Dubrovnik's top seaside hotel has a hotly anticipated new look

Times

5 days ago

There is a certain irony in a building conceived as apartments for high-ranking officials in the dark days of Yugoslav communism emerging as the glittering star of the Dalmatian coast's hotel scene. And while Villa Dubrovnik has undergone many transformations since it opened as a hotel in 1963, none has been quite as impressive as this iteration — the work of the Brazilian architect and designer Arthur Casas.
After a 22-month closure and a £22 million spend, last month came the hotly anticipated reopening of the hotel. My last visit had been in 2016, and I was delighted to find that the futuristic lift that transports you from the mountain road down to the hotel entrance was still there — along with the limestone cliff-face studded with bronze 'maskerons': benevolent gargoyles found throughout the old town, and the symbol of the hotel.
Set on a spectacular section of the coast overlooking the forested Lokrum island, and in view of the old town — 15 minutes' walk away — the footprint of the hotel and its layout remains unchanged. But inside, Casas — known for his minimalist aesthetic — has created a luminous world in shades of cream enlivened by flashes of terracotta, a nod to the roof tiles of the old town. Local limestone has been used throughout, from smooth travertine floors to the dazzling white rough-hewn Brac limestone (said to have been used for the White House in Washington DC) for definition on the walls. Such a pared-back approach means the seascape, rightly, has the starring role.
'It was very important to us that the hotel should feel Croatian,' says Mirna Strazicic, the hotel's general manager and chief executive, over a lunch of oysters and a huge, clear-eyed red snapper on the pine-scented terrace of Giardino, one of two restaurants. 'So Casas and his team visited Croatia many times to immerse themselves in the country's history and culture.'
His research is evident: from the cushions, bedspreads and beach towels — inspired by the now-defunct Glagolitic alphabet created by Saint Cyril in the ninth century, discovered on the 'Baska tablet' on the island of Krk — to the fretworked cupboard doors that reference the traditional lacework of the island of Pag. Paintings by the local artists Dubrovka Tulio and Ivana Pegan grace the walls, and ceramic vases add warmth. The 55 bedrooms and suites — all with balconies, 54 of them sea-facing — are similarly harmonious, with their interplay of stone, pale oak, suede, satin brass and statement Brazilian marble in the bathrooms.
Lifts take guests down four floors, past terraces, to the rocky private beach, which has been paved with Benkovac stone and made into chic terraces.
Pizzazz is introduced by way of staff uniforms, a dazzling counterpoint to the beige. The theatrical outfits are courtesy of the Croatian designer Juraj Zigman (who has created costumes for Beyoncé and Christina Aguilera). 'It was a risk, but I wanted something unique,' Strazicic says of the 14 separate outfits and textile designs, fusing everything from old-town architecture to traditional Konavle earrings, in a riot of prismatic abstraction. 'They create a talking point.'
Staff aren't just well dressed. Service is key, and many of the team have been here for decades, including Miro, who has worked in the gardens since the 1970s. All of which means that returning guests, VIPs among them (the charming Strazicic remains resolutely shtoom on their identity), are greeted like old friends. Milan, the barman, conjures inventive cocktails (try the fig-infused negroni) at the rooftop Galanto bar, a breezy spot from which you can watch the boats putter by.
Dinner at the fine-dining Pjerin is equally heady. I sit on the terrace, surrounded by the sapphire waters of the Adriatic, the noon-time chirrup of crickets replaced by the evening shrill of swooping swifts. I watch the sun glow orange and set behind the fortifications of Ragusa — the old town of Dubrovnik — while the forest of the 'cursed island' of Lokrum darkens in the gloaming. But for the superyachts in the bay — the Beckhams and a Kardashian are rumoured to have moored here — it is a view unchanged since Kandinsky sketched it in 1930, from his pension in the hills above the hotel.
In the meantime, the chef Robert Racic's menu poses a dilemma: lobster tagliolini or black orecchiette with seafood, salicornia and bottarga? Seabass or turbot stuffed with broccoli? I choose the five-course tasting menu, whereupon Maldin, a mine of oenological information, arrives to advise on Croatian wines. The white asparagus with low-cooked (soft-boiled) egg, and lashings of black Istrian truffle is a highlight.
The use of local products is carried into the spa, where the many treatments include massages using medicinal herbal oils, Istrian olive oil and delicious rose creams made by the Franciscan monks in the old pharmacy of Dubrovnik. There's a 15m indoor pool with a space-age vibe, and a glass wall opening onto decking above the sea. But who would not prefer to swim in waters where Odysseus was beguiled by Calypso? In summer, at least.
It is hard to tear yourself away from this place, but there is much to see. A fleet of cars ferries guests to and from the old town (permission is being sought to reintroduce the speedboat transfer), while the concierge can arrange more distant excursions (see below), with access to all the best guides.
