A room with a view

Dubrovnik is becoming 5 star hotel paradise and this has become surprisingly so in a very short period of time. Not long ago, the site of a holiday home in Lapad area owned by the communist area Bosnian company was transformed from beauty to beast. This is a setting now for hotel More, a luxurious treat for those searching that sea view to kill for. This stretch of Lapad Peninsula offers some of the most luxurious apartments and hotels. The promenade that is tick next to the sea and passes by hotel More, leads you to villa Elita, in my opinion one of the most beautiful villas in Lapad, as it airs a certain element of panache, largely thanks to its location. It has been redecorated and is now in the hands of Importanne group together with other three of their hotels part of a luxury resort that was once Hotel Neptun. Villa Elita does not come cheap and it is really suited for those with large deep pockets.
Highly on my list of hotels for mere mortals, is Libertas Rixos, now fully re-built after it has been heavily destroyed during the war. The retro theme prevails together with the element of open space and this is a perfect combination for a hotel that offers a great sea view and for me has a great sentimental value as it was my favorite beach before the war.
Speaking of beaches, there are very few natural ones in Dubrovnik town so people got used to the rocky ones and they quite like them.
Personally I am not so keen on Bellevue boutique hotel. It does have less imposing view than Rixos as it is situated more inwards and cannot compensate for the lack of sunny rays during the peak season summer period as the sun sets earlier than in the case of Rixos.
It has to be said if you fancy to have a rather grande view of the Old Town and sea then Ploce area of Dubrovnik is your best bet. This is where Villa Dubrovnik, hotel Agentina and Excelsior are situated and choosing one of them you cannot go a miss.

Squeezed between Villa Dubrovnik and hotel Argentina is Villa Scheherazade, a tribute to a beautiful belly dancer by a Czech businessman who apparently never met the beauty queen. Love does wonders and all you need is « a room with a view».

Srdj Hill

There is something about Srdj Hill, which is overlooking Dubrovnik, somewhat it is nature's answer to a sacred hand of St Blaise, a saint protector of Dubrovnik. The panoramic view ahead acts as an antidote to an eye which is filled with the overwhelming view of the Old Town and the sea horizon. A large number of tourists go here to enjoy Panorama of Dubrovnik and I believe some are acquainted with the fact that this is a shrine in itself as a large number of freedom fighters in Croatia Independence War, gave their lives so that one day visitors can feel that air of freedom.
Once upon the time and long ago, Srdj Hill was dense with oak trees so it does not come as a surprise that this sacred wood was a target of numerous attacks by Venetians, who were seeking any opportunity to expand their own merchant navy fleet by cutting down oak trees, looting them and shipping them back to Venice.
However, very few people know about another peak, Velji Do, which offers even more imposing view, this time of Elaphiti Islands. This is a gem photo opportunity to capture this archipelago which was named after a Greek word ELAPHOS. Apparently, viewed from the bird's eye perspective they resemble a deer, hence a Greek world.
You learn something new every day, so they say!

Lapad Peninsula - Dubrovnik

I have been visiting Thorn Tree chat forum for a while now and I try to take part as much as possible as I value Lonely Planet's country guides. Dubrovnik is one of the most sought after destinations in Croatia and people always ask about accommodation. I have a personal viewpoint on the matter as I believe that in order to enjoy Dubrovnik experience; one has to think carefully about where they decide to stay. It goes without saying that I am a great believer of value for money bargains but to start with I stop short of renting a bed in a private house. The reason is simple, I refuse to be touted at port or bus terminal with a possibility of a wobbly bed in the Old Town, where I might be at health hazard. There are so many villas and apartments to choose from that it simply does not make sense to risk it.
Lapad Peninsula is an oasis of peace and quiet and the bus no: 6 takes you to Pile Gate. It has a shopping centre, lots of restaurants, local food produce stalls and it is not far away from nearby Copacabana beach, not to be confused with Brazilian one.
All in all, cozy little part of Dubrovnik, worth staying in.

Not all is fair in ...

I have recently come across a rather negative practice. I spoke to a very good friend of mine who lives abroad and he told me a story about a friend of his who happened to be on a visit to Dubrovnik. The gentleman was a banker for a well known City of London corporation. His hectic style of living meant that his secretary forgot to book a cab for Dubrovnik trip. The banker was going to Dubrovnik having previously arrived to London from a long haul business trip. Once he landed at Dubrovnik Airport he jumped into a cab and rounded his fare to hotel Excelsior to HRK 200. He is accustomed to different currencies as he works on the money exchange. He told a friend of mine that he fell in love with the Old Town. As he is an eager «culture-vulture» beaver, he spent a day in Mostar as he has been told that the town has architectural remains from the Ottoman period.
He was leaving Dubrovnik full of impressions until he ordered a cab from a reception desk to take him back to the airport. Everything was running smooth until he was asked to pay HRK 300. He paid for his fare without batting an eyelid, cool and composed. However, he complained to a friend of mine saying that this malpractice ruins the beauty of Dubrovnik and it is not a way forward to European integration!

Cruising...Everyone on board!

We, at Travel 74, have been thinking a great deal about cruiseliners visiting Dubrovnik en route to Greece, as part of the Eastern Mediterranean leg of their journey. We wondered why the vast majority of these people opt for a bus shore excursions which all have the same format; bused them in the Old Town, bused them out of it.
Take them en masse to a typical regional village and treat them to a performance of a local, traditional dance.
No objections whatsoever, but instead of curiosity, it looks to me sometimes, that individuality has killed the cat.
There is so much to encounter, both in terms of local culture and history, and doing it, at your own pace, must be a bonus.
However, we compared our own travel experiences abroad and came to the conclusion that element of unknown always prevailed when making a decision to take a local tour.
Here are some instructions to shore excursions that will leave a lasting impression.
When in Dubrovnik and wanting to explore local spots with a good panorama view, always insist on your driver's English fluency.
Private tours in the Port of Dubrovnik are value for money be it you pay EUROS 50 per hour and per car and yes, please pay attention to PER CAR bit. After all, you are in charge of your itinerary and your holiday.
In any case, enjoy the most beautiful town in the world and the old chestnut of a saying: There is only one Dubrovnik.