That’s why your choice of area matters so much. It’s a good half-hour drive from Hvar Town to Jelsa, and each town has its own atmosphere and its own kind of visitor. Here are my recommendations for six areas and hotels in several price ranges.

The Best Areas on Hvar

• Hvar Town - best area for first-time visitors and nightlife
• West of Hvar Town - best area for a hotel with a pool and a beach
• Milna - best area for beaches and peace and quiet close to Hvar Town
• Stari Grad - best area for culture and the ferry
• Jelsa - best area for families with children
• Vrboska - best area for couples looking for peace and quiet

Below, I’ll take you through the areas one by one, with three hotels in each, from luxury to budget, so you can find the base on Hvar that suits your holiday and your wallet.

1. Hvar Town - best area for first-time visitors and nightlife

• Distance from the centre: You’ll be staying in the town itself. The three places below are between 200 metres and just under a kilometre from the square in front of the cathedral.
• Transport: The catamaran from Split docks right by the harbour. You can walk everywhere in town, and you take a water taxi to the Pakleni Islands.
• Time from Split Airport: First to the harbour in Split and then around an hour by catamaran. Allow half a day from door to door.
• Price range: €€ to €€€€. The three places below cost roughly £85 to £265 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
• Safety: Hvar Town is safe. In summer, the partying at the harbour goes on late into the night, so keep an eye on your things and choose a room away from the bars if you’re a light sleeper.

Hvar Town is the obvious choice if it’s your first time on the island and you’d like restaurants, bars and boat trips right outside the door. The town wraps around a small harbour full of yachts, and from the harbour you walk straight up to the big square in front of the cathedral.

According to the Hvar Town tourist board, the Pjaca is the largest square in Dalmatia, and the well in the middle of it dates from 1529. By the harbour stands the Arsenal, which houses the town’s theatre from 1612, and above the town sits the Fortica fortress. Walk up late in the afternoon when the heat has eased, and you’ll get the view over the harbour and the Pakleni Islands.

See hotels in Hvar Town here.

In summer, Hvar Town is famous for its nightlife, and the waterfront and the bars to the west in particular are packed until late into the night. That’s part of the charm if you’re on holiday with friends, but it’s also why you should check the location before you book if you need peace and quiet. The narrow streets up the hill behind the square are often quieter than the harbour.

You get here by catamaran from Split, and the tourist board’s overview of ferries and catamarans shows that there’s also a car ferry to Stari Grad, which is around 20 minutes’ drive from Hvar Town. If you’d like a night in Split before or after the island, I’ve written a guide to where to stay in Split.

The downside is the price. Hvar Town is one of the most expensive addresses on the coast in July and August, and there’s no sandy beach in the town itself. Most of the beaches are pebbles or rocks, so bring water shoes, or sail out to the bays on the Pakleni Islands.

Places to Stay in Hvar Town

Heritage Hotel Dea Hvar - best boutique hotel in the heart of the Old Town

Dea is a small four-star hotel in an old house in the Old Town, only around 200 metres from the harbour. Breakfast is included, and the rooms have lots of lovely details. Guests mention that there are a lot of stairs, so it isn’t for you if you have trouble walking.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “Fantastic location! Beautifully decorated rooms and lots of lovely details.”

See photos and book Heritage Hotel Dea Hvar here.

B&B Buzolic - best mid-range pick with a pool and breakfast

Buzolic is a bed and breakfast in a quiet residential area just under a kilometre east of the square, and it’s around a 15-minute walk to the harbour. There’s an outdoor pool, free parking and breakfast. I’d choose it for a couple who want peace and quiet at night and don’t mind a walk into town.

One guest highlights the whole package on Booking.com: “The breakfast, the view and the pool were all lovely extra bonuses to the stay.”

See photos and book B&B Buzolic here.

Apartments Frane - cheapest pick close to the water

Apartments Frane is in the western part of town, around 100 metres from the water and a couple of hundred metres from the harbour. It was the cheapest of my three picks in Hvar Town. There’s no breakfast, and some guests find the beds a little hard.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “The location and the view from the balcony are absolutely fantastic.”

See photos and book Apartments Frane here.