'If you want to see heaven on Earth, come to Dubrovnik,' wrote George Bernard Shaw, a man not given to effusiveness. He was right — and for more reasons than he could have known: in 1929 he had not seen the Eden that is Villa Dubrovnik.
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Teresa Levonian Cole was a guest of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board (tzdubrovnik.hr) and Villa Dubrovnik, which has B&B doubles from £1,080 (villa-dubrovnik.hr). Kirker Holidays has three nights' B&B at Villa Dubrovnik from £1,998pp, including flights and private transfers (kirkerholidays.com)
In a narrow street in the old town, Proto is one of the city's best fish restaurants, serving produce from the town of Ston (on the Peljesac peninsula, and famous for oysters) — all beautifully presented in a traditional yet casual setting (mains from £33; esculaprestaurants.com).
Beneath a leafy trellis, the spacious, airy garden terrace at M'arden is a rare find in the old town. Owned by the wine connoisseur Ana Bitanga, this bar specialising in Croatian wines also serves inventive and substantial tapas dishes, as well as more traditional local prosciutto and cheeses. Great atmosphere too (tapas from £8; marden.hr).
The enviable location of Port 22 — on a shady terrace outside the Ploce gate, overlooking the old port — makes this a convenient pitstop for a spot of lunch after a morning's sightseeing. Opt for a generous plate of fried calamari, with a refreshing glass of Posip wine (mains from £20; port22dubrovnik.com).
For a true taste of tradition, and the most succulent peka (meat or octopus with vegetables, slow-cooked over ashes in an iron bell), try Local by Marija Papak in the old town. Papak is renowned for her home cooking and warm hospitality. There's no menu, but the vibe is locally sourced starters and homemade desserts, along with peka and wine. Booking essential (peka experience from £105pp, including wine; dubrovnikeatwithlocals.com).
Off the beaten track, and well worth the effort, is Bowa. In a secluded cove of crystalline waters on the island of Sipan (one of the Elaphiti islands), and with a fleet of sexy black speedboats to ferry guests to and from the mainland, Bowa has a unique beach club meets Robinson Crusoe vibe. Fresh Adriatic fish is a speciality, with local and organic produce — including Sipan's own olive oil — in the mix (three courses from £78; bowa-dubrovnik.com).
• Read our full guide to Dubrovnik
The old town is, of course, unmissable, and its myriad cultural and historic sights reward several days' exploration. For an excellent guide, try Lidija Begic (from £87pp for a two-hour tour of the old town; £139pp to walk on the walls too; [e-mail]). But after dodging tourist crowds (much reduced since restrictions were imposed on cruise ships in 2017) in the hot, narrow streets, you might be tempted to go further afield.
The Peljesac peninsula is famed for its sea-facing vineyards and many wineries. Wine tours are available throughout this beautiful region — which is about 45 minutes' drive northwest of Dubrovnik. Aficionados of rich, full-bodied reds should not miss the prized Dingac microregion (and the excellent Saint Hills winery), where native Plavac Mali grapes grow in extreme conditions on 45-degree slopes. Picasso, who in the 1960s created a poster for the Yugoslav film, The Battle of Neretva, asked only for 12 bottles of Yugoslav wine by way of payment. It is said that Dingac was among the wines offered by the grateful director.
Pliny the Elder noted the beauty of the Elaphiti islands in the first century AD. All but three of the 13 islands, close to the city and stretching out to the northwest, are uninhabited and a private boat can be hired to speed you round the three that are sparsely populated — Kolocep, Lopud and Sipan. Here, deserted coves surrounded by pine-clad rocks make for idyllic swimming. Of these, car-free Lopud has perhaps the most to see, with its churches and ruins, and a fine, sandy (if crowded — ferries and day-tripping boats visit the islands) beach at Sunj, on the southern bay of the island. At the northern tip, you will find Lopud 1483, a 15th-century Franciscan monastery, converted into a five-suite, art-filled private let.
With its thickly forested slopes, swimming spots and 800 plant species, Lokrum is the garden of locals, with a frequent ferry service plying the ten-minute journey from the old town. You can escape the crowds on the paths that snake through holm oaks and ash, up to the fortress begun in 1806 by Napoleon's troops and completed under the Habsburgs. The atmospheric remains of a Benedictine monastery, founded in 1023, give rise to one of the island's several legends. It is said that the monks, when forced to leave Lokrum, cursed the island and anyone who attempted to claim it. The curse certainly worked on the unfortunate Maximilian, Archduke of Austria and Emperor of Mexico, who built a summer villa here in 1859. His execution in 1867, at the age of 34, was the subject of a series of paintings by Manet.
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Wine, olive oil, sheep's cheese, sage honey and truffle products are good options, as is rose face cream made by the Franciscan monks at their 14th-century pharmacy, just inside the Pile Gate of the old town. For something more durable, Marko Farac, in an alley of the old town, makes hand-crafted contemporary jewellery inspired by the sea and based on traditional filigree designs (faracjewelry.com).