Where to Stay in Dubrovnik: Best Hotels in Old Town, Ploce and Lapad
Dubrovnik is not a city where you can book any hotel and hope for the best. Where you stay will shape your entire trip, because the city has three genuinely distinct zones that suit different kinds of visits: inside the Old Town walls, the clifftop hotels of Ploce and Pile and the beach hotels of the Lapad Peninsula. Get the area right first, then find the hotel within it.
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We have been to Dubrovnik and we know firsthand how much the neighborhood choice matters: it changes everything from your morning routine to how much you spend getting around. Every hotel in this guide comes from in-depth research across multiple platforms. We go further than the photos and the star ratings: we look at what guests who know what they are doing actually say about service, value and what the rooms are really like. We only include hotels we would book ourselves.
Quick Picks: Best Hotels in Dubrovnik
- Hotel Excelsior, best overall splurge with iconic views of the Old Town walls
- Pucic Palace, most atmospheric address inside the Old Town walls
- St. Joseph’s, best boutique hotel in the city
- Hotel Lero, best value, walkable to both Old Town and Lapad
- Hotel Bellevue, best for families, clifftop with a private beach
Quick Comparison: Best Hotels in Dubrovnik
All our picks across all three areas at a glance.
| Hotel | Area | Best For | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pucic Palace | Old Town | An 18th-century baroque palace steps from the old harbor | $$$$ |
| St. Joseph’s | Old Town | Four-room boutique in a 16th-century residence off the Stradun | $$$$ |
| Boutique Hotel Stari Grad | Old Town | One of only two true hotels inside the walls, with a rooftop restaurant | $$$ |
| Scalini Palace | Old Town | Self-catering suites, rare kitchenettes inside the walls | $$-$$$ |
| Bota Palace | Old Town | Stylish suites at the best prices inside the walls | $$ |
| Hotel Excelsior | Ploce | Iconic 1913 property with the best Old Town views on the Adriatic | $$$$$ |
| Villa Dubrovnik | Ploce | Modern cliffside design hotel with private beach access | $$$$ |
| Hotel Bellevue | Miramare Bay | Clifftop family favorite above its own pebble beach | $$$$ |
| Villa Orsula | Ploce | Intimate villa retreat five minutes from the Old Town | $$$$ |
| Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik | Pile | 1897 landmark steps from Pile Gate | $$$$ |
| Hotel Lapad | Lapad | Family-run waterfront hotel in a 1912 Victorian building | $$-$$$ |
| Hotel Lero | Between Old Town and Lapad | Best value in the city, walkable to both areas | $$ |
| Hotel Kazbek | Lapad Bay | 13-room boutique inside a noble villa from 1573 | $$$ |
| Hotel Kompas | Lapad | Beachfront with an infinity pool and family-friendly setup | $$-$$$ |
| Rixos Premium Dubrovnik | Lapad | Full five-star beach resort experience | $$$$$ |
Your Guide to Where to Stay in Dubrovnik
Best Area for Atmosphere: Inside the Old Town Walls
Staying inside the walls is a completely different experience from anywhere else in Dubrovnik. You wake up on cobblestone streets, everything is within a few minutes on foot and the city feels like yours in the early morning and late evening, before the day visitors arrive and after they leave. No other area gives you that.
The trade-off is scarcity. There are only a handful of true hotels inside the walls, which keeps prices high and availability tight, and the stone streets that feel magical at 7am are crowded by mid-morning in season. Light sleepers should also know the Old Town stays lively at night, especially in summer.
But for a first visit or a special trip, even a night or two inside the walls is worth it. This is the Dubrovnik you came for.
Hotels Inside the Old Town Walls
- Pucic Palace ($$$$): An 18th-century baroque palace converted into a boutique hotel with only a handful of suites, steps from the old harbor. This is as central as it gets: you are sleeping inside a palace that has been part of the Old Town since before tourism existed. Personal service, elegant interiors and a location in the middle of everything without feeling touristy.
- St. Joseph’s ($$$$): The most exclusive small hotel in Dubrovnik: four individually designed rooms in a 16th-century residence just off the Stradun, with exposed stone walls, original beams and Carrara marble bathrooms. Breakfast is delivered to your room and the service is personal without being intrusive. If intimacy and exclusivity matter more than amenities, this is the answer.
