In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Stay inside the walls at The Pucić Palace, at the Pile entrance at Hilton Imperial, or by the sea at Hotel Excelsior and Hotel Bellevue, which the hotels put 5 and 10 minutes from the Old Town on foot. Lapad hotels (Kompas, More, Kazbek, Dubrovnik Palace) sit 3 to 4 km out on a peninsula with a promenade and a bus. The 2026 rates are €2.65 a person a night from 1 April to 30 September and €1.85 for the rest of the year. Or book a tour: Dubrovnik: Old Town Walking Tour with Local Guidead (from €20, 4.8 stars from 6,067 reviews) shows a first-time guest the Old Town from wherever the hotel is, with no planning.
⚠️ The Old Town is a pedestrian zone. The Pucić Palace has no parking of its own, and if you arrive by car you park in the nearest garage and pay for it. Leave the car at a hotel outside the walls if you can.
Areas at a glance
| Area | What it is | Hotels below |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town | Inside the walls, on Gundulić Square | The Pucić Palace |
| Pile | The western entrance to the Old Town | Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik |
| Ploče and Miramare Bay | By the sea, a 5 to 10 minute walk from the walls according to the hotels | Hotel Excelsior, Hotel Bellevue |
| Lapad peninsula | 3 to 4 km from the Old Town, with a seafront promenade | Hotel Kompas, Hotel More, Hotel Kazbek, Dubrovnik Palace, Rixos Premium |
Getting to your hotel
| From | How | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| Airport to Ploče Gate or Gruž bus station | Platanus shuttle, about 30 and 35 minutes; leaves about 30 minutes after each flight lands | €10 one way, €15 return (Platanus) |
| Gruž or the suburbs to Pile | Libertas city bus; most lines end at Pile | €2.50 on the bus, €5.31 for 24 hours (Libertas) |
| Pile to Babin Kuk and Lapad | Libertas line 6 runs between Babin Kuk and Pile | See getting around Dubrovnik |
The Dubrovnik Tourist Board says access to the Old City by car is restricted: only guests with prior registration, or confirmed accommodation that includes parking, may enter the Special Traffic Regime Zone (Dubrovnik Tourist Board). The traffic regulation zone on the roads around the Old Town was lifted on 1 November 2026, and all vehicles may again travel freely through it (Dubrovnik Tourist Board). The Dubrovnik Pass includes a bus ticket for the length of the pass (Dubrovnik Pass).
Hilton Imperial, at Pile. Photo: Richard Mortel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Tourist tax
Hotels collect the tourist tax (turistička pristojba) per person per night, on top of the room rate. The 2026 rates are in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County decision, and the Dubrovnik Tourist Board’s table for 2027 repeats them:
| Period | Hotels and other accommodation | Campsites |
|---|---|---|
| 1 April to 30 September | €2.65 | €1.95 |
| The rest of the year | €1.85 | €1.30 |
Under the Croatian tourist tax law, children under 12 do not pay and people aged 12 to 17 pay half. A couple pays €15.90 over three nights from 1 April to 30 September and €11.10 over three nights in the rest of the year. For other costs, see money in Dubrovnik.
Old Town and Pile
The Pucić Palace
A baroque palace on Gundulić Square, home of the Pucić family from the 17th century and a hotel since 1895. A small bridge over the alley joins the two halves of the building, split by the earthquake of 1667. Lucijan serves breakfast, lunch and dinner on a terrace on the square, and Magdalena is on the hotel terrace, looking over the church domes and roofs. Guests can book a reserved section of Banje Beach for an extra fee.
- Location: Od Puča 1, Old Town
- Booking: Hotels.comad
Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik
The city’s first luxury hotel, opened in 1897, at the Pile entrance to the Old Town. It has 140 rooms in two historic buildings, eight suites and the Imperial Suite. The Imperial Terrace restaurant serves local dishes, the Imperial Bar & Lounge has a terrace overlooking Fort Lovrjenac, and the health club has an indoor pool. The hotel has a private garage that guests and visitors can use.
- Location: Marijana Blazica 2, Pile
- Booking: Hotels.comad
Ploče and Miramare Bay
Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik
A villa built in 1913 that the hotel puts a five-minute walk from the city walls. It has an indoor pool, a spa, a fitness centre, a beach and three restaurants. Abakus Piano Bar is open all year, 08:00 to 24:00, with live music in the evening.
- Location: Frana Supila 12, by the Ploče entrance to the Old Town
- Booking: Hotels.comad
Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik
A boutique hotel on a 30 m cliff above Miramare Bay, with a pebble beach below and a 10-minute walk to the Old Town according to the hotel. Vapor restaurant is recommended by the Michelin Guide, Nevera is in a cave by the beach from May to September, and the Wine Bar lists more than 180 wines.
