Top Luxury Stays 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.