Croatia is much more than a single seaside resort. The coast stretches from Istria in the north to Dubrovnik in the south, and in between you’ll find medieval towns, islands and bays with clear water. The country has used the euro since 2023, so it’s euros you’ll need to bring.
Because the coast is so long, your choice of base matters a great deal. It’s many hours’ drive from one end to the other, and you’ll get more out of your holiday with one or two bases than by trying to see it all. Here are my seven picks, with good hotels in three price ranges in each.
Contents
The Best Areas in Croatia
- Dubrovnik - best city for first-time visitors and history
- Split - best city for city life, beaches and ferries to the islands
- Hvar - best island for island life, boat trips and evenings by the harbour
- Makarska Riviera - best area for a classic beach holiday beneath the mountains
- Zadar - best city for families with children and beaches with shallow water
- Rovinj - best town in Istria for good food and a slower pace
- Zagreb - best city for a city break and as the start of a trip around the country
Below, I’ll take you through the seven bases one by one, with a map, the nearest airport and three hotels in each: a luxury hotel, a mid-range one and a cheaper alternative. The transfer times are estimates unless I name the source, and ferry timetables change with the season, so always check them before you book.
1. Dubrovnik - best city for first-time visitors and history 🏰
- 📍 Distance from the centre: The hotels around Pile are a few minutes’ walk from the Old Town. From the nearest part of the Lapad peninsula, it’s just over 1.5 km to Pile Gate.
- 🚌 Transport: The Old Town is closed to cars. The city buses run to Pile Gate, and you can cover the rest on foot.
- ✈️ Time from the airport: Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) is 22.5 km from the city. Allow 30 to 35 minutes by car and up to an hour in summer.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€€. Usually among the most expensive places in the country, especially in and around the Old Town.
- 👮 Safety: A safe city. Expect lots of steps and heavy crowds in the middle of the day in summer.
Dubrovnik is the obvious choice for a first trip to Croatia. Its Old Town sits behind high city walls right on the edge of the Adriatic and has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1979. Inside the walls, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces and fountains stand side by side, and you can see it all on foot.
The downside is the crowds. In summer, lots of day trippers arrive, and cruise ships often dock in the city. The atmosphere is at its best early in the morning and in the evening, when most of them have moved on. Prices follow the season, and you usually get more for your money in May, June and September.
In this guide, Dubrovnik is a single base. If you want to choose between the Old Town, Ploče and Pile, I’ve written a separate guide to where to stay in Dubrovnik. In short, staying in and around the Old Town is the most expensive and the most central option. The hotels on the Lapad peninsula are usually cheaper and more often have a pool, and from there you take the bus to Pile Gate.
Dubrovnik Airport says it’s 22.5 km from the city. The drive takes 30 to 35 minutes on average, but the airport itself advises allowing up to an hour in the summer months. From the ferry port in Gruž, there are boat services to Split and to the Dalmatian islands.
Dubrovnik is right down in the south, far from the rest of the coast. That’s why the city works best as the start or the end of your trip, and not as a base for day trips north. Three nights is about right. That gives you time for the city walls and the lanes of the Old Town and a day by the water without it feeling rushed.
Places to Stay in Dubrovnik
Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik - five-star hotel a few minutes from Pile Gate
Hilton Imperial is my pick if you want to stay in style and still be able to walk everywhere. The hotel is just over 200 metres from Pile Gate, so you’re inside the Old Town in a few minutes. There’s an indoor pool, a sauna, a gym, a restaurant and a bar, and several of the room types have a sea view.
It suits couples and anyone who wants service and calm after a long day in the crowds. The pool is indoors, and parking in the hotel’s garage costs extra. One guest thinks the gym could be better equipped, given the price and the standard of the hotel.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The hotel was wonderful, stunning. The rooms were bright, big and comfortable.”
See photos and book Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik here.
Hotel Lero - four-star hotel with a pool and spa on Lapad
Hotel Lero is on Lapad, just over 1.5 km from Pile Gate. You can walk to the Old Town in around 20 minutes, and there’s a bus stop close to the hotel. In return, you get an outdoor pool, a spa, a gym and a restaurant, and the breakfast buffet is included in the price.