- Boutique Hotel Stari Grad ($$$): One of only two actual hotels inside the walls, a 16th-century nobleman's house with nine rooms and two suites. The Michelin-recommended rooftop restaurant Above 5 serves breakfast over the terracotta rooftops. If we were booking inside the walls, this would be our choice.
- Scalini Palace ($$-$$$): Eight self-catering suites around a signature stone staircase, central but off the main tourist corridors. The kitchenettes are rare inside the walls and genuinely useful for a longer stay. Good value for an Old Town boutique at this quality level.
- Bota Palace ($$): Stylish suites with rooftop views at surprisingly good prices for an Old Town address. The rooms are well-designed and the service is attentive without being formal. One of the better plays inside the walls if you want boutique quality without the full luxury price tag.
Best Area for Views: Ploce, Pile and the Clifftops
Ploce sits just east of the Old Town beyond Ploce Gate, and this is the clifftop hotel zone: the properties here hang above the Adriatic with unobstructed views back across the water to the walls and out to Lokrum Island. It is the single best view in the city and you pay for it accordingly. Banje Beach, Dubrovnik's most famous stretch of pebbles, is right below.
Pile is the equivalent position on the western side, right at Pile Gate. You are steps from the main entrance to the Old Town but outside the walls, which means quieter nights and more hotel choice, including some genuinely historic properties.
For a first visit, Ploce and Pile are the sweet spot: you get the views and the space the Old Town cannot offer while staying within a few minutes' walk of the gates.
Hotels in Ploce and Pile
- Hotel Excelsior ($$$$$): Built in 1913 as a royal villa, the Excelsior sits directly on the Adriatic with unobstructed views of Lokrum Island and the Old Town walls. Private beach access, spa facilities and terrace dining make this a genuine five-star stay, a short walk from the gates but removed enough to feel calm. Summer dates sell out early, especially June through September.
- Villa Dubrovnik ($$$$): A strikingly modern property carved into the cliffside with floor-to-ceiling windows, minimalist white interiors and private beach access. The contrast between the ancient Old Town across the water and the sleek lines of the villa is part of the appeal. Firmly on our splurge list.
- Hotel Bellevue ($$$$): A clifftop hotel above its own pebble beach at Miramare Bay and one of the best family-friendly options in Dubrovnik at this level. The views over the bay are spectacular, the beach below is yours to use and you are still within walking distance of the Old Town.
- Villa Orsula ($$$$): A Mediterranean villa five minutes from the Old Town with a private beach, gardens of lavender and wild orange trees, live jazz in the bar and art by Victor Vasarely and Roberto Matta. Close enough to walk to the gates, far enough to feel like your own private Adriatic retreat.
- Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik ($$$$): An 1897 landmark steps from Pile Gate, beautifully restored after surviving the 1990s war, and where the Game of Thrones cast stayed during filming. The interiors blend 19th-century elegance with modern five-star service. We would stay here for the location alone. For the city walls, Fort Lovrijenac and what to see, read our Dubrovnik travel guide.
Best Area for Beaches and Value: The Lapad Peninsula
The Lapad Peninsula is a 15-minute bus ride west of the Old Town and trades medieval atmosphere for beach access, promenades and space to breathe. This is resort Dubrovnik: pools, pebble bays, sunset walks and a pace that feels closer to a proper seaside holiday than a city break. It is the right choice for families and longer stays.
Getting to the center is straightforward: buses 4 and 6 run frequently and cost very little, and taxis take about ten minutes. Nearby Gruz, the port and transport hub, is the most affordable area of the city and makes sense if you are ferry-hopping to the islands or traveling on a tighter budget.
Hotels in Lapad
- Hotel Lapad ($$-$$$): A family-run hotel in a Victorian building from 1912 on the Lapad waterfront. The restaurant is excellent, the property has kept its charm through multiple generations and it gives you residential Dubrovnik rather than tourist Dubrovnik. Great value, very dog friendly and where we would book for a longer stay.
- Hotel Lero ($$): A reliable four-star in the sweet spot between the Old Town and Lapad: you can walk to both. The rooms are comfortable, the service is professional and the price is reasonable for what you get. Our best-value pick in the city.
