Where to Stay in Dubrovnik: Best Areas and Hotels for First-Time Visitors
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Written by Ivana · Croatian writer based in Dubrovnik
I grew up on the Dalmatian coast and moved to Dubrovnik after finishing university. Helping visitors figure out which part of this compact city to stay in is something I do for nearly every friend who comes to visit.
If this is your first time in Dubrovnik, the Old Town is the most atmospheric place to stay — you will be inside the city walls, steps from everything. If you want resort-level comfort with the Old Town still within walking distance, Ploče is the strongest option. And if you prefer a beach-resort feel at a lower price, Lapad is the area to look at.
This guide covers those three areas and recommends nine hotels across different budgets. All of them are in comfortable, well-connected parts of the city where first-time visitors will have an easy stay. All prices are approximate and vary by season and availability.
Quick Answer: Best Areas to Stay in Dubrovnik
| Best for | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Walking everywhere, atmosphere | Old Town | Inside the city walls — restaurants, sights, and nightlife are all on your doorstep |
| Upscale hotels, sea views | Ploče | Just east of the Old Town with full-service 5-star hotels and Banje Beach |
| Beach resort, lower prices | Lapad | A relaxed resort peninsula with pools, promenades, and better value |
| If this sounds like you… | Stay here |
|---|---|
| I want to walk out my door and be in the heart of the Old Town | Old Town |
| I want a full-service hotel with a pool, spa, and sea views | Ploče |
| I want a resort feel with a beach and lower hotel prices | Lapad |
| I am traveling as a couple and atmosphere matters most | Old Town |
| I am traveling with family and want more space and facilities | Lapad |
| I want a luxury hotel that is still close to the Old Town | Ploče |
Best Areas and Hotels at a Glance
Old Town — Inside the city walls
- The Pucic Palace — Luxury
- Boutique Hotel Stari Grad — Mid-range
- Apartments & Rooms Perla — Good value
Ploče — Upscale resort area east of the Old Town
- Hotel Excelsior — Luxury
- Villa Argentina — Upscale
- Villa Dubrovnik — Boutique luxury
Lapad — Beach resort peninsula
- Rixos Premium Dubrovnik — Luxury
- Hotel Kompas — Mid-range
- Hotel Lapad — Good value
Most hotels on Booking.com offer free cancellation, so you can book now and adjust later.
All prices are approximate and vary by season and availability.
1. Old Town — Stay Inside the City Walls
Dubrovnik’s Old Town is the UNESCO-listed walled city that most visitors come to see. Staying here puts you right in the middle of it — Stradun, the city walls, churches, restaurants, and bars are all within a few minutes’ walk. In the early morning and late evening, after the cruise-ship crowds have left, the limestone streets are remarkably quiet.
The trade-off is practical. Cars cannot enter the Old Town, so you will need to roll your suitcase over cobblestones and possibly up stairs to reach your accommodation. Rooms inside the walls tend to be smaller and more expensive than elsewhere. But for a short stay, the location is hard to beat.
✅ Stradun, Sponza Palace, and St. Blaise Church are all a short walk away
✅ Early mornings and late evenings are peaceful — the day-trip crowds leave
✅ Restaurants, cafés, and bars are clustered throughout the area
✅ The city walls walk starts from either Pile Gate or Ploče Gate, both within reach
✅ Staying inside the walls is an experience in itself — stone buildings, narrow lanes, and historic atmosphere
Dubrovnik’s Old Town is generally a comfortable area with plenty of foot traffic day and night. Keep an eye on your belongings during peak summer when the streets get crowded.
The Pucic Palace — Luxury
- Area: Old Town (inside the walls)
- Hotel class: 5-star
- Price range: From around €400 per night for 2 adults
- Best for: Couples and travelers who want a special-occasion stay in the heart of the Old Town
Why stay here:
✅ Housed in an 18th-century baroque palace on Gundulić Square — one of the Old Town’s most charming spots
✅ The morning market sets up directly below the hotel, which is a lovely thing to wake up to
✅ Stradun is about a one-minute walk away
✅ The on-site restaurant serves Croatian and international cuisine
✅ One of only two proper hotels operating inside the Old Town walls
The Pucic Palace is the only 5-star hotel inside the Old Town. Its rooms blend exposed stone walls with modern furnishings, and the location on Gundulić Square means you are genuinely in the center of everything. Breakfast is served à la carte and the quality is well-regarded by guests.
The hotel is small and intimate — there is no pool or spa, which is typical for Old Town properties given the space constraints. If resort facilities matter to you, the hotels in Ploče are a better fit.
If you want to stay inside the walls at a lower price point, Boutique Hotel Stari Grad is a good alternative.
