ownership. It was established in 1928 by some forward-thinking and influential European hoteliers, but is now based in New York albeit there are offices throughout the world and my Associate Manager is based in Italy.
The Leading Hotels of the World website https://lhw.com
It is the first place I generally tend to look for hotels once we decide on a country, and with membership (I have been a member of the Leaders Club since 2003) comes added benefits (depending on membership) like pre-arrival upgrades confirmed (at booking stage), complimentary daily continental breakfast for two and Wi-fi, and early check-in and late check-out considerations. There are three levels of membership - Club, Sterling and Aurelian status (Aurelian status is invite only, but comes with additional benefits including a guaranteed 4pm late check-out). You can read much more about membership here.
Getting There
It was easy to get to Croatia - we flew with British Airways after staying overnight at the Hotel Sofitel London Heathrow as the flight was quite early in the morning from Terminal 5, but this meant that we landed in Dubrovnik at lunchtime. After the transfer to Hvar, we then flew back from Split Airport.
BA Club Europe to Dubrovnik, return from Split.
Hotel Villa Dubrovnik
Hotel Dubrovnik was so easy to get to and in such a great part of Dubrovnik. When we were leaving, it was quick and easy to get an Uber to take us to the new Port, on the other side of the walled city, from there we got the high-speed ferry to our next stop, Hvar island.
Krilo High-Speed Catamaran Dubrovnik to Hvar.
Palace Elisabeth, Hvar Heritage Hotel
Fantastic to be able to walk to your hotel within minutes of arriving at the Port, when we left we had booked a private speedboat to take us back to the Croatian mainland. The hotel had a representative waiting in reception on check-out to take our luggage the few metres to meet our private charter.
Hotel Outlines
When choosing from the Leading Hotels of the World collection, it’s very hard to make a wrong decision (have only experienced that once in many, many years). Both hotels were so radically different in terms of design and history, but I loved both. Read on more to find out the differences and why I would recommend this two-centre combination.
The beautiful but unassuming entrance.
Hotel Villa Dubrovnik
You can read my full blog review of our Dubrovnik hotel here - the fantastic Hotel Villa Dubrovnik. Once we had set our sights on a two-centre holiday in Croatia, I quickly homed in on Hotel Villa Dubrovnik, a 55 room/suite luxury hotel overlooking the Dalmatian coast and with stunning views towards the Dubrovnik Old Town.
The historic entrance to an incredible building.
Palace Elisabeth, Hvar Heritage Hotel
Having done a lot of research about hotels in Hvar (pronounced “Whar”) I very soon homed in on the Suncani Group’s Palace Elisabeth (Heritage Hotel), right at the port. My full hotel review is here. Without a shadow of doubt it was clearly the place we wanted to stay in Hvar, no contest! It certainly did not disappoint in any way.
Locations
Both hotels were in fantastic locations, albeit both very different. It was easy to arrange transfers with both hotels, the people I contacted were incredibly responsive and came back with options that exactly suited our needs.
Incredible views of Old Town Dubrovnik.
Hotel Villa Dubrovnik
We were met at the airport by a hotel driver and taken straight to the hotel - such a nice arrival, you only see a designer lift entrance/wooden canopy from the street but once you descend the cliff in the lift and come out on level 4 (reception level) you instantly realise how amazing this place is. There are just incredible views from everywhere in the hotel - over the water to Lokrum Island, further down the coast and to small bathing inlets left and right; the pièce de resistance however were the interrupted views of the Dubrovnik Old Town walls.
Hotel steps away from Hvar Port.
Palace Elisabeth, Hvar Heritage Hotel
The Palace Elisabeth is situated in the old part of Hvar, steps away from the main harbour/port and this is what it overlooks. So easy to get there, we actually came from Dubrovnik on the late afternoon high-speed ferry and were met by the hotel to take our luggage as we came off the ferry. Literally as you come into the port you can see the hotel, we only had to walk a few hundred yards and we were in the historic Palace hotel building. By the time we had checked in and were shown to our room on the third floor (#309) our luggage was delivered very soon after.
Hotel Design / Architecture / History
I love all forms of architecture and design, but am a particular Modernism fan (off at a tangent I know, but Palm Springs, wow! If you’re a modernist fan too, check out PS Modernism Week and Darren Bradley Instagram @modarchitecture - lucky enough to hear a talk from him this year). Not Modernist but the 1960’s concrete design of Hotel Villa Dubrovnik appealed; as did the extensive history behind Palace Elisabeth going back to the start of the 19th Century.
