Boutique Hotels in Dubrovnik: Where to Stay (By Area)
Dubrovnik looks incredible, but staying here is less about aesthetics and more about choosing the right base. Where you stay affects how busy your days feel, how easy it is to escape the crowds, and whether evenings are relaxed or relentless.
This guide focuses on boutique hotels in Dubrovnik that make sense in practice — smaller places with character, good locations, and a clear reason to book them. Some are in the Old Town, others just outside the walls or closer to the water. The difference comes down to noise, views, and how much walking you want to do.
These are the stays that stand out.
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How These Hotels Were Chosen
This selection prioritises location, character, and hotels that make Dubrovnik easier to enjoy day to day — not just places that look good in photos. Each one offers a clear advantage, whether that’s position, pace, or setting.
These three boutique hotels offer the strongest mix of location, atmosphere, and comfort in Dubrovnik. Each suits a different style of stay, but all three are excellent, no-regret picks.
Rooms with terraces or sea views go first, especially in May, June, and September.
The Hot List
St. Joseph’s
Best overall boutique stay
A small, well-run townhouse inside the Old Town with a noticeably calmer feel than most. Rooms are more bigger than average for this location, and early breakfasts make it easier to enjoy the Old Town before the crowds arrive. A strong all-rounder if you want to stay inside the walls.
➡️ Check prices and availability
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Villa Dubrovnik
Best for views and quieter evenings
Just outside the Old Town, this is all about the setting. Rooms face straight out over the Adriatic, many with terraces looking back towards the city walls. It feels calm with space to unwind while still being close enough to walk into town.
➡️ Check prices and availability
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Hotel Kazbek
Best relaxed boutique stay
A restored stone villa in Lapad with a slower pace and a small pool — a rare combination this close to the Old Town. It’s well connected but feels removed, making it a good choice if you want to balance sightseeing with downtime.
➡️ Check prices and availability
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What to Expect from Boutique Hotels in Dubrovnik
Boutique hotels in Dubrovnik are usually small and in older buildings. Character comes first; space, lifts, and parking are often secondary.
In the Old Town, rooms tend to be compact and layouts can be awkward, with stairs very much part of the deal. The payoff is location — especially early in the morning and later in the evening, when the streets are at their best.
Just outside the walls, boutique hotels are more comfortable day to day. You’re more likely to find terraces, sea views, pools, and easier access for taxis and luggage, without losing walkability.
Across the city, rooms with views are limited and book quickly. If a terrace, balcony, or sea-facing room matters, booking ahead makes a real difference, particularly in spring and early autumn.
Where to Stay in Dubrovnik (Quick Neighbourhood Guide)
Dubrovnik is compact, but the area you choose shapes how the city feels.
Old Town
Best for atmosphere — not daytime calm
Staying inside the city walls puts you right in the historic core, but it’s also where daytime crowds are most intense. Early mornings and evenings are a different story, once cruise passengers leave and the pace drops. Boutique hotels here suit travellers who value location over downtime.
Ploče
Best for views and quieter evenings
Just east of the Old Town, Ploče is close enough to walk everywhere (around 10 minutes) but far calmer once you step away from the gates. Many hotels here focus on sea views and terraces, making it a strong compromise if the Old Town feels like too much.
Lapad
Best for beaches, pools, and breathing room
Lapad has a coastal promenade, swimming spots, and a more relaxed rhythm. Boutique hotels here often come with pools and outdoor space — rare inside the walls. The Old Town is around 10–15 minutes away by bus or taxi.
Babin Kuk
Best for space and switch-off stays
Further out on a headland, Babin Kuk feels calmer and more self-contained. Hotels here prioritise views, spa facilities, and space. Expect around 15–20 minutes into town by taxi or bus.
For breakdown of areas, distances, and hotel styles, my Where to Stay in Dubrovnik guide goes into more detail
Choose Your Base
- Old Town → atmosphere, early mornings, late nights
- Ploče → views, walkability, calmer evenings
- Lapad → beaches, pools, easy days
- Babin Kuk → space, swimming, switch-off stays
Old Town: A Quick Reality Check
The Old Town is busiest from late morning to late afternoon, especially when cruise ships are in port. Streets can feel crowded and noisy, and heading back to your hotel mid-day isn’t always restful.
If you want calmer days, staying just outside the walls — particularly in Ploče — often works better. You still get the Old Town experience, just without being surrounded by it all day.
Buses and taxis are easy and inexpensive, so staying outside the Old Town rarely feels inconvenient.
Boutique Hotels in Dubrovnik Old Town
Staying inside the Old Town is about proximity rather than peace. Hotels are tucked into historic buildings, often behind unmarked doors on narrow streets. During the day, it’s busy. Early mornings and evenings are when it feels more like itself.
