Hotels in Dubrovnik

I would pick La Dolce Villa for a family that wants space and a kitchen in Dubrovnik. The apartments are air-conditioned with private terraces or balconies and fully equipped kitchens, which helps with meals and early nights. The garden and sun terrace give everyone somewhere to sit, and Banje Beach and the Orlando Column are a short walk away. A rating of 9.8 from 35 reviews is excellent, though the sample is small.

La Dolce Villa 1 is a five-star aparthotel in Dubrovnik that I would recommend to couples and families who want an apartment close to Banje Beach. Elegant air-conditioned units have sea views, a private balcony, a kitchenette and a washing machine. Free Wi-Fi and private on-site parking are included. The guest rating is near perfect, though based on 42 reviews, so it is a small sample. Expect self-catering comfort, not hotel service.

For a family, Hotel Aquarius Dubrovnik sits on the Lapad Peninsula with a swimming pool and a nearby sandy beach, a useful pairing for children who need water more than sightseeing. Spa and wellness facilities are on site for the adults, and the interiors are comfortable and relaxed. The hotel is placed for visits to the Old Town and local amenities. I would use it as a beach base with the Old Town as an outing.

I would pick Hotel Sumratin for a family that wants five-star comfort in Dubrovnik and a beach within walking distance. Lapad Bay Beach is a short walk away, and the rooftop swimming pool is a favourite for an afternoon swim with a view. Family rooms are available, which makes sharing simpler, and parents can slip away to the spa and wellness centre or the sauna. The restaurant serves international, European and Croatian dishes. A guest score of 9.5 is among the best in the city.

Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik stands on a cliff above Miramare Bay with its own pebbly beach below, and I would recommend it to families with older children who swim well. The indoor pool looks out to sea, useful on a windy day, and the Nevera beach restaurant makes lunch easy without climbing back up. The Old Town is 1.2 km away, and a shuttle helps with small legs. A guest score of 9.5 is among the strongest in the city.

For a family, Hotel Kompas stands over the sea in Lapad Bay, with a pebbly beach and a popular promenade close by. Rooms are modern and have balconies, and the restaurant and two bars mean dinner is settled without leaving the hotel. Free Wi-Fi covers the whole property. The Old Town is a 15-minute bus ride away, so I would plan sightseeing as day trips and keep the evenings for the bay.

Hotel Excelsior is a landmark five-star hotel on the Dubrovnik waterfront, five minutes' walk from the Old Town, and I would recommend it to families and couples who want a refined stay with the sea outside. Most rooms have sea views and original Croatian artwork. The 850 square metre spa has an indoor pool, two hot tubs and saunas, and there are three restaurants. The guest rating is excellent.

Hotel Ivka is on the green Lapad peninsula, where I would rather base a family than inside Dubrovnik's crowded Old Town. Sunset Beach is within easy reach for afternoons by the water, and the bus connections make the trip to the walls simple without parking stress. The restaurant serves Dalmatian and international dishes, handy for children who want something familiar. A score of 9.3 from 689 reviews shows a well-run four-star.

Sun Gardens Dubrovnik is a quiet beachfront resort facing the Elaphite Islands, and I would choose it for families who need more room than a standard hotel gives. Residences come with kitchenettes, handy for breakfasts and snacks, and three outdoor pools spread children out on busy days. Parents can book massages and treatments at the spa. A guest score of 9.3 from more than 2,300 reviews backs the choice for a longer family stay.

For a family, Boutique Hotel Kazbek is a five-star stay in a former 16th-century noble residence on Gruž Bay, with an outdoor pool and a beachfront setting, so children have water close by. Rooms are elegantly furnished, free Wi-Fi and private parking are included, and a spa and wellness centre is there for the adults. The Old Town is a short drive away. I would choose it for a calm, high-end stay rather than for walking to the sights.