Lero is for you if you want a pool and more for your money than you’d get by the walls. There are family rooms, and you can park for free outside if there’s space, or in the garage for a fee. One guest calls the pool very cold, and another thinks check-out at 10.30 am is too early.
One guest writes about the breakfast on Booking.com: “Breakfast was lovely, lots to choose from.”
See photos and book Hotel Lero here.
Guesthouse Libertas - guesthouse with free parking above Pile Gate
Guesthouse Libertas is my budget pick, around 400 metres from Pile Gate. It’s a small guesthouse with double rooms and a triple room with a view, all with a private bathroom. You can park for free at the house, which is rare this close to the Old Town.
I’d choose it if you’re arriving in a hire car and would rather spend your money on experiences than on hotel facilities. It’s a guesthouse, not a hotel, so the facilities are few. Expect steps on the way to and from the Old Town too, as is usual in this neighbourhood.
One guest points out on Booking.com: “Great location, wonderful helpful owners, very comfortable bed with lovely heavy cotton sheets.”
See photos and book Guesthouse Libertas here.
2. Split - best city for city life, beaches and ferries to the islands ⛴️
- 📍 Distance from the centre: The Old Town is right down by the harbour. The hotels in this guide are no more than a kilometre from Diocletian’s Palace.
- 🚶 Transport: You can cover the centre on foot, and the Old Town is car-free. Ferries and catamarans to the islands sail from the harbour right next to it.
- ✈️ Time from the airport: Split Airport (SPU) is at Kaštela, west of the city. Allow a good half hour by car and more in summer traffic. That’s an estimate.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€€. Most expensive inside the Old Town and often cheaper a few streets away.
- 👮 Safety: Split is a safe city. Keep an eye on your bag in the crowds in the lanes and by the ferries in summer.
Split is the base that does the most at once. In the middle of the city stands Diocletian’s Palace, which was built around the year 300 and is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The palace isn’t a cordoned-off museum. It’s the city centre itself, and its lanes are full of cafés, restaurants and small shops.
Split is also the coast’s big ferry port. From the harbour next to the Old Town, Jadrolinija sails to Supetar on Brač, to Stari Grad and Hvar Town on Hvar and to Vis, among other places, and the catamarans from Krilo and TP Line connect the city with Hvar, Korčula and Dubrovnik. Timetables change with the season, so check the departures with the operator before you plan your route.
You don’t have to choose between city and beach. According to the city’s tourist board, Bačvice is a sandy beach in the heart of the city, close to the harbour, and this is where the locals play the ball game picigin in the shallows. If you want to choose between the Old Town, Bačvice and Meje by Marjan, you can read my separate guide to where to stay in Split.
Split is the right choice if you want to combine a couple of days in the city with an island. Stay close to the Old Town for the first few nights, then take the boat on to Hvar or Brač. Split is also the most practical place to start if you’re travelling without a car, because the bus station, the railway station and the ferries are all together down by the harbour.
Expect lots of people in the lanes in summer, especially in the middle of the day. With two or three nights, you’ll have time for the palace, a walk up Marjan and an afternoon on the beach before you sail on.
Places to Stay in Split
Heritage Hotel Santa Lucia - boutique hotel on the square in the middle of the Old Town
Santa Lucia is on Narodni trg square, just over 100 metres from Diocletian’s Palace, and it’s around 500 metres down to the ferries. The hotel has a restaurant, a bar and a lift to all floors, and you can choose anything from a single room to a family suite and a duplex suite.
Choose it if you want to stay in the middle of it all and walk everywhere. The Old Town is car-free, so the parking is some distance from the hotel and costs extra. The breakfast divides guests: one would skip it next time, and another calls it poor.
One guest sums it up on Booking.com: “I absolutely adored this hotel, from the welcome at the front desk to the room, breakfast and ambience of the hotel.”
See photos and book Heritage Hotel Santa Lucia here.
