As the season ended, we are already getting ready for 2011 with site inspections, guide selection and some (slight) expansion of services. One of the nicest part of that process is definitely staying at nice hotels that we recommend to our clients. Each hotel is personally inspected at least once a year and we sleep at least two nights in most of them.
So, when the newly restored Villa Dubrovnik opened this past May, I knew we had a serious pretender for our favorite hotel in Dubrovnik. We visited in March while the construction site was still a mess and booked some clients this summer but I am reluctant to recommend any 5 star property before testing it myself.
So, this wonderful October weekend was the right time to visit!

The drive to Dubrovnik was surprisingly short – only 3 hours and 40 minutes from Biograd via highway and terrible road from Ravca to Opuzen. When the highway reaches Opuzen, hopefully next year (elections!), it will be a sweet 3 hours paying attention to speed limits.
But the nastiest part of the drive to Villa Dubrovnik is the narrow street where the hotel actually is so make sure you are not driving anything too big as the vans are extremely hard to drive there. I was amazed to see the trucks while the villa was till under construction but they did an amazing job!

The first thing that one notices when exiting the elevator is the beautiful garden/terrace and the all-glass top floor. The reception desk is on the top floor and right where the old, original building meets the new wing.
The best part of ALL rooms here is the fact that all of them are facing the sea and Lokrum Island. I wanted to book the superior room but, since the hotel was not that busy, they upgraded us to a suite. “Bad” management! Really bad decision! 🙂
And they do that all the time when the suites and bigger rooms are available!

All rooms and suites are pure luxury with finest furniture, great bathrooms (two in a suite), bedroom… and Bvlgari toiletries.
All rooms have balconies while all executive rooms have also a jacuzzi bathtub on the balcony (behind glass).
Some folks may find it awkward that the bathrooms are separated by the glass wall – which seems to be the latest craze among the hotel designers – but there are curtains for shy ones.
Basically, our bedroom was a deluxe bedroom plus the huge living room and minus the TV in the center of the room (on a stand).

When inspecting, it is always important to check all the facilities so a lunch or a dinner in a hotel restaurant is a must! Most people are wrong when they think that they will find a better restaurant in the Old Town than in their hotels and Villa Dubrovnik is a definite proof!

I enjoy reviewing restaurants and usually doing that separately but this restaurant is not always open to the public so I kept it within this review. One can eat at Pjerin but the reservation has to be made before the arrival and they are not allowing reservations in peak season. The management wants to keep the perfect experience for their clients and not to get the restaurant crowded. There are only about 50 rooms and that is the perfect size for any hotel to provide great experience!

So, our lunch was easy and fast as we needed to head out to several meetings.

I started with cold soup of Williams pears and that was quite interesting!
The rest of the menu was also quite intriguing and too bad that we could not spend more time (days) to explore it all!
It would also take at least two days to remember all those names as they were quite elaborate

Really interesting fusion dishes!
The breakfast is also served at this restaurant and it is a la carte (great selection!)
There is also a small kitchen outside, by the hotel concrete beach, cooking light dishes all day long at great prices for the guests of the hotel who want to grab a bite while enjoying the hotel beach or the sunbathing area. There is a small beach that can be closed for couples and that is perfect for honeymooners!

There is also a amazing SPA with “diamond bed” treatment – one of 4 in the world! I let you discover it on your own 🙂

Overall, probably the best hotel experience in Croatia. Although I am still “in love” with Lesic Dimitri and Monte Mulini, in Dubrovnik, this hotel is simply a great experience. Hotel Bellevue ranks number two for me but that is another post…

Hotel web site: http://www.villa-dubrovnik.hr/
Rooms from 220 E per night and suites from 580.

The hotel has a great line – Romance forever – and that is so true in this place that is a perfect hotel for couples!

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