10 Best places to stay in Dalmatian Islands

Expect 19th-century opulence at this grand hotel, overlooking the harbour, on the edge of Hvar Town‘s main square – the building was commissioned in 1898 by Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Dalmatia was under Austro-Hungarian rule at that time) after whom the hotel is named.

Reopened following extensive renovation in 2019, rooms and suites have plush white period interiors and hand-painted murals – the best ones come with sea-view balconies.

There’s a terrace restaurant specialising in summery salads at lunch and classic Dalmatian seafood at dinner, and a spa with an indoor pool, offering rejuvenating health and beauty treatments.

Built around a sheltered fishing harbour, Pucisca on Brac has been famed for its stone quarries since Roman times. Here, this 15th-century stone building was carefully restored to create a discrete boutique hotel, which opened in summer 2019.

Out back, hidden from view, lies a lush walled garden, planted with roses, wisteria and lavender, hosting a restaurant on a series of secluded terraces. It’s a superb spot to start the day with a cooked-to-order breakfast, or to round off with a candlelit Dalmatian seafood supper.

There’s also a small outdoor pool and a mini-spa with Jacuzzi and Finnish sauna.

Another world from trendy Hvar Town, in a remote turquoise bay backed by fragrant pinewoods, LGB markets itself as a luxurious guesthouse.

Its contemporary design uses natural materials – stone, wood, polished concrete and raw cotton – to create an effortlessly cool 15-room retreat, centring on a pebble beach with floating beanbags and sea kayaks.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the hip bistro, followed by Mediterranean delights such as original Nicoise salads, homemade ravioli and grilled octopus. They do essential-oil massage in the garden, and will even wizz you to Hvar Town by private speedboat should you wish for a night out.

Once a sleepy fishing village, Bol is famed for Zlatni Rat, Croatia’s most photographed beach. It’s also known for adventure sports – windsurfing, scuba diving and mountain biking.

The nicest place to sleep is Villa Giardino, entered through a stone courtyard with giant bean bags, and set in a garden with palms, lemon trees and roses.

Following a make-over in 2019, it has retained its homely atmosphere – the marble-floored lounge is still decorated with potted plants and paintings – but the 15 rooms have been upgraded. Top choice is the vast two-bedroom presidential suite, with a lounge and sea-view terrace.

In Korcula’s pedestrian-only old town, the peaceful LD Palace spreads across the 18th-century former Bishop’s Palace and several adjoining stone cottages.

The cottages were renovated to form this glamorous aparthotel, made up of just six individual apartments (sleeping two to six), themed around the travels of Marco Polo, each with quirky interior design and modern kitchenettes.

The adjoining LD Restaurant serves creative Mediterranean dishes (with wine pairing) on the pine-shaded seafront promenade, while the LD Spa does Ayurveda treatments and Thai massage.

The concierge can satisfy the most discerning guests – there’s even a traditional wooden boat available for sailing excursions.

On the unspoilt, rugged island of Vis, this chic boutique hotel occupies a traditional Dalmatian stone building one block back from the seafront and a ten-minute walk from the port.

The ten rooms and suites are decorated in minimalist style with modern amenities and free Wi-Fi.

The Boccadoro restaurant serves breakfast in a walled garden planted with palms and lemon trees, with creative Mediterranean cuisine at dinner. Staff are charming and full of recommendations.

The hotel has bicycles for hire on a half-day or full-day basis – the perfect way to reach the island’s more secluded beaches.

The Pakleni archipelago is a gorgeous cluster of uninhabited pine-scented islets opposite Hvar. On Sveti Klement, one of the islands, Palmizana occupies an overgrown botanical garden, with palms, cacti, eucalyptus, mimosa, fig trees and lilies.

A back-to-nature retreat, it has six secluded bungalows and six villas (sleeping three to ten), all hung with bold colourful modern paintings – the owner is an art collector. There are two restaurants serving Creative Dalmatian cuisine, with an emphasis on seafood and local seasonal produce.

It sits above a bay with a pebble beach, where yachts drop anchor overnight, and lies a 20-minute speedboat ride from Hvar Town.

In a secluded bay near Stari Grad, this stylish escape opened in summer 2020. Designed to harmonise with the existing landscape, it’s built into a hillside with pines and olive trees.

All rooms have sea-view terraces (some with private plunge pools), wood or terracotta-tile floors, and bathrooms with Brac-stone washbasins.

The Michelin-starred French chef creates exquisite Mediterranean cuisine from local seasonal produce, served with wine pairing overlooking the infinity pool, while the beach bar does ceviche and champagne for bathers on wooden decks by the sea.

Nearby, the lush spa offers garden-to-skin natural beauty treatments and sound therapy.

Overlooking the wooden fishing boats in Hvar’s pretty harbour, just a two-minute walk from the main square, the Adriana is funky and fun. Appealing to the young and young-at-heart, its light and airy minimalist interiors open onto sea-view terraces.

The ground-floor Val Marina restaurant serves a generous buffet breakfast, followed by brunch, then grilled fish or steaks at dinner.

Up top, the Sensori Spa has a covered 25m saltwater swimming pool, and does sauna and beauty treatments, and massages in open-air cabanas. Also on the roof, The Top is a small cocktail bar serving drinks and light summery lunches.

Occupying two centuries-old stone buildings, just outside Korcula Town‘s medieval fortifications, this small hotel offers an inexpensive retreat on one of Dalmatia’s best-loved islands.

Room size and layout varies (some are rather small; some come with balconies), but all have comfy beds and good powerful showers. The ground-floor Fabulous Restaurant has several outdoor tables shaded by big white parasols on a sea-view terrace where they do a generous buffet breakfast, with cooked-to-order eggs and proper espresso coffee.

The staff are welcoming and well-informed, and will help you arrange transfers, and local activities such as cycling, sea kayaking and wine tasting.