Hotel Agava Split - small hotel with a pool in the pedestrian quarter west of the Old Town
Hotel Agava is in a pedestrianised quarter just under 600 metres west of Diocletian’s Palace. What sets it apart is the outdoor pool with a pool bar and a sun terrace. There are double rooms in several categories, triple rooms and a family room.
It’s a good choice for couples and families who want a break from the city in the middle of the day. The hotel has no lift, and breakfast is served at a restaurant three or four minutes’ walk away. Look closely at the room type, because one guest describes their room as very small, with a tiny bathroom and no daylight.
One guest writes about their stay on Booking.com: “Excellent staff who were very friendly. Location was fantastic.”
See photos and book Hotel Agava Split here.
Guesthouse Villa Vice - guesthouse with its own parking near Bačvice
Villa Vice is the cheapest of my three suggestions in Split, in a quiet residential neighbourhood just under a kilometre east of Diocletian’s Palace. It’s just under 600 metres to Bačvice beach and less than a kilometre to the ferry port. All rooms have a private bathroom, and some have a balcony, a terrace or a sea view.
It’s an obvious choice if you’re arriving by car, because the guesthouse has its own parking spaces. There are only a few, and they cost extra, so reserve one in advance. The walls are thin, and one guest could hear the neighbours. Another was given two rooms in the basement that weren’t as good as the rest.
One guest writes about the host on Booking.com: “The lady working there was incredibly sweet, welcoming and helpful.”
See photos and book Guesthouse Villa Vice here.
3. Hvar - best island for island life, boat trips and evenings by the harbour 🏝️
- 📍 Distance from the centre: Hvar Town is small. The hotels in this guide are no more than a kilometre from the square by the cathedral.
- ⛴️ Transport: A catamaran from Split to Hvar Town or a car ferry to Stari Grad, a 20-minute drive away. In town, you walk, and you’ll need a boat to get to the Pakleni Islands.
- ✈️ Time from the airport: Fly to Split (SPU). From there, you need to get to the ferry port in Split and continue by boat, so allow half a day from door to door. That’s an estimate.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€€. One of the coast’s pricier addresses in July and August.
- 👮 Safety: A safe island. There’s partying by the harbour in summer, so choose your hotel according to how lightly you sleep.
Hvar is the island for you if you want island life with a bit of pace. Hvar Town wraps around a small harbour full of yachts, with a large square in front of the cathedral and a fortress up on the hill, and in summer the waterfront stays lively until late in the evening.
It’s worth knowing about the beaches in advance. The town’s tourist board itself writes that most of them are rocky or pebbly. The largest town beach is Pokonji dol, a kilometre and a half from the centre. Many people sail out to the Pakleni Islands instead, just outside the harbour, and swim in the bays there.
You get here by boat. According to Hvar’s tourist board, a catamaran runs between Split and Hvar Town and a car ferry between Split and Stari Grad, and the ferry terminal near Stari Grad is a 20-minute drive from Hvar Town. The catamarans are for foot passengers only. The operators are Jadrolinija, Krilo and TP Line, and departures change with the season, so check the timetable before you book a hotel.
Close to Stari Grad is the Stari Grad Plain, which is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. According to UNESCO, this landscape of vines and olives has remained largely unchanged since Greek colonists first farmed it in the 4th century BC. It makes a good half-day trip when you need a break from the harbour.
I’d choose Hvar if you want three or four days of boat trips, swimming and good dinners and can live with high-season prices. Spend one of the days on a boat trip to the Pakleni Islands, and walk up to the fortress late in the afternoon, once the heat has eased. The island is a summer destination, and many hotels close for the winter. If you’d like more peace and quiet, come in May, June or September.
Places to Stay on Hvar
Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel - spa hotel with a rooftop pool by the harbour
Adriana is on the waterfront, around 200 metres from the square by the cathedral and a few minutes’ walk from the catamaran. The hotel has a spa with a sauna and a steam room, and the pool is on the roof. The breakfast buffet is included in the price.
It’s the hotel for couples who want to treat themselves and have the harbour right outside the door. There are suites with a terrace or a sea view if your budget stretches to it. One guest mentions that the pool’s sloping floor makes it hard to swim lengths, and another that the shower cubicle is see-through and the bathroom lacks shelf space.
