Captivating Croatia
We chose to stay in the quaint area of Mlini nestled between Dubrovnik and Cavtat. Both are accessible very easy by taxi, bus, and water taxi Mlini is set on a pebbly beach with fabulous views of the sea and mountains. There are a number of high-quality local restaurants within walking distance and a handful of bars to enjoy a cocktail before or after dinner. Nightlife is very relaxed making it an ideal destination to enjoy the benefits of down time on your holiday.
We stayed at the wonderful Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel. A beautiful bright, airy, spacious, and immaculately clean hotel. Our Deluxe King room with a pool and sea view was very spacious, beds are incredibly comfortable, large balcony with seating, beautiful bathrooms with bath and separate shower, we totally LOVED it. Every member of staff always had a smile which speaks volumes about a hotel. We opted for B&B which offered a wide variety breakfast buffet in the morning with something to suit everyone. The large breakfast room offers indoor and outdoor seating for al fresco dining overlooking to pool and sea.
The hotel surrounds a gorgeous and inviting large pool including a small children’s pool, ample number of sunbeds available and immaculate grounds. The pool is not heated which was fine as the cool water was a welcome retreat from the warm sun, however you can enjoy the indoor pool in the spa area which is free to use by guests along with the Thermal Suite including Jacuzzi, Steam Room, and Saunas. Treatments are available for a supplement. The Spa is located beside the pool area on the ground floor which is super handy if you would like to pop off for a massage during the day. The layout of the hotel is superbly designed, everything is extremely easy to reach and accessible within minutes.
Most days we had lunch at the beach restaurants, however we enjoyed a fabulous lunch at the pool bar in the hotel and it was delicious. The hotel offers standard rooms up to suites, the standard rooms face the roadside where-as the superior and deluxe will offer either side-sea view and pool/sea view.
Apart from enjoying some relaxation we ventured into Dubrovnik one evening. 12 minutes by car directly into the old town. I will say it is spotless clean yet remarkably busy, so we decided the wait until after 4pm to enjoy a stroll through the back streets before taking the cable car up the cliff to enjoy a delicious dinner at the Panorama Restaurant. Please take my advice and book this restaurant well in advance as it is super busy but worth it. The views are amazing over Dubrovnik, Lapad and the coast. The cable car takes less than 5 minutes to reach the top, however you can take a taxi or drive up. This was one of the highlights of my trip. We chose to dine during the Sunset which was magical.
Another excursion we booked was a day trip to Montenegro which we really enjoyed. The full day tour included three stops, Perast, Kotor and Budva. Kotor is a popular port of call for many cruise ships and a firm favourite with which I would totally agree. Set around an old and very well-preserved walled town with winding cobbled streets housing fabulous shops and restaurants. Simply stunning. Budva is a beach destination in Montenegro yet steeped in history and again has its own walled old town to peruse around. Budva is currently in the process of being upgraded with lots of new plush hotels being constructed. I am sure this could be the next place to be when completed. If travelling from Croatia to Montenegro, you will need passports to cross the land border.
No trip to Croatia would be complete without visiting one of the Islands, we opted for a half-day speed boat to the Blue and Green Caves followed by a beach stop on Lopud. This trip can be booked as a half-day or full day to include the Elaphite Islands also. There are many Islands to visit, the closest to Dubrovnik being Korcula and many daytrips including Medjugorje, Kravice Waterfalls, Mostar, Wine Tours and of course Game of Thrones tours which Dubrovnik is now most famous for.
Croatia is exceptionally popular due to a number of factors, one being a major cruise port of call, so you can expect high visitor numbers in the summer months of June, July, and August. For an even more enjoyable experience I would personally prefer May or September but do not let that put you off in any way.
I feel Croatia is a great choice for a short trip away due to the short flight, so if you only have a few days to spare it is a superb alternative to a city-break, or you could opt to combine Dubrovnik with other locations in Croatia to tailor-make a multi-centre experience including an Island stay. Ferries are frequent and priced reasonably.
For a beach style stay, choose from Lapad, Cavtat or Mlini all withing easy distance from Dubrovnik making them the perfect choices. Accommodation will range from hotels to small apartment complexes. While you will not see the typical family-oriented properties in or around Dubrovnik apart from one high-end property, yet families are very welcome in the hotels.
We loved Croatia because it is very authentic, historical, stunningly beautiful with a warm welcome. I feel it would suit couples, friends, families with special interests, solo travellers, sports enthusiasts, cultural enthusiasts and of course a wonderful location for a luxury Honeymoon.
I do hope I can encourage you to visit Croatia soon and as always if you would like to speak with me to start planning your adventure, please do get in touch.