2. West of Hvar Town - best area for a hotel with a pool and a beach

• Distance from the centre: The hotels line the coast from around 650 metres to just over a kilometre west of the square in Hvar Town.
• Transport: You walk into town along the seafront promenade in 10 to 20 minutes. If you have a car, it’s handy that the hotels have parking.
• Time from Split Airport: The same as to Hvar Town, plus a short walk or taxi ride from the harbour. Allow half a day.
• Price range: €€€ to €€€€. The three hotels below cost roughly £175 to £680 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
• Safety: A quiet hotel area. There are beach clubs along the promenade, so there can be music and noise in the evening.

West of Hvar Town, the island’s big hotels sit in a row along the coast with pools, beach areas and sea views. It’s the right choice if you’d like a classic holiday hotel and still want to be able to walk into the harbour and the restaurants in the evening.

The promenade from town leads past the Bonj beach club by the Amfora, which the tourist board describes as a historic bathing area from the early 1900s. Further out lies Podstine Bay, where it’s quieter and where the hotel of the same name sits right by the water.

The beaches are pebbles and rocks with bathing platforms, not sand. On the other hand, the water is clear, and several of the hotels have both sunloungers by the sea and a big pool, so it’s easy to switch between the two during the day.

See hotels west of Hvar Town here.

The area suits families well, because the hotels have space, pools and breakfast, and because you escape the noise from the bars at the harbour. It also suits couples who want to treat themselves to a spa and an infinity pool without staying far from town.

The downside is that you pay for the facilities. The hotels here are among the most expensive on the island in high season, and the feel is more resort than old Dalmatian town. If you’d rather stay in the narrow streets, Hvar Town is a better choice, and if you want something cheaper, you’ll need to head further along the island.

Places to Stay West of Hvar Town

Hotel Moeesy, Blue & Green Oasis - Adults Only - best adults-only luxury hotel

Moeesy is a five-star adults-only hotel around 30 metres from the water and a 15-minute walk from the harbour. There’s an infinity pool, an indoor pool and a spa, and breakfast is included. It was the most expensive of my three picks here, and some guests feel the beds could be more comfortable.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “The best hotel on Hvar! The staff are fantastic.”

See photos and book Hotel Moeesy, Blue & Green Oasis - Adults Only here.

Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort - best family hotel with a big pool

Amfora is the island’s big beach hotel with a pool, a children’s pool, a water slide and a kids’ club, and it’s around 10 minutes’ walk to the harbour. It suits families who want everything in one place. The hotel is big and busy in high season, and one guest mentions stained carpets in their room.

One guest highlights the pool on Booking.com: “Lovely pool area and a small beach right outside the hotel with sunloungers and parasols.”

See photos and book Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort here.

Hotel Podstine - cheapest pick right by the water

Podstine is a four-star hotel right on the bay of the same name, just over a kilometre from the square, and it was the cheapest of my three picks here. There’s a pool, a spa, free parking and breakfast. Guests mention that the choice at the breakfast buffet is limited.

One guest describes the location on Booking.com: “Fantastic beach hotel, far enough away to be very quiet, but still within walking distance of the centre.”

See photos and book Hotel Podstine here.

3. Milna - best area for beaches and peace and quiet close to Hvar Town

• Distance from the centre: Milna is 4 kilometres east of Hvar Town.
• Transport: You’ll need a car, a scooter or a taxi to get into town. It’s too far and too hilly to walk every day.
• Time from Split Airport: Catamaran to Hvar Town and then a short drive. Allow half a day.
• Price range: €€ to €€€. The three places below cost roughly £130 to £185 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
• Safety: Milna is a small, quiet beach village. Drive carefully on the narrow road to Hvar Town, especially in the evening.

Milna is a small beach village with two bays, restaurants by the water and a handful of hotels and apartments. It’s the best choice if you’d like to stay close to Hvar Town but would rather wake up by a beach than above a bar.

According to the tourist board’s overview of beaches, Milna is 4 kilometres east of Hvar Town, and there are two pebble beaches. The water is clear and good for snorkelling, and there are sunloungers and parasols to hire in season.