Stunning modernist architecture at Hotel Villa Dubrovnik.
Hotel Villa Dubrovnik
This was the newer property, built in the 1960’s but had been open longer. It was apparently originally a 3-star hotel albeit with a celebrity following (who wouldn’t love that view and being in such a spectacular location) but once taken over under current ownership there was a complete refurbishment and some new additions built. Rooms were extremely well-designed, a simple classic design but all beautifully appointed and all rooms looked across the water and to the walled Old Town.
Aerial shot of the historic Palace Elisabeth.
Palace Elisabeth, Hvar Heritage Hotel
Dating back to the late 1800’s this hotel is just steeped in history - I’m going to write a separate blog post on this as there is too much to try to squeeze into just a few sentences. The hotel was born from the Empress Elisabeth’s desire to create a health hotel in Hvar. The buildings have been sympathetically restored and upgraded, luxuriously fitted out and with lovely touches like naming all rooms after famous people of Hvar (1st floor), indigenous plants (2nd floor) and Zodiac signs (3rd floor).
Accommodation
Neither property was large, but that was one reason we opted for both especially under the Covid impact where we didn’t want to mix with lots of people. Both hotel bedrooms were quite radically different, but both shared the incredible LHW standards as I always find.
Beautiful bedroom with glass-walled bathroom.
Hotel Villa Dubrovnik
We had a Premium Room - slightly larger than the entry-level Superior Room (difference is these are slightly larger and have two doors onto the balcony and twin sinks in the bathroom because of the wider room). They were stunningly appointed with a glass-walled bathroom (shower over bath), huge bed (was a twin zip and link, so together was 6’ wide) which was incredibly comfortable, a writing desk, occasional seating and also outside seating and table on the large balcony, with stunning views.
Historic building with elegant, simple design.
Palace Elisabeth, Hvar Heritage Hotel
Most rooms overlook the main town square and the harbour, on three levels of the building, albeit there are some Park rooms located at the rear of the building overlooking the peaceful Old Town to the rear. While all (Premium sea view) rooms seem to have a French balcony, some had bigger balconies but not many (this is the Premium room option with Balcony). There are then a number of suites, most overlooking the sea and most with balconies or terraces; many of these on the top floor of the hotel.
Food & Drink
We had breakfast every day of our stay in both properties and lunch most days, but we never actually had dinner in either, albeit the restaurants were excellent. With so many other options on the doorstep of the hotels, we choose to eat out on all nights. The service and choice though with both hotels was second to none, and I’m sure would have been an amazing dining experience too. We will try next time we visit!
Several bar and restaurant options at HVD.
Hotel Villa Dubrovnik
We had breakfast each morning outside on the Pjerin terrace, not sure if this would normally have been part buffet-style but certainly with Covid-precautions (which the hotel excelled at) everything was selectable from a menu. The hotel speciality seemed to be Eggs Julia, a different take on Eggs Benedict where the ham was replaced with smoked salmon. Not for the vegetarian (though there was loads of choice for me too) but ‘Mrs’ ThePrivateTraveller enjoyed that on more than one morning.
Outdoor dining terrace with stunning Old Town views.
Palace Elisabeth, Hvar Heritage Hotel
Breakfast was just exceptional - food choice, service, location, quality and presentation - an amazing start to each day with that stunning view across the City Square and to the harbour behind. There was a choice of Classics (like Avocado Toast or Lox and Cheese), Eggs, Batters (Belgian Waffles or what I had a couple of times - Brioche French Toast with Nutella mousse and banana slices, wow!), and a whole array of Bloody Mary choices. Not to mention all the Juice Blends (Green Clean and Beach Ready were personal favourites), any tea or coffee you could think of.
Pool/Spa/Beach
We wondered how a pool and Spa would be affected by Covid when travelling, and they were to some degree (like no steam rooms available), but both hotels had factored in all appropriate measures while still providing a luxurious environment. There were indoor pools in the two hotels, albeit both had sliding glass doors that opened onto outside seating areas. There was a full service Spa in both, which I love, and I will be writing much more about the treatments I had in a separate blog - This Mans’ Journal.
Beach deck with Old Town Dubrovnik views.