For a family, the Berkeley Hotel is a family-owned address on Dubrovnik's Gruž harbour, with modern rooms and apartments, and the apartments give a family more space to spread out. Some rooms have sea views, and an on-site spa offers treatments for the adults. The Old Town is 2 km away and reached easily by bus. I would choose an apartment for a longer stay, and a sea-view room for a short one.

For a family, Royal Neptun Hotel is a beachfront resort with family rooms, a beach club and four restaurants, so mealtimes and sea access are settled on site. Rooms are air-conditioned with private bathrooms, and free Wi-Fi, parking and a shuttle service are included. A spa and wellness centre is there for the adults. The beach club can be lively, so I would ask for a room away from it if early nights matter.

Palace Natali is an adults-only five-star hotel in Dubrovnik, so I would not suggest it for a family with children, and I say that plainly. For couples and adult travellers it offers elegant accommodation, a seasonal outdoor pool, a spa, a fitness centre and a sun terrace, with Mediterranean dining on site. Free Wi-Fi covers the property, and the front desk and concierge work around the clock.

Villa Dubrovnik is a five-star with access to a private beach and balconies facing Lokrum Island, and I would recommend it to families who want calm more than activities. Rooms are spacious, the spa gives parents a quiet moment, and two restaurants keep dinner on site. In summer, a free car transfer runs to the Old Town, which spares small legs the walk of around 15 minutes. Pets are welcome. A guest score of 9.2 supports the choice.

I would be upfront: Caleda Rooms is adults only, so I would not book it for a family with children. For couples and friends, the listing offers air-conditioned units with private balconies or terraces, a lush garden, a sun terrace and free WiFi throughout. The central location keeps major attractions within walking distance. A rating of 9.2 from 59 reviews tells me guests rate the calm setting highly.

Rixos works for families who want resort facilities within reach of the Old Town. There is a children's pool, a seasonal outdoor pool with a panoramic terrace and an indoor pool open all year, so swimming does not depend on the sea or the weather. The Old Town is about 20 minutes on foot, short enough for an evening walk with older children. The catch is the cliff site: the beach is around 220 metres below down a flight of stairs, hard work with a pushchair or toddlers. With 310 rooms, the hotel is large and busy in summer.

Royal Ariston Hotel is part of the Royal Resort in Dubrovnik and has its own private beach, and I would recommend it to families who want sand, pool and sea in one place. The seaside pool has wide views, and many rooms have large balconies facing the water, handy for a quiet evening once children are asleep. The Beach & Lounge Bar serves snacks through the day, and parents can use the spa. A guest score of 9.1 from almost 2,000 reviews supports the choice.

Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik occupies an 1897 building at the entrance to the Old Town, and I would recommend it to families who want to walk straight into the walled city. The indoor pool is a welcome break after a hot morning on the city walls, and parents can use the wellness centre with saunas and a hammam. Pets are accepted. Expect a busy setting rather than a quiet one. A guest score of 9.1 from more than 900 reviews supports the choice.

For a family, Royal Palm Hotel is a luxury beachfront property with indoor and outdoor pools and a beach club, so children have water in any weather. Rooms look to the sea, and the restaurants have panoramic sea views. A comprehensive spa and wellness centre is on site. It is close to the Old Town but quieter and more resort-like, so I would see it as a place to stay put and enjoy, not a base for packed sightseeing.

Royal Princess Hotel is a beachfront suite hotel in Lapad, set in a pine forest about 5 km from Dubrovnik's Old Town. For families, suites with balconies give more space than a standard room, and two pools mean children can swim even when the sea is choppy. The steam bath and spa are there for parents. The restaurant terrace looks over the Adriatic. I would book it for families who want a quieter base than the Old Town, with buses or taxis for sightseeing.