From Milna, you can spend a day in Hvar Town and be back at the beach in time for dinner. There’s not much going on in the evening apart from the restaurants by the water, so it’s the place for you if you want peace and quiet and don’t mind taking a taxi back from town.

See hotels in Milna here.

If you carry on further east along the coast road, you’ll come to more small bays, but the road is narrow and winding. Milna has the advantage that you’re still so close to Hvar Town that you can catch the catamaran to Split without a long drive in the morning.

The downside is that you depend on transport. Taxis on Hvar aren’t cheap, and in summer it can be hard to find parking in Hvar Town. If you hire a car or a scooter, though, you’ll have a good base for both the town and the beach.

Places to Stay in Milna

Hotel Fortuna - best hotel with a pool by the beach

Fortuna is a four-star hotel by the beach in Milna with a pool, a playground, a restaurant and free parking, and breakfast is included. It suits families and couples who want hotel service and a beach without paying Hvar Town prices. Guests mention the distance to Hvar Town as the biggest drawback.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “A really lovely hotel in a fantastic, quiet location.”

See photos and book Hotel Fortuna here.

Villa ForTudor - best apartment close to the sea

Villa ForTudor has apartments with kitchens a few minutes’ walk from the water in Milna, and there’s free parking. There’s no breakfast, so it suits you if you’d like to cook some of your own meals. Some guests feel the kitchen equipment could be better.

One guest writes briefly on Booking.com: “The location is good, close to the sea.”

See photos and book Villa ForTudor here.

B&B Zora Panoramic View - cheapest pick with breakfast and a view

Zora is a new bed and breakfast a couple of minutes’ walk from the beach, and it was the cheapest of my three picks in Milna. Breakfast is included, and there’s free parking. Guests mention that it’s too far to walk to the harbour in Hvar Town.

One guest answers briefly on Booking.com: “Everything. The place is beautiful, clean and brand new.”

See photos and book B&B Zora Panoramic View here.

4. Stari Grad - best area for culture and the ferry

• Distance from Hvar Town: Around 20 minutes’ drive to Hvar Town on the western tip of the island.
• Transport: The car ferry from Split sails to Stari Grad. You can walk around town, and there are buses to the rest of the island.
• Time from Split Airport: To the ferry port in Split and then around two hours on the car ferry. Allow half a day.
• Price range: € to €€€€. The three places below cost roughly £55 to £970 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
• Safety: Stari Grad is a quiet and safe town. There’s very little nightlife, so it’s rarely noise that keeps you awake.

Stari Grad lies at the end of a long bay on the north side of the island, and it’s my first choice if you’d like history and atmosphere without Hvar Town’s partying and prices. The waterfront is lined with stone houses and palm trees, and the narrow streets behind it are some of the most beautiful on the island.

The town is one of the oldest in Croatia. According to Stari Grad Museum, Greek colonists from the island of Paros founded the town of Pharos here in 384 BC. In the middle of town stands Tvrdalj, which the Renaissance poet Petar Hektorović built with a fishpond, a dovecote and a garden.

Just outside town lies the Stari Grad Plain, which has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2008. The Greeks divided the plain into fields with stone walls, and vines and olives have been grown here for around 24 centuries. It makes a good bike ride when you need a break from the beach.

See hotels in Stari Grad here.

If you’re coming by car, Stari Grad is the most practical base, because the Jadrolinija car ferry from Split sails here, and because the town is in the middle of the island. From here, it’s a short trip to both Hvar Town to the west and Jelsa and Vrboska to the east.

The downside is the beaches. They’re mostly outside the town itself, often some way out along the bay, and there’s not much to do in the evening apart from the restaurants at the harbour. I’d choose Stari Grad for couples and for you if you’d like to see as much of the island as possible.

Places to Stay in Stari Grad

Maslina Resort - best luxury resort with a spa

Maslina is a five-star resort on Maslinica Bay around 2 kilometres west of Tvrdalj, with pools, a spa and its own beach area. It was the most expensive hotel in the whole guide and a place for a honeymoon or a special occasion. Guests mention that the breakfast isn’t quite up to the standard of the rest of the hotel.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “A fantastic stay from start to finish. The pools, the beach area and the spa are simply beautiful.”