👉 Check The Pucic Palace on Booking.com
Boutique Hotel Stari Grad — Mid-range
- Area: Old Town (inside the walls)
- Hotel class: 4-star
- Price range: From around €200 per night for 2 adults
- Best for: Travelers who want a hotel (not an apartment) inside the walls without paying 5-star prices
Why stay here:
✅ Set in a renovated 16th-century nobleman’s house — one of only two hotels within the Old Town walls
✅ Small property with just 14 rooms, which keeps things quiet and personal
✅ The rooftop terrace has views across the Old Town rooftops and out to the Adriatic
✅ Fully renovated with a mix of historic stone and modern interiors
✅ Breakfast on the rooftop terrace is a highlight
Boutique Hotel Stari Grad is one of the few options if you want an actual hotel — rather than an apartment or guesthouse — inside the city walls. The rooms are well-finished, the location is excellent, and the rooftop terrace makes a strong impression at breakfast.
Like most Old Town properties, there is no pool or fitness center. If you need those, look at Hotel Excelsior in Ploče. And if your budget is tighter, Apartments & Rooms Perla offers a well-rated guesthouse option in the same area.
👉 Check Boutique Hotel Stari Grad on Booking.com
Apartments & Rooms Perla — Good Value
- Area: Old Town (inside the walls)
- Hotel class: Guesthouse
- Price range: From around €100 per night for 2 adults
- Best for: Budget-conscious travelers who still want to stay inside the Old Town walls
Why stay here:
✅ Located on Prijeko Street, one of the Old Town’s liveliest lanes, about a minute from Stradun
✅ Rooms are set inside a traditional stone building with character
✅ Well-reviewed by guests on Booking.com, with consistently high scores
✅ Air conditioning and free Wi-Fi in all rooms
✅ The host is helpful and knows the city well
This is a guesthouse, not a hotel — so do not expect a reception desk, room service, or a concierge. What you get instead is a well-located, well-maintained room inside the Old Town walls at a fraction of the price of the two hotels above. Prijeko Street has a string of restaurants, and Stradun is steps away.
Perla is popular and can book up during busy periods. If it is unavailable, or if you prefer a full-service hotel experience, Boutique Hotel Stari Grad is the next step up in the same area.
👉 Check Apartments & Rooms Perla on Booking.com
2. Ploče — Upscale Hotels Just East of the Old Town
Ploče is the upscale residential area immediately east of the Old Town, just beyond Ploče Gate. It is where most of Dubrovnik’s full-service 5-star hotels are concentrated, and Banje Beach — the city’s main beach — is right here too. The Old Town is a 5 to 10 minute walk through the gate.
This is the area to choose if you want proper resort facilities — pools, spas, sea-view terraces, multiple restaurants — without being far from the Old Town. Because it sits outside the walls, hotels here can accommodate cars, which is useful if you are renting one. Be aware that Ploče is a high-end area: all three hotels below are 5-star properties. There are limited budget options in this neighborhood.
✅ Ploče Gate gives direct walking access to the Old Town in 5–10 minutes
✅ Banje Beach is in this area — Dubrovnik’s most popular beach
✅ Most of the city’s top-rated luxury hotels are located here
✅ Views toward the Old Town walls and Lokrum Island are excellent from this side
✅ A quiet, residential area that stays calm in the evenings
Ploče is a well-established residential neighborhood. The main thing to be aware of is that the walk to Ploče Gate involves a hill, so comfortable shoes are worthwhile.
Hotel Excelsior — Luxury
- Area: Ploče
- Hotel class: 5-star
- Price range: From around €500 per night for 2 adults
- Best for: Travelers who want a landmark 5-star hotel with sea views and full resort facilities, close to the Old Town
Why stay here:
✅ Located on the waterfront, about a 5-minute walk from the Old Town
✅ A well-known Dubrovnik hotel that has been operating since 1913
✅ Spa, indoor pool, and three restaurants on site
✅ Most rooms have views of the Old Town walls or the open Adriatic
✅ Beachfront position with direct access to the sea
Hotel Excelsior is one of the most established luxury hotels in Dubrovnik. Its location — beachfront, facing the Old Town — is one of the best in the city. The spa is large, the breakfast is well-regarded, and the terrace views across to the city walls are the kind of thing that stays with you.
This is a traditional grand hotel, so the style is classic rather than contemporary. If you prefer a more modern, intimate boutique experience, Villa Dubrovnik is worth comparing.