Hotel Villa Dubrovnik
Our hotel in Dubrovnik had a bigger Spa, this was spread across several levels of the hotel and had the slightly larger pool than Palace Elisabeth. On one hand, there was the advantage of the beach area being on site (through a white-washed tunnel under the hotel) to bathing decks on various levels built onto the rocks at the edge of the water. That said, as you’ll read next, the Beach Club at Hvar was significantly more impressive, just very different.
The stunning Beach Club Hvar.
Palace Elisabeth, Hvar Heritage Hotel
There were more limited treatments at the Palace Elisabeth for the moment under Covid, but great having the indoor pool, outdoor sunbathing deck and indoor gym in such an iconic central location. The hotel group (Suncani Hvar) also own the Beach Club Hvar, a historic traditional lido-style beach club only a few minutes walk from the hotel. During 2020 guests of Palace Elisabeth are given complimentary access - the club will be getting a complete refurbishment for 2021.
Summary - overall opinion
I absolutely loved both hotels, nothing could be faulted in either albeit both gave a very different hotel experience. It was perfect splitting our time between the two locations and, as usual, choosing Leading Hotels of the World properties did not disappoint.
Stunning views from throughout the hotel.
Bedroom balcony view right over the Port.
Q&A
Which property did you like best?
I can’t call out one in particular, I would return to either in a flash. They were both very different, but each spectacular in their own rights for lots of different aspects. Would recommend either to anyone, or even better - both together!
Which had the better location?
Again difficult to pick one - Hotel Villa Dubrovnik had the stunning views and Old Town Dubrovnik was easily accessible, but this was by either a short walk during the day or using Uber, or the hotel provided an hourly shuttle to and from late afternoon onwards to very late at night. Although the hotel had two great restaurants and two bars, going out at night did require transport.
Palace Elisabeth was so easy to get to from the ferry (about a 2 minute walk) and Hvar Old Town right on the doorstep. Most of the sights were only a few minutes away, as were great restaurants, bars and cafes. The hotel too did have its own restaurant, which was great, and a bar (with quite a few different inside and outside seating options, overlooking the Main Square and harbour).
What had the better Spa?
The Spa overall at Hotel Villa Dubrovnik was on a larger scale, spread across different levels. Palace Elizabeth’s was more compact, but still as beautiful albeit there was a more limited choice of treatments (Covid-19 impact). I had a treatment in both (will be writing more about these in separate blogs) and they were both excellent.
Which had the nicer design?
Being so incredibly different, it’s hard to call one out. I love both modern, modernist and historic buildings; or a combination of both. Palace Elisabeth clearly had the historic edge here, dating back to the 1800’s, but had been completely but sympathetically restored with every modern convenience.
Which had better service?
All staff in both were incredibly friendly, helpful, attentive and clearly proud to be working in two outstanding properties. We met both the Reservations Manager (who I’d had most contact with before our trip) and the Room Division Director at Hotel Villa Dubrovnik. At Palace Elisabeth we were invited to meet the Hotel Manager (who was omnipresent at the hotel at all times of the day), the Suncani Group’s Director of Luxury and their Marketing & Communications Specialist for cocktails and canapés one evening - was so good to have this direct interaction and we spent a delightful couple of hours, not least being introduced to Old Pilot’s Gin (a Croatian gin from Zagreb, manufactured by Distillery Duh u boci (eng. Spirit in the Bottle).
Did you prefer Dubrovnik or Hvar?
Couldn’t choose one over the other - both were just wonderful and I would go back to either in a flash. With the day-trip to Lokrum, the Old City Walls and the Cable Car in Dubrovnik we tended to do more sight-seeing there, but (although there was lots we could have done in Hvar too) we opted for a much more chilled, relaxing time.
Would you recommend Leading Hotels of the World?
Absolutely, I have been a member since 2013 and have always enjoyed the membership and it’s benefits. The levels have changed a bit over the years, but it was a real highlight to be invited to their Aurelian status level; this including a guaranteed late check-out of 4pm at each hotel was particularly beneficial.
Would you go back to Croatia?
Definitely, I would go back anytime. Everywhere we saw was so exceptionally clean, the weather was amazing, people were incredible with such a fantastic choice of hotels. We visited great attractions, ate in wonderful restaurants and were introduced to some amazing gin cocktails (including at the great Backlane Craft Drinks bar in Hvar - the (gin) Rose Marry me - wow).
Useful website links:
Hotels
Hotel Reviews
Sofitel London Heathrow (updated Suite review coming soon)
Other
Full of Life: Croatian Tourism
Beach Club Hvar (Est. 1927)