See photos and book Maslina Resort here.

Ancora Faros - best apartment on the waterfront

Ancora Faros has apartments right on the waterfront in Stari Grad, only around 200 metres from Tvrdalj. There’s no breakfast, but the cafés are right outside the door. Guests mention that it can be a bit of a walk to the parking.

One guest describes the location on Booking.com: “A beautiful apartment facing the water, right in the centre of Stari Grad.”

See photos and book Ancora Faros here.

Apartments Ivanković - cheapest pick in the whole guide

Apartments Ivanković is in a residential area around 500 metres from Tvrdalj and was the cheapest place in the whole guide when I searched. There’s a garden, a barbecue, a playground and free parking, so it suits families on a budget. There’s no breakfast, and the standard is simple.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “Really good value for money and one of the cheapest places to stay on the island.”

See photos and book Apartments Ivanković here.

5. Jelsa - best area for families with children

• Distance from Hvar Town: Around 28 kilometres, and the ferry port at Stari Grad is 9 kilometres away.
• Transport: You can walk around town and to many of the beaches. For the rest of the island, a car is the easiest option.
• Time from Split Airport: The catamaran from Split to Jelsa via Bol takes around an hour and a half, or you can take the car ferry to Stari Grad and drive the last stretch.
• Price range: € to €€. The three places below cost roughly £75 to £190 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
• Safety: Jelsa is a safe family town. Keep an eye on the children at the harbour, where the boats come and go.

Jelsa is a charming harbour town on the north side of the island and my pick for a family who want beaches, ice cream and a relaxed pace. The town is built around a wide harbour and a small square with cafés, and in the evening both families and locals gather by the water.

According to the Jelsa tourist board, the town has more beaches within walking distance than any other town on Hvar. That makes Jelsa easy with children, because you don’t have to pack the car every morning to get in the water.

The town park gives shade in the middle of the day, and above the town stands the old Tor watchtower, which makes a good short walk for the view. Jelsa is also known for its wine, and there are several wine producers in and around the town if the grown-ups fancy a tasting.

See hotels in Jelsa here.

Every year, on the night between Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, the Za Križen procession passes through the villages around Jelsa, and it’s on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. If you’re travelling at Easter, it’s a powerful experience, but book your accommodation well in advance.

Accommodation in Jelsa is mostly apartments and a couple of larger complexes with pools, and prices are lower than in Hvar Town. The downside is the distance to Hvar Town, which you can only reach by car or bus, and the nightlife is quiet. That suits most families just fine.

Places to Stay in Jelsa

Apartments Dobronic - best apartments right by the water

Dobronic has apartments right by the water in Vitarnja Bay, just over a kilometre from the harbour in Jelsa. There’s a sauna, a barbecue and free parking, and the apartments have a very high guest rating. Some guests mention that there aren’t many restaurants close by.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “Very nice and well equipped, beautiful surroundings and close to everything you need.”

See photos and book Apartments Dobronic here.

Fontana Bayside Park - best mid-range pick with a children’s pool

Fontana Bayside Park is a four-star apartment complex close to the water, around 600 metres from the harbour. There’s a saltwater pool, a children’s pool, a tennis court and evening entertainment, so it’s ideal for families with children. Guests mention that the pool is small and can get crowded in high season.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “Peace and quiet, a spacious apartment and really comfortable.”

See photos and book Fontana Bayside Park here.

Apartmani Štambuk - cheapest pick close to the beach

Apartmani Štambuk is around 50 metres from the beach and a couple of hundred metres from the centre of Jelsa, and it was the cheapest of my three picks here. There’s free parking and a kitchen in the apartments. A few guests mention that communication with the host could be better.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “Perfect location. Very nice and tidy. Friendly and lovely host.”

See photos and book Apartmani Štambuk here.