- Location: Pera Čingrije 7
- Booking: Hotels.comad
Hotel Bellevue above Miramare Bay. Photo: Tony Hisgett, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Lapad peninsula
The Lapad peninsula, with Gruž Harbour beyond. Photo: Chris93, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Lapad is a quieter side of the city, with a promenade round the bay. The bus to the Old Town is the way in: Hotel More says buses stop near it about every 10 minutes.
Hotel Kompas Dubrovnik
A 4-star hotel on Lapad Bay, less than 4 km from the Old Town. Zenith Bar on the top floor is open 07:00 to 24:00 and pours draught beer, wine and cocktails. Sphere serves a breakfast and dinner buffet with a terrace over the promenade, and Suton is a tapas and cocktail terrace.
- Location: Kardinala Stepinca 21
- Booking: Hotels.comad
Hotel More
A family-owned 5-star hotel for adults only (14 and over), 3.5 km from the Old Town, with 77 rooms and 8 suites and a seaside trail that leads towards Babin Kuk. Cave Bar More is cut into a limestone cave beneath the hotel and is open to walk-in visitors.
- Location: Kardinala Stepinca 33
- Booking: Hotels.comad
Hotel Kazbek
A restored Renaissance residence dating from 1573, with 13 rooms and one suite, a heated outdoor pool and gardens, overlooking Gruž Bay and the marina. The hotel puts the Old Town about 3 km away, 10 minutes by car or taxi and 40 to 45 minutes on foot, with a bus stop 5 to 7 minutes’ walk away. The restaurant takes non-guests, subject to availability.
- Location: Lapadska obala 25
- Booking: Hotels.comad
Dubrovnik Palace
A 5-star beachfront hotel on the Lapad peninsula between pine forest and the sea, a few minutes’ drive from the Old Town. It has two outdoor pools and an indoor pool, a PADI diving centre and a padel court. Maslina Tavern serves lunch and dinner from March to November.
- Location: Masarykov put 20
- Booking: Hotels.comad
Rixos Premium Dubrovnik
A seaside resort with 307 rooms and suites, most with a sea view, and direct access to the sea. It has the Turquoise buffet restaurant, Libertas Fish, Umi Teppanyaki and a terrace bar with views of Lokrum.
- Location: Liechtensteinov put 3
- Booking: Hotels.comad
Or book a tour
Hotels in the Old Town and at Pile are a short walk from the start of these tours, and Lapad guests can reach Pile by bus.
Old Town walking tour
From €20 · 4.8 stars from 6,067 reviews · 1.5 to 3.5 hours · free cancellation
Dubrovnik: Old Town Walking Tour with Local Guidead is a guided walk of the Old Town, with a private option on the listing.
City Walls at sunrise or sunset
From €25 · 4.8 stars from 1,873 reviews · 2 hours · free cancellation
Dubrovnik: City Walls Early Morning or Sunset Walking Tourad is a two-hour guided walk of the walls.
What to see next
- Dubrovnik City Walls tickets: the walls from Pile Gate.
- Stradun and the Old Town walk: the street the Old Town hotels open onto.
- Getting around Dubrovnik: buses from Lapad and Pile.
- Airport to the city: the way in from the airport.
- Where to eat in Dubrovnik: dinner near your hotel.
Common questions
Where should first-time visitors stay in Dubrovnik?
Inside the Old Town if you want to walk out of the door onto the Stradun: The Pucić Palace is on Gundulić Square. Hilton Imperial is at the Pile entrance to the Old Town, and Hotel Excelsior and Hotel Bellevue are a short walk away by the sea.
How much is the tourist tax in Dubrovnik?
The Dubrovnik-Neretva County decision for 2026 sets €2.65 per person per night from 1 April to 30 September and €1.85 for the rest of the year. The Tourist Board's table for 2027 has the same figures. Children under 12 are exempt, and people aged 12 to 17 pay half.
Can a taxi take me to a hotel inside the Old Town?
No. The Old Town is a pedestrian zone, and The Pucić Palace says it has no car park of its own. If you arrive by car, you park in the nearest garage, which is charged.
How far is Lapad from the Old Town?
Hotel More puts the Old Town 3.5 km from its door and says a local bus connects Lapad Bay with the Old Town about every 10 minutes. Hotel Kazbek puts the Old Town about 3 km away, 10 minutes by car or taxi.
How do I get from the airport to my hotel?
The Platanus shuttle is €10 one way or €15 return, leaves about 30 minutes after each flight lands, stops at Ploče Gate after about 30 minutes and ends at Gruž bus station after about 35. Libertas city buses end at Pile, outside the western gate of the Old Town.
Which Dubrovnik hotels are adults only?
Hotel More in Lapad is adults only, for guests aged 14 and over.
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