Dubrovnik Palace works for families as a resort rather than a city hotel. There are two pools, one of them indoors in the spa, rocky swimming platforms below the hotel, and four restaurants including a beach restaurant and a pool bar, so nobody needs to leave for meals. Every room has a sea view and most have balconies. The diving centre can introduce older children to the sea. The weaknesses are the rocks, which mean water shoes and care with small children, and the distance to the Old Town: bus 4 takes about 20 minutes, which suits teenagers more than toddlers at the end of a hot day.

I would suggest Boutique Hotel Porto to a family that wants a calm, small-scale hotel in Dubrovnik with a beach close by. Bellevue Beach is less than 1 km away, and rooms are air-conditioned with balconies and free WiFi, handy for drying swimsuits. The garden and terrace give children space to rest after sightseeing, and the restaurant serves Mediterranean and Croatian dishes, so dinner needs no planning. A guest score of 9.1 from more than 1,800 reviews supports the choice.

I would choose City Hotel Dubrovnik for a family that wants a comfortable base and a beach within walking distance. Bellevue Beach is less than 1 km away, and rooms are air-conditioned with free WiFi, with sea, mountain or city views depending on the room. The child-friendly buffet makes meals easy with young children, and the restaurant, bar and terrace give parents a relaxed evening. A guest score of 9.0 from more than 2,000 reviews supports the choice.

Royal Blue Hotel stands on the beach at Babin Kuk as part of the Importanne Resort, and I would be selective in recommending it to families: the rooftop pool and bar are for adults only. Children can still use the resort's indoor pool and the beach, and rooms have balconies, some facing the sea. It works best for families with teenagers or for parents who want a quieter hotel. A guest score of 9.0 from close to 1,000 reviews is reassuring.

For a family, Hotel More is a five-star boutique stay on the Lapad Peninsula with an outdoor pool and a beachfront setting, plus a spa. Rooms have sea or garden views, two restaurants cover meals, and the Cave Bar is a distinctive spot for an evening drink. It is 3.5 km from the Old Town. The sophisticated, boutique feel suits calm stays, so I would think twice with very young children.

For a family, Valamar Tirena Hotel sits among pine and olive trees on the Babin Kuk peninsula, a short walk from the beach. Rooms are air-conditioned with park or sea views, and the pool area gives children an easy afternoon. The buffet restaurant has show cooking, which keeps mealtimes varied. Pets are welcome, and spa and wellness facilities are on site. The Old Town is a bus ride away.

I would choose Hotel Lero in Dubrovnik for a family that wants a pool to come back to after a morning of sightseeing. The outdoor pool has sun loungers and its own bar, the buffet breakfast feeds everyone without fuss, and the restaurant mixes Dalmatian, international and Bosnian dishes, so fussy eaters still have options. Rooms are air-conditioned with free WiFi, and pets are accepted too. A guest score of 9.0 from more than 3,800 reviews supports the choice.

TUI BLUE Kalamota Island is adults only, so it is not an option for a family with children. For couples, it offers something unusual near Dubrovnik: the hotel sits on car-free Koločep, a short ferry ride from the city, with its own beachfront, a pool, and a spa and wellness centre among Mediterranean gardens. Rooms have private balconies or patios. I would point parents towards family hotels on the mainland instead, where children are welcome.

Boutique Hotel Stari Grad sits within the historic walls of Dubrovnik's Old Town, and I would suggest it for couples and families who want to explore on foot. It has 11 spacious rooms and three suites, so it stays small and personal. A rooftop terrace gives panoramic views, and the hotel offers spa and wellness amenities and welcomes pets. Free Wi-Fi covers the property. Expect Old Town streets outside the door, with the lively atmosphere that implies.

I would pick The Pucic Palace for a family that wants Dubrovnik Old Town right outside the door. It occupies an 18th-century Baroque palace steps from the Stradun Promenade, so sights and dinner need no transfers. The restaurant and wine bar are on site, and pets are welcome. The listing mentions no pool or play area, so this is a heritage base rather than a resort. A rating of 8.8 from 262 reviews tells me guests rate the setting well.