- Hotel Kazbek ($$$): A 13-room boutique inside a monumental noble villa from 1573 on Lapad Bay, each room furnished individually with historical details including coats of arms from old Dubrovnik families. Character and intimacy without the Old Town crowds.
- Hotel Kompas ($$-$$$): A large hotel on the Lapad waterfront with an infinity pool overlooking the beach, good restaurants and a family-friendly setup. Practical resort-style facilities without the clifftop price tag.
- Rixos Premium Dubrovnik ($$$$$): The full resort experience: pools, spa, private beach and multiple restaurants on the Lapad Peninsula. The trade-off is transit time to the sights; the gain is a proper five-star resort with Dubrovnik as the backdrop.
What to Know Before You Book in Dubrovnik
If you are visiting between May and September, book as early as you possibly can. Dubrovnik has limited hotel stock for its popularity, the handful of properties inside the walls sell out months in advance and prices climb steadily as your dates approach.
July and August are peak season in every sense: the highest prices, full hotels and cruise ship crowds that fill the walls and the Stradun by mid-morning. May, June and early September offer the best combination of weather and manageable crowds, and October is increasingly popular for good reason: still warm enough to swim, excellent light and a noticeably quieter city.
You do not need a car. The Old Town is entirely pedestrianized, parking is expensive and difficult and the bus network covers the main areas efficiently. For day trips to the Elafiti Islands, the Peljesac Peninsula or Mostar, rent a car for a day or join a tour. For more on walking the walls, Game of Thrones filming locations and island day trips, see our Dubrovnik travel guide.
Frequently Asked Questions About Where to Stay in Dubrovnik
Is it worth staying inside the Old Town walls in Dubrovnik?
Yes, if atmosphere and walking everywhere matters to you. Staying inside the walls is a completely different experience from anywhere else in Dubrovnik. You wake up on cobblestone streets, everything is within a few minutes walk and the city feels like yours in the early morning before the day visitors arrive. The trade-off is noise, higher prices and very limited hotel options. Even a night or two inside the walls is worth it if you can manage it.
What is the best area to stay in Dubrovnik?
It depends on what kind of trip you want. Inside the walls gives you the most atmospheric stay but the fewest options and highest prices. Ploce puts you just outside the Old Town with some of the best clifftop hotels and views on the Adriatic. Pile is right at the western gate, ideal for easy access to the walls. Lapad is a 15-minute bus ride away but gives you beach access, more space and better value. For a first visit we recommend Pile or Ploce. For a beach-focused stay or longer trip, Lapad makes more sense.
How far is Lapad from the Old Town in Dubrovnik?
Lapad is about 4 kilometers west of the Old Town, roughly a 15-minute bus ride on the number 4 or 6 bus. Taxis take about 10 minutes. There is no direct walkable route along the water so you will need to use public transport or a taxi. The buses run frequently and cost very little. For most travelers the journey is not a problem, especially if you are spending beach time in Lapad anyway.
When is the best time to visit Dubrovnik?
May, June and early September offer the best combination of good weather and manageable crowds. July and August are peak season with very high prices, full hotels and cruise ship crowds on the walls and streets by mid-morning. October is increasingly popular for good reason: the weather is still warm enough to swim, the light is excellent and the city is noticeably quieter. If you can avoid July and August, do. If not, book well in advance and plan to be out early to beat the worst of the crowds.
Do you need a car in Dubrovnik?
No, and in most cases a car is a disadvantage. The Old Town is entirely pedestrianized, parking is expensive and difficult and the bus network covers the main areas efficiently. If you are doing day trips to the Elafiti Islands, the Peljesac Peninsula or Mostar you can rent a car for a day or join a tour. For the city itself, buses, taxis and walking will cover everything you need.
Our Takeaway on Where to Stay in Dubrovnik
For atmosphere, nothing compares to sleeping inside the Old Town walls: even one or two nights changes the whole trip. For the best views in the city, Ploce is where to look, with the Excelsior and Villa Dubrovnik delivering that full panorama of the walls and Lokrum. The Lapad Peninsula is the smart move for families, beach time and longer stays, with better value and space the center cannot offer.
Whatever you book, plan around the cruise crowds: walk the walls when they open, take the morning for the Old Town and spend the afternoon on the water or at the beach. Use the links above to check current rates and availability for every hotel in this guide.