Here’s how one guest describes the hotel on Booking.com: “Absolutely perfect location and lovely facilities.”
See photos and book Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel here.
Pharos Hvar Bayhill Hotel - hotel with a pool five minutes’ walk from the harbour
Pharos sits on a small hill just under 500 metres west of the square, and you can walk down to the harbour in around five minutes. The pool area is the heart of the hotel, and there’s a restaurant, a bar and a garden. The rooms come with a view of the park, the pool or the sea, and breakfast is included.
I’d choose it if you want a pool and a good location without paying for luxury. The biggest drawback is the noise. One guest describes walls so thin that you can hear everything from the room next door, and another writes that they hardly got any sleep. Bring earplugs, or choose Adriana if a good night’s sleep matters to you.
One guest keeps it short on Booking.com: “The pool area was lovely.”
See photos and book Pharos Hvar Bayhill Hotel here.
Rooms Hvar - simple rooms with shared bathrooms and free parking
Rooms Hvar is my budget pick, and it’s a guesthouse, not a hotel. It’s in a quiet residential neighbourhood just under a kilometre from the square and the harbour, and the rooms share bathrooms. You can choose between a single room, a twin room and a double room with a balcony.
It suits you if you travel light and would rather spend your money on boat trips and dinners. You can park for free, and guests praise the host for his helpfulness. The downside is the noise from the shared bathrooms at night, and one guest recommends earplugs if you’re a light sleeper.
One guest’s verdict on Booking.com: “The rooms were basic but good value for money.”
See photos and book Rooms Hvar here.
4. Makarska Riviera - best area for a classic beach holiday beneath the mountains 🏖️
- 📍 Distance from the centre: The resort towns are strung out along the coast. From Makarska, it’s 3-5 km to Tučepi and just under 9 km to Baška Voda.
- 🚗 Transport: A car is the easiest option if you want to see several of the towns. In the towns themselves, you walk along the seafront promenade.
- ✈️ Time from the airport: Split Airport (SPU) is the nearest major airport. Allow around an hour and a half by car to Makarska and more in high season. That’s an estimate.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€€. Several of the big hotels are sold with half board, and cheap hotels with good reviews are few and far between.
- 👮 Safety: Quiet holiday towns. Keep an eye on the children by the water, and drive carefully on the coast road in summer.
The Makarska Riviera is the place for a classic beach holiday: a string of resort towns along the coast with the Biokovo massif as a backdrop. Makarska is the main town, with a harbour and a promenade, and to the north and south of it are smaller towns such as Brela, Baška Voda and Tučepi.
The beaches are pebble, not sand. Brela’s tourist board describes the town’s beaches as natural pebble beaches, where old pine trees provide shade in most places, and calls Punta Rata beach the symbol of the town. The beaches by the hotels in Makarska and Tučepi are pebble beaches too, so bring water shoes for the children.
See hotels on the Makarska Riviera here.
The choice is between town life and peace and quiet. In Makarska, you have the most restaurants and the liveliest evenings, and in summer the promenade is packed. In the smaller towns, your stay is quieter and often closer to the beach, but there are fewer places to eat. Makarska suits a week with teenagers, and Tučepi or Baška Voda is better if it’s mostly about the beach and a good book.
The riviera works best as one fixed base for a week. There’s no major airport close by, so allow for a longer transfer from Split. If you want to see more, Jadrolinija sails between Makarska and Sumartin on the island of Brač, and Split is doable as a day trip. A car is also handy if you want to try a different beach each day.
The season is short. Many of the hotels only open for the summer half of the year, and July and August see the most pressure on both beaches and prices. I’d aim for June or September myself if you’re free to choose when you travel.
Places to Stay on the Makarska Riviera
Bluesun Hotel Jadran - five-star beach hotel with an infinity pool in Tučepi
Bluesun Hotel Jadran is right on the beach in Tučepi, around 3 km south-east of Makarska. The hotel has three outdoor pools, including an infinity pool with a sea view, as well as a spa, a sauna, a gym and a tennis court. The rooms have a balcony, and the most expensive junior suites have direct access to a pool.