6. Vrboska - best area for couples looking for peace and quiet

• Distance from Hvar Town: A good half-hour drive. It’s around 4 kilometres by road to Jelsa.
• Transport: You can walk around the village, but you’ll need a car for the rest of the island. From the coast by the Aminess resort, a promenade runs towards Jelsa.
• Time from Split Airport: Car ferry to Stari Grad and then around 15 minutes by car, or the catamaran to Jelsa. Allow half a day.
• Price range: € to €€. The three places below cost roughly £75 to £205 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
• Safety: Vrboska is the smallest and quietest town on Hvar. Watch the edge along the canal if you have small children with you.

Vrboska is a small village at the end of a narrow inlet, and the Jelsa tourist board calls it Croatia’s little Venice. Stone bridges link the two halves of the village on either side of the water, and the fishing boats are moored right below the houses.

The village has a fishing museum from 1972 with old nets, lamps and tools, and the 15th-century Church of St Lawrence has paintings by well-known Renaissance and Baroque artists. The fortified Church of St Mary was built as a defence against Turkish attacks and is one of the village’s landmarks.

The beaches are mostly outside the village, including at Nova Poštica and Soline, and they’re pebbly. Out on the coast towards Jelsa lies the island’s big resort with a pool and a spa, if you’d rather have a hotel with everything in one place.

See hotels in Vrboska here.

I’d choose Vrboska for couples and for you if you’d like a quiet base with good food by the water and a short trip to both Jelsa and Stari Grad. In the evening, there are only a couple of restaurants by the canal, but the atmosphere is calm and cosy, and prices are lower than in Hvar Town.

The downside is that there’s not a lot going on. If you’re on Hvar to go out or want to do lots of boat trips from Hvar Town, you’ll end up driving back and forth a lot, and without a car Vrboska is too isolated for a whole holiday.

Places to Stay in Vrboska

Aminess Senses Hvar Resort - best resort with a pool and spa by the water

Aminess Senses is a four-star resort right by the water around 1.3 kilometres east of Vrboska. There’s a pool, a spa, a sauna, a kids’ club and entertainment, and breakfast is included. It suits both couples and families, but guests mention that it can be hard to find parking.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “Excellent location with lovely evening walks along a lit promenade to the nearby town.”

See photos and book Aminess Senses Hvar Resort here.

B&B 366 - best bed and breakfast in the middle of the village

B&B 366 is in the middle of Vrboska close to the canal and has one of the highest guest ratings in the whole guide. Breakfast is included, and there’s free parking. It’s around a kilometre to the beach, and some guests feel the choice at breakfast is a little limited.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “Clean, comfortable, central location and a beautiful view!”

See photos and book B&B 366 here.

Amphora Deluxe - cheapest pick by the beach

Amphora Deluxe is a set of apartments by the water at Nova Poštica, around a kilometre from the centre of Vrboska, and it was the cheapest of my three picks here. There’s free parking and a barbecue. Guests mention that the apartment is simple and that there aren’t many restaurants nearby.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “Very friendly host, and everything was as described.”

See photos and book Amphora Deluxe here.

Where should you avoid staying on Hvar?

I wouldn’t stay in Sućuraj on the eastern tip of the island if you want to see Hvar Town. The ferry from Drvenik on the mainland sails there, but according to the tourist board it takes around an hour and a half to drive on to Hvar Town, so you’ll spend a lot of time in the car.

Also be careful with the small villages inland and on the south side if you don’t want to hire a car. Accommodation is often cheap, but the buses are infrequent, and the roads are narrow and winding.

If you’re a light sleeper, avoid rooms facing straight onto the waterfront and the bars in Hvar Town in summer. The partying goes on late into the night, and the sound carries across the water.

If it’s your first time on Hvar and you want town life, I’d stay in Hvar Town, or in one of the hotels west of town if you’d like a pool and a beach. Milna is a good compromise with a beach close to town, Stari Grad is the best base for culture and drivers, and families get the easiest holiday in Jelsa. If you want peace and quiet, Vrboska is hard to beat.

Many people combine Hvar with the mainland. Have a look at my guide to where to stay in Croatia if you’re planning a longer tour, and read where to stay in Dubrovnik if your trip continues south. If you’d like to go all the way across the border, I’ve also written about where to stay in Montenegro.

The post Where to Stay on Hvar? The 6 Best Areas & Places to Stay appeared first on Destination Well Known.