👉 Check Hotel Excelsior on Booking.com
Villa Argentina — Upscale
- Area: Ploče
- Hotel class: 5-star
- Price range: From around €350 per night for 2 adults
- Best for: Travelers who want a 5-star experience in Ploče with garden grounds, a pool, and free parking
Why stay here:
✅ A short walk from both Banje Beach and Ploče Gate
✅ Indoor and outdoor pools, spa, sauna, and hot tub
✅ Set within landscaped gardens — a pleasant contrast to the stone-heavy Old Town
✅ Free private parking, which is rare in Dubrovnik
✅ Located next door to Hotel Excelsior, sharing the same stretch of coastline
Villa Argentina sits right beside Hotel Excelsior but tends to come in at a slightly lower price point. The gardens are a distinctive feature — lush and green, with a terrace where you can sit and unwind after a day of walking the walls. The spa is well-equipped, and the free private parking is a genuine advantage if you are driving around Croatia.
If you do not need the parking or garden setting and would rather have the more prominent waterfront position, Hotel Excelsior next door is the more established choice.
👉 Check Villa Argentina on Booking.com
Villa Dubrovnik — Boutique Luxury
- Area: Ploče (south, cliffside)
- Hotel class: 5-star
- Price range: From around €400 per night for 2 adults
- Best for: Travelers who want a smaller, design-driven hotel with a private beach and sea-level access
Why stay here:
✅ Built into a cliffside with all 56 rooms facing the sea
✅ Private beach — a rarity in Dubrovnik
✅ The hotel runs a complimentary shuttle boat to the Old Town, which is a memorable way to arrive
✅ Two restaurants and a spa on site
✅ Views toward Lokrum Island from the pool and terraces
Villa Dubrovnik occupies a dramatic cliffside position south of the main Ploče cluster. The hotel is contemporary in design, with clean lines and a lot of natural light, and every room looks out to the Adriatic. The shuttle boat to the Old Town — included for guests — is a standout feature that makes the slightly longer walking distance (about 15 minutes on foot) feel like a non-issue.
The location is more secluded than Excelsior or Villa Argentina. If you prefer to be able to walk to the Old Town in under five minutes without a shuttle, Hotel Excelsior is the more convenient pick.
👉 Check Villa Dubrovnik on Booking.com
3. Lapad — Beach Resort at a Better Price
Lapad is a green, resort-oriented peninsula about 4 km west of the Old Town. It has its own beach, a pleasant waterfront promenade lined with restaurants and cafés, and a good selection of hotels with pools, spas, and larger rooms than you will typically find inside or near the walls.
The main draw here is value. Hotels in Lapad are significantly cheaper than those in Ploče or the Old Town, and many of them offer more facilities. The trade-off is distance: the Old Town is a 15 to 20 minute bus ride away (Bus 6 runs frequently). For a short trip of two or three nights, this means spending more time in transit. But for longer stays, families, or anyone who values pool time and a relaxed pace, Lapad works well.
✅ Lapad Beach and the seaside promenade are at the center of the area
✅ Hotel prices are noticeably lower than in the Old Town or Ploče
✅ Bus 6 connects Lapad to the Old Town every 10–15 minutes
✅ Hotels here tend to have pools, spas, and larger rooms
✅ Restaurants, cafés, and a supermarket are all within walking distance
Lapad is a residential and tourist area that stays busy along the promenade in the evenings. It is a comfortable, well-lit neighborhood.
Rixos Premium Dubrovnik — Luxury
- Area: Lapad
- Hotel class: 5-star
- Price range: From around €200 per night for 2 adults
- Best for: Travelers who want a full 5-star resort experience at a lower price than Ploče hotels
Why stay here:
✅ Year-round indoor pool, seasonal outdoor pools, and a large spa with sauna and hammam
✅ Panoramic Adriatic views from most rooms
✅ Three restaurants and three bars on site
✅ The Old Town is about a 15-minute walk or a short bus ride
✅ Breakfast buffet is frequently praised in guest reviews
Rixos Premium is probably the most facility-rich hotel on this list. The spa alone — with its indoor pool, hammam, sauna, and treatment rooms — would be a selling point at twice the price. And that is the key advantage: you get 5-star resort infrastructure at rates that are often half what the Ploče hotels charge. The sea views from the upper floors are excellent.
The location is between Lapad and the Old Town, closer to the Old Town than most Lapad hotels. However, if your priority is being able to walk to Stradun in under five minutes, The Pucic Palace or Boutique Hotel Stari Grad in the Old Town will serve you better.