Jadran is for couples and families who want a high level of comfort and the beach right outside the door. Breakfast is included, and you can choose half board. The food is what guests disagree on most. One praises it, another thinks the choice and quality don’t live up to five stars, and a third calls the evening buffet dull and repetitive.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Great location, amazing view, easy access to the beach, food was tasty and good variety.”
See photos and book Bluesun Hotel Jadran here.
Hotel Park Makarska - four-star hotel with a spa by the beach in Makarska
Hotel Park is by the beach in Makarska, just under 900 metres from the town’s main square, so you can walk to the harbour and the restaurants in around ten minutes. There’s an indoor and an outdoor pool, a spa, a sauna and a gym, and breakfast is included. The hot tub, the indoor pool and the gym are free for hotel guests, while treatments cost extra.
Hotel Park suits you if you want to combine the beach with town life and eat out every evening. The rooms range from an economy room to a suite with a sea view, so choose your category with care. One guest thinks the pool area is too small for the number of guests, and another was given a very small room with no view and poor soundproofing.
One guest describes the hotel on Booking.com: “The hotel was wonderful, very clean and modern with lots of natural lighting.”
See photos and book Hotel Park Makarska here.
Villa Verica - studios with a sea view by the beach in Baška Voda
Villa Verica is the cheapest of the three, on the seafront promenade in Baška Voda, just under 9 km north-west of Makarska. You stay in a studio or an apartment with a small kitchen, and several of them have a sea view. There’s a restaurant and a sauna, and guests have access to a pool.
It’s an obvious choice for families and for anyone who wants to make their own breakfast and lunch. The garage spaces are few and cost extra, so reserve in advance. Don’t expect much space. One guest calls their studio very small, and another is unhappy with both the breakfast and the restaurant’s food and prices.
One guest praises the view on Booking.com: “Fantastic sea view, staff very friendly.”
See photos and book Villa Verica here.
5. Zadar - best city for families with children and beaches with shallow water 👨👩👧
- 📍 Distance from the centre: The hotels are spread out: by the Old Town, around Borik just over 2.5 km to the north, and on Punta Skala just under 11 km to the north-west as the crow flies.
- 🚌 Transport: You can cover the Old Town on foot. Buses run to the hotels north of the centre, and you’ll need a car or a taxi for Punta Skala and Nin.
- ✈️ Time from the airport: Zadar Airport (ZAD) is 8 km from the city. The airport bus takes around 20 minutes to the Old Town.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€€. Often cheaper than Dubrovnik and Hvar, apart from the big family resorts.
- 👮 Safety: A quiet, manageable city. Shallow water isn’t the same as supervision, so keep an eye on the children at the beach.
Zadar is my pick for families with children who’d like sand or shallow water. There isn’t much of that in Croatia, where most beaches are pebble or rock, but the area around Zadar is one of the exceptions.
The city’s tourist board describes the beach at Borik as a pebble and sandy beach and writes that the coast at Petrčane has almost five kilometres of shallow water that’s suitable for children. Just over 15 km north of Zadar as the crow flies is Nin, whose tourist board highlights the bay’s sandy beaches. One of them is called Kraljičina plaža, Queen’s Beach.
Zadar itself is a good city to have next door to the beach. The Old Town sits on a peninsula and is small enough to walk around in an afternoon. Out by the water is the Sea Organ, where the waves and tides create the sound, right next to the Greeting to the Sun light installation.
There are three places to stay: by the Old Town, in the hotel area north of the centre, or at the Punta Skala resort near Petrčane, where you have everything in one place but need to drive to get into the city. Zadar Airport is only 8 km from the city, and according to the airport, the airport bus runs to the Old Town in around 20 minutes and costs 5 euros each way.
Zadar is halfway along the coast, which also makes it a good base for day trips. Inland is Plitvice Lakes National Park, and to the south is Šibenik, where the Cathedral of St James is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Both can be reached on a day trip by car. I’d set aside a week with children and four or five nights without.