St. Joseph’s
4★ Boutique • Old Town
A small townhouse hotel with a quiet, understated feel. Rooms are more generous than most Old Town stays, which helps once everything outside feels compressed. Breakfast is served early, making it easy to get out before the crowds build and return later when the pace slows down.
➡️ Calm, low-key Old Town base | ✅ Check Prices / Availability / Book it!
The Pucic Palace
5★ Boutique • Old Town
The Pucić Palace puts you right in the middle of the Old Town, just off the Stradun, so there’s no easing into Dubrovnik here — you’re straight in it. The building is grand and historic, with traditional rooms that match the setting, and daytime noise is part of the deal. Come evening, though, things calm down, and it starts to feel like a proper Old Town stay rather than a passing-through experience.
➡️ Classic setting, central location | ✅ Check Prices / Availability / Book it!
Scalini Palace
4★ Boutique • Old Town
More apartment-style than hotel, with spacious rooms that are easy to live in. The design is modern and straightforward, and the extra space is welcome in such a central location. A practical choice if you plan to spend most of the day out exploring.
➡️ Space-first Old Town stay | ✅ Check Prices / Availability / Book it!
Boutique Hotels in Ploče
If the Old Town feels like too much during the day, Ploče is the obvious alternative. It sits just outside the eastern gate, close enough to walk everywhere but far enough to breathe. This is where Dubrovnik’s better views and calmer hotels tend to be.
Villa Dubrovnik
5★ Boutique • Ploče
Villa Dubrovnik is all about the view. Rooms face straight out over the Adriatic, many with terraces looking back towards the Old Town walls, which feels especially good at sunset. It’s just outside the city gates, so you can walk into town easily, then come back to much calmer space. This is a good choice if you want Dubrovnik drama during the day and quieter evenings afterwards.
➡️ Big views, calm setting | ✅ Check Prices / Availability / Book it!
Villa Orsula
5★ Boutique • Ploče
Smaller, more discreet, and noticeably quieter. Located slightly above the coast, it has wide sea views and a private, unhurried feel. Rooms are traditional, and most time here is spent on terraces rather than heading back into town.
➡️ Quiet, view-led stay | ✅ Check Prices / Availability / Book it!
Hotel Excelsior
5★ Boutique-style • Ploče
Hotel Excelsior is right on the water just east of the Old Town. Many rooms and terraces face straight across the Adriatic towards the city walls, which are especially striking at sunset. It’s larger than most boutique hotels, but the location does the work — close enough to walk into town, with sea views you don’t get inside the walls.
➡️ Waterfront setting, Old Town views | ✅ Check Prices / Availability / Book it!
Boutique Hotels in Lapad
Lapad feels like a reset. It’s greener, flatter, and built around a long seaside promenade with swimming spots, cafés, and space to slow things down. It’s around 10–15 minutes from the Old Town by bus or taxi.
Hotel Kazbek
5★ Boutique • Lapad
Hotel Kazbek is a small, hotel in Lapad, filled with character, set back from the main roads and well away from the Old Town crowds. There’s a pool for hot afternoons, a courtyard where things stay pleasantly low-key, and an overall pace that feels unhurried. Rooms are comfortable and traditional, and evenings here are calm in a way that’s hard to find inside the walls.
➡️ Calm villa setting, pool on-site | ✅ Check Prices / Availability / Book it!
Hotel Lapad
4★ Boutique-style • Lapad
Right on the harbour, Hotel Lapad leans into its waterfront setting. The pool overlooks the water, Hotel Lapad is right on Lapad harbour, with the promenade running past the front and boats bobbing outside. There’s a pool by the water, outdoor tables for drinks, and plenty going on in the evening thanks to the bars and restaurants nearby. It’s sociable without being noisy, and a lot easier to enjoy day to day than staying inside the Old Town.
➡️ Waterfront location, easy evenings | ✅ Check Prices / Availability / Book it!
Villa Wolff
4★ Boutique • Lapad
Villa Wolff is all about location. It’s right on the Lapad promenade, with the sea a few steps away and cafés and swimming spots lining the path outside. Rooms are simple and unfussy, but that’s not really the point — it works because you can head out for a morning swim, wander back for a break, then step straight out again for dinner without planning anything. Easy, relaxed, and very Lapad.
➡️ Promenade location, low-key stay | ✅ Check Prices / Availability / Book it!
Boutique Hotels in Babin Kuk
Babin Kuk is where Dubrovnik slows right down. It’s greener, quieter, and built around coastal paths, swimming platforms, and wide-open sea views. You’re not walking into the Old Town from here — plan on buses or taxis — but what you get in return is space, air, and hotels that feel like a break rather than a base.