👉 Check Rixos Premium Dubrovnik on Booking.com
Hotel Kompas — Mid-range
- Area: Lapad
- Hotel class: 4-star
- Price range: From around €130 per night for 2 adults
- Best for: Travelers who want a modern, comfortable hotel on the Lapad waterfront with a spa and pool
Why stay here:
✅ Overlooks Lapad Bay with direct views from sea-facing rooms
✅ Indoor pool, spa, steam room, and sauna
✅ Modern design — the hotel was renovated and the rooms feel fresh
✅ Right on the Lapad promenade, close to the beach and restaurants
✅ A good middle ground between price and quality in the Lapad area
Hotel Kompas sits in a strong position on the Lapad waterfront, with the promenade and beach just steps away. The rooms are contemporary and well-kept, the indoor pool and spa are a useful bonus, and the breakfast is solid. For a 4-star hotel in this location, the rates are reasonable.
If you want to upgrade to a 5-star experience with more extensive spa facilities, Rixos Premium Dubrovnik is the natural step up. If you want to save more and do not mind a slightly less modern hotel, Hotel Lapad is the lower-cost alternative nearby.
👉 Check Hotel Kompas on Booking.com
Hotel Lapad — Good Value
- Area: Lapad (near Gruž Harbor)
- Hotel class: 4-star
- Price range: From around €100 per night for 2 adults
- Best for: Budget-conscious travelers who want a characterful hotel with a pool in the Lapad area
Why stay here:
✅ Set in a historic building surrounded by palm trees and a large outdoor pool
✅ Views over Gruž Harbor from many rooms
✅ Breakfast is included and well-regarded by guests
✅ One of the more affordable hotel options in Dubrovnik that still feels like a proper hotel
✅ Lapad Beach and the promenade are a short walk away
Hotel Lapad has a certain old-world character — the building itself is historic, the pool area is surrounded by palms, and the harbor views give it a different feel from the more modern Lapad hotels. It is not as slick or contemporary as Hotel Kompas, but the rates are lower and the location is still convenient. Bus connections to the Old Town are nearby.
The hotel sits slightly closer to Gruž Harbor than to the main Lapad promenade. If being right on the waterfront promenade matters to you, Hotel Kompas has the better position for that.
👉 Check Hotel Lapad on Booking.com
What to Know About Staying in Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a compact city, but it is not flat. The Old Town itself is relatively level along Stradun, the main street, but the side streets climb steeply via stone staircases. Outside the walls, Ploče involves a noticeable hill, and even Lapad has some inclines. Comfortable walking shoes are not optional — they are essential.
Getting around is straightforward. Dubrovnik’s local buses (operated by Libertas) connect Lapad, Gruž, and the Old Town frequently. Bus 6 is the main route between Lapad and Pile Gate (the western entrance to the Old Town). A single ticket bought on the bus costs a couple of euros. Taxis and ride-hailing are also available, though prices are higher during summer.
Room sizes in the Old Town tend to be small. The buildings are centuries old, and structural modifications are limited by heritage regulations. If space is important to you, the hotels in Lapad or Ploče generally offer larger rooms with more modern layouts.
Dubrovnik uses the euro. Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory — rounding up the bill or leaving 10% at restaurants is common. Credit cards are widely accepted, though some smaller Old Town shops and market vendors may prefer cash.
Summer (June through September) is peak season. Hotel prices rise significantly, the Old Town gets very crowded with cruise-ship visitors during the day, and availability tightens. If your dates are flexible, May or October offer warm weather, fewer crowds, and better hotel rates. If you are visiting in high summer, booking well in advance is a practical step — particularly for Old Town properties where supply is limited.
Areas to Be Careful About
Dubrovnik is generally a comfortable city for visitors, and serious safety concerns are rare. That said, a few things are worth noting.
Pickpocketing can occur in the Old Town during the busiest summer months, particularly when cruise ships dock and the streets get crowded. Standard precautions — keeping bags closed, not leaving phones on café tables — are enough.
The area around Pile Gate can get rowdy late at night, especially on weekends in summer, when bars in the area are busy. It is not dangerous, but it can be noisy if your accommodation is nearby.
The streets behind Gruž Harbor (the ferry terminal area) are not particularly scenic or convenient for tourists. While not unsafe, there is little reason to base yourself there. Hotels in that area are cheap but disconnected from the parts of Dubrovnik you are likely here to see.
Staying far outside the center to save money usually backfires in a city as compact as Dubrovnik. The cost of daily taxis or the time spent on buses often offsets any savings on the room rate. Sticking to Old Town, Ploče, or Lapad avoids this problem.
Final Summary
For atmosphere and walkability, stay in the Old Town. You will be inside the walls, steps from everything Dubrovnik is known for.
For a luxury hotel with sea views, a pool, and a spa — all within walking distance of the Old Town — stay in Ploče.
For a beach-resort setting with better prices and more space, stay in Lapad.