Places to Stay in Zadar
Falkensteiner Family Hotel Diadora - five-star family hotel with a water slide on Punta Skala
Diadora is built for families with children. The hotel is on Punta Skala near Petrčane and has a kids’ club, a children’s pool, a water slide, a playground and an indoor play area. There’s both an indoor and an outdoor pool, a spa for the adults, mini golf and bowling.
The rooms are family rooms and family suites, and stays are typically sold with full board. It’s expensive, and there isn’t much else nearby, so expect to drive or take a taxi when you want to go into Zadar or up to Nin. One guest thinks the service doesn’t live up to five stars.
One guest sums up their stay on Booking.com: “Everything was great, especially food, sport facilities and location.”
See photos and book Falkensteiner Family Hotel Diadora here.
Hotel Kolovare - four-star beach hotel within walking distance of the Old Town
Hotel Kolovare is by the beach of the same name, just over a kilometre south-east of the Old Town, and one guest describes the walk into town as a quarter-of-an-hour stroll. The hotel has an outdoor saltwater pool, a children’s pool and a tennis court, the rooms have a balcony, and both breakfast and parking are included in the price.
It’s my suggestion if you want both beach and city without hiring a car. The beach in front of the hotel is a pebble beach. One guest criticises the food and also calls the staff dismissive, and another was puzzled by the smell in the corridors.
One guest praises the location on Booking.com: “Beautiful accommodation and next to the beach.”
See photos and book Hotel Kolovare here.
Hotel Mediteran - three-star hotel with a pool and free parking north of the centre
Hotel Mediteran is the cheapest of the three, around 2.5 km north of the Old Town. There’s an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a gym and a garden, and all rooms have a balcony. Breakfast is included, parking is free, and the nearest beach is around ten minutes’ walk away.
I’d choose it for a family with a hire car who want to spend their days on the beaches north of the city and only an evening or two in the Old Town. On foot, the trip into town takes 45 minutes according to one guest, but buses run nearby, and it’s easy to get a taxi. One guest thinks the shower cubicle is too small.
One guest praises the breakfast on Booking.com: “Breakfast had extensive choices, lovely food that set us up for the day.”
See photos and book Hotel Mediteran here.
6. Rovinj - best town in Istria for good food and a slower pace 🍷
- 📍 Distance from the centre: The Old Town is the centre. The big hotels are by the bay, around a kilometre to the south.
- 🚶 Transport: The Old Town is car-free, so you park outside it and walk. You’ll need a car for the rest of Istria.
- ✈️ Time from the airport: Pula Airport (PUY) is 40 km from Rovinj. Allow around 40 minutes by car. The drive time is an estimate.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€€. Most expensive by the bay and in the Old Town, cheaper in the residential neighbourhoods behind the town.
- 👮 Safety: A peaceful town. The lanes in the Old Town are steep, and many buildings have stairs and no lift.
Rovinj is my choice in Istria, the peninsula in the far north, where the pace is slower and food plays a bigger part. The Old Town sits on a small peninsula, with houses right down to the water’s edge and the Church of St Euphemia at the top, and the lanes are car-free.
Istria is known for truffles, olive oil and wines such as Malvasia and Teran, and the region’s tourist board even has wine roads and olive oil roads you can follow by car. It’s the part of Croatia I’d choose for a holiday with a hire car, where the days are spent on small inland towns, long lunches and a dip late in the afternoon.
There are two ways to stay: in the car-free lanes of the Old Town, where the atmosphere is right outside your door, or by the bay south of the town, where the big hotels with pools and spas are a short walk from the centre.
One of the places to swim is the Zlatni rt forest park south of the town, where the pine trees give shade right down to the water. North of Rovinj is Poreč, where the Euphrasian Basilica is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, and to the south is Pula, with the airport. Rovinj’s tourist board says Pula Airport is 40 km from the town.
If you’re driving down from the north, Istria is the first part of Croatia you reach, and Rovinj is an obvious first or last stop on a road trip. The peninsula is far closer to Italy than to Dubrovnik, so it pairs better with northern Italy than with Dalmatia.