Hotel Kompas Dubrovnik
4★ Boutique-style • Babin Kuk
Hotel Kompas is high on the cliffs, with big Adriatic views from rooms, terraces, and the pool area. The design is modern and uncluttered, and the layout makes the most of the setting — lots of glass, lots of light, lots of sea. It’s the kind of place where you spend afternoons by the pool, then head out for a walk along the coast rather than rushing into town.
➡️ Clifftop views, modern design | ✅ Check Prices / Availability / Book it!
Royal Blue Hotel Dubrovnik
5★ Boutique-style • Babin Kuk
Royal Blue is sleek and contemporary, with an adults-only feel that’s more switch-off than sightseeing. The rooftop pool is the headline feature, with uninterrupted sea views and space to spread out without feeling crowded. Rooms are modern and view-focused, and days here tend to revolve around swimming, long lunches, and sunset drinks rather than ticking off sights..
➡️ Rooftop pool, open sea views | ✅ Check Prices / Availability / Book it!
Dubrovnik President Valamar Collection Hotel
5★ Boutique-style • Babin Kuk
This is the most resort-like option in Babin Kuk, but the setting carries it. The hotel sits right above the water, with direct access to beaches and swimming platforms below, and many rooms look straight out to sea. It works well if you want everything in one place — swimming, sunbeds, restaurants — and don’t plan on heading into the Old Town every day.
➡️ Waterfront setting, easy beach access | ✅ Check Prices / Availability / Book it!
Best Time to Visit Dubrovnik
May to early June and September are the easiest months for a boutique hotel stay — warm weather, swimmable sea, and fewer crowds than peak summer. July and August are hotter, busier, and more expensive.
Winter is quieter and cheaper, but many hotels close and swimming isn’t realistic. Best for walking, food, and a slower pace. If you are planning a bigger trip I have written a Croatia Travel Guide, filled with tips to help you plan.
Still deciding on the best area? My Where to Stay in Dubrovnik guide has more detail about neighbourhoods, distances, and what actually works on the ground.
Find the Best Area to Stay in Dubrovnik Map
Use the map below to see where these boutique hotels sit in relation to the Old Town, beaches, and neighbourhoods like Ploče, Lapad, and Babin Kuk. It’s the easiest way to get a feel for distances and decide which area works best for how you want your days to look.
How to Use This Map
- Zoom in to compare hotels by neighbourhood
- Click on a hotel to check prices and availability
- Pan around to see how close each area is to the Old Town, the coast, and transport links
If you’re deciding between areas rather than specific hotels, this map makes the trade-offs clear at a glance — walkability versus space, views versus beaches.
FAQs About Boutique Hotels in Dubrovnik
Is it worth staying in Dubrovnik Old Town?
Yes — if you value location and atmosphere, especially early mornings and evenings. During the day, it’s extremely busy, so it’s less suited to people who want downtime at their hotel.
What’s the best area to stay in Dubrovnik to avoid crowds?
Ploče is the easiest compromise: close to the Old Town but noticeably calmer. Lapad and Babin Kuk are quieter still, with more space and facilities.
Do boutique hotels in Dubrovnik have pools?
Some do, but mostly outside the Old Town. Lapad and Babin Kuk are your best bets if a pool matters.
Are boutique hotels in Dubrovnik expensive?
They can be, especially in peak summer. Prices rise quickly for rooms with views or terraces, so booking ahead makes a difference.
Is Dubrovnik good for a couples’ trip or honeymoon?
Yes — but choosing the right base matters. Staying just outside the Old Town often feels more relaxed and romantic than staying right inside it.
How far in advance should I book?
For spring and autumn, aim for 8–12 weeks ahead, especially if you want a specific room type or a sea view.
Dubrovnik has no shortage of good-looking hotels, but the best stays are the ones that suit how you want the city to feel day to day. Inside the Old Town, it’s about immersion and timing. Just beyond the walls, it’s about views and calmer evenings. Further out, it’s space, swimming, and switching off.
Choose the area that matches your pace, and Dubrovnik does the rest — dramatic when you want it, quieter when you don’t.
⭐️ Explore Croatia
Curious about more of Croatia? These cities are a great place to start.
- 🏰 Dubrovnik – Medieval walls, island views, and Adriatic swims between sightseeing stops.
- 🏛 Split – Ancient palaces, buzzing squares, and easy ferries to nearby islands.
- 🏙 Zagreb – Café culture, quirky museums, and a slower, local feel.
- 📌Croatia Travel Guide – Where to go, how to get around, and what to prioritise.
⭐️ Explore More Destinations
Looking for inspiration beyond Croatia? Browse more destinations and food-focused guides from across the blog.
- 🧭 Destination Guides – Cities, regions, and trip ideas across Europe and beyond.
- 🍴 Food & Drink – What to eat, local specialities, and market-led guides.
- 🏙 City Breaks – Short trips packed with culture, food, and walkable highlights.
- 📅 Travel Planning – When to go, where to stay, and how to plan smarter trips.
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