Skip Rovinj if you want to see Dubrovnik on the same trip, because the two are a full day’s drive apart. It’s better to give Istria four or five nights of its own and use the car for day trips.
Places to Stay in Rovinj
Grand Park Hotel Rovinj - five-star spa hotel with a view of the Old Town
Grand Park is by the bay, around a kilometre south of the church in the Old Town, and from the hotel you look across the water towards the town. There’s a spa with saunas and a steam room, an indoor and an outdoor pool, a gym, a restaurant and a kids’ club. The rooms have a view of the park, the sea or the marina, and the breakfast buffet is included in the price.
It’s the hotel for a special occasion. The price is high, and not everything is perfect. One guest writes about long waits for food, even though the staff were friendly, and another mentions a musty smell in the corridors.
One enthusiastic guest writes on Booking.com: “We loved everything! Spa, breakfast, view, staff…”
See photos and book Grand Park Hotel Rovinj here.
Angelo d’Oro Heritage Hotel - historic hotel with a garden in the middle of the Old Town
Angelo d’Oro is in one of the lanes of the Old Town, less than 100 metres from the Church of St Euphemia. The hotel has a garden, a bar and a sun terrace, and there are rooms with a sea view and a family room. Breakfast is included.
Because the lanes are car-free, you park around 600 metres away, and the hotel helps with your luggage in an electric golf cart. It’s charming, but not practical for everyone. Guests mention lots of stairs and noise from neighbouring rooms, which comes with an old building, and one guest calls the breakfast the hotel’s only disappointment.
One guest highlights two things on Booking.com: “Great central location and very helpful and friendly staff.”
See photos and book Angelo d’Oro Heritage Hotel here.
Villa B&B Marina - bed and breakfast with free parking and breakfast
Villa B&B Marina is my budget pick, in a residential neighbourhood just over 2 km south-east of the Old Town, so allow just under half an hour’s walk into town. In return, you park for free at the house, the breakfast buffet is included in the price, and several of the rooms have a terrace.
It’s a sensible choice if you’re driving around Istria during the day and just need a good bed. Don’t expect hotel standards. One guest calls it a nice bed and breakfast, nothing more and nothing less, and felt the room should have been cleaner.
One guest praises the host on Booking.com: “The lady in charge was very nice and helpful.”
See photos and book Villa B&B Marina here.
7. Zagreb - best city for a city break and as the start of a trip around the country 🏛️
- 📍 Distance from the centre: Ban Jelačić Square is the heart of the city. From there, it’s just under a kilometre to the main railway station.
- 🚋 Transport: Trams and your own two feet. The funicular links the Lower Town and the Upper Town.
- ✈️ Time from the airport: Zagreb Airport (ZAG) is 17 km from the centre. Allow 20 to 25 minutes by car or taxi and 35 to 40 minutes on the airport bus to the main bus station.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€. Usually cheaper than the coast in the summer months.
- 👮 Safety: A safe capital. Use ordinary big-city common sense, and keep an eye on your bag on the tram.
Zagreb is Croatia’s capital and a completely different experience from the coast. There’s no beach here, but there are cafés, markets and museums and a city centre in two parts: the Upper Town, Gornji grad, with narrow streets around St Mark’s Church, and the Lower Town, Donji grad, with squares, parks and most of the hotels.
You can cover most things on foot from Ban Jelačić Square and the rest by tram. According to the city’s tourist board, the funicular up to the Upper Town is Zagreb’s oldest means of public transport. From Ban Jelačić, it’s just under a kilometre down to the main railway station, so the hotels by the station are within walking distance of everything too.
Zagreb works well for a long weekend or as the first two nights of a trip around the country. The airport is 17 km from the centre, and according to the tourist board the journey takes 20 to 25 minutes by car or taxi and 35 to 40 minutes on the airport bus to the main bus station.
The city is also a natural place to start if you want to see the Plitvice Lakes on your way out to the coast. The national park is inland between Zagreb and Zadar and is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Pick up your hire car when you leave Zagreb, because you won’t need it in the city itself. Two nights is enough for most people, and a third gives you time for the museums.
Hotels are usually cheaper here than on the coast in summer, and the capital works all year round, even when the resort towns have shut down. In December, the Christmas market draws lots of visitors, so book early if you’re coming during Advent. Stay close to Ban Jelačić if you want to walk everywhere, or by the main railway station if you’re arriving by train and want the tram right outside the door.
Places to Stay in Zagreb
Esplanade Zagreb Hotel - five-star hotel by the main railway station
Esplanade is right by the main railway station and just over 800 metres from Ban Jelačić Square. The hotel has a restaurant, a bar, a sauna and a gym, and you can choose anything from a Superior Room to a suite.
It’s my suggestion if you want to stay in style and have trains and trams right outside the door. Parking costs extra and can’t be reserved in advance. Ask for a room with a view, because one guest was given a dark room with no view, and another calls the lobby busy and noisy.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Lovely hotel. Room was spacious as was the bathroom. Very comfortable bed.”
See photos and book Esplanade Zagreb Hotel here.
Hotel Jägerhorn - small hotel with a garden a few steps from Ban Jelačić
Hotel Jägerhorn is in the pedestrian zone by Ilica, less than 300 metres from Ban Jelačić Square. It’s a small hotel with single rooms, 20 m² double rooms and a suite for four, and there’s a garden and a terrace. Breakfast is included, and you park for free in the hotel’s car park around 300 metres away.
The location and the price are the two good reasons to choose it. There’s no lift, but the building only has two floors. The heat is what guests complain about. One writes that the air conditioning was too weak to sleep properly, and another couldn’t adjust the thermostat in the room.
Here’s how one guest sums it up on Booking.com: “Very nice hotel. Pleasant staff, great location and excellent value for money.”
See photos and book Hotel Jägerhorn here.
Hotel Central - three-star hotel opposite the main railway station
Hotel Central is directly opposite the main railway station and just under 900 metres from Ban Jelačić Square, which you can reach in ten minutes on foot or by tram. There’s a lift and a bar, and the breakfast buffet is included in the price. The rooms come in several categories and sleep up to four.
It’s the cheapest of my three suggestions and practical if you’re arriving by train. The hotel is an older one, and two guests mention that the rooms are small. Parking is on the street or in a nearby multi-storey car park for a fee.
One guest writes about their stay on Booking.com: “The hotel is very well located, is very clean and all the staff is very kind.”
See photos and book Hotel Central here.
Where should you avoid staying in Croatia?
I wouldn’t book a hotel on price alone. All along the coast, there are cheap hotels and apartments far from both town and beach, and then your holiday is spent driving and looking for parking. Always check the distance to the water and to the town where you want to eat in the evening.
I wouldn’t plan too many stops either. The coast is long, and Rovinj and Dubrovnik are a full day’s drive apart. Choose one base for a week and no more than two for two weeks. And don’t book Hvar or the Makarska Riviera out of season in the belief that everything’s open. Many hotels close for the winter, and then Split, Zadar and Zagreb are safer choices.
If I had to pick one base for a first trip, it’d be Dubrovnik or Split. Dubrovnik is the most beautiful city, and Split has the easiest logistics and the boats to the islands. If you have a week, you can divide it between Split and three nights on Hvar.
If you’re travelling with children, Zadar and the Makarska Riviera are the obvious choices. Zadar has the shallow water and the sandy beaches nearby, while the Makarska Riviera has the classic beach hotels by the pebble beaches. If you’d rather eat well and drive around between small towns, it’s Rovinj and Istria, and Zagreb is best for a city break or as the start of a trip around the country.
Croatia is also easy to combine with its neighbours. From Dubrovnik, you can continue south into Montenegro and on to Albania. In that case, read about where to stay in Montenegro. If you’re coming to Istria through northern Italy, you can add a couple of days along the way and read my guide to where to stay in Venice.
Book your hotel and ferry well in advance if you’re travelling in July or August. That gives you the widest choice, and you can plan your route around the timetable and not the other way round.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
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