Hotel Splendid

Very disappointed with this hotel, definitely not 3 star, there was no lift & no help with our bags, the rooms were dated & grubby, the food was not good, there idea of a double bed was 2 tiny beds pushed together, worst holiday i have ever had, rminded me of a 1970 British cheap B&B, needs a massive update to recommend it.

Hotel Splendid Dubrovnik Any review must start with the question, what did I expect? The Hotel Splendid is rated at 3 star and hopefully my review reflects this. On arrival we descended a steep hill with our cases, but the topography of this part of Croatia is steep and rugged. The first tiny niggle was that I was on the 2nd floor and there wasn’t a lift, but to be fair the reception staff asked if I needed assistance getting my suitcase upstairs (I’m 66 years old by the way). The room was more spacious than the one I had in Paphos although perhaps a little dated. The mattress wasn’t the best I’ve ever slept on, but wasn’t the worst either. The balcony was larger than in Cyprus with a table and 2 chairs plus ample room. The view was well worth the struggle down the hill and up the stairs. It was excellent. The bathroom was a good size although I found the shower over the bath meant the shower curtain had a tendency to stick to my wet skin. The breakfast choice was more than adequate and there were variations each day. A personal gripe was the tea and coffee. Whilst there was a selection of Twinnings teas available, I personally couldn’t find one that “hit the spot”. The same goes for the coffee, it didn’t quite pass muster. Evening meals were again varied although some of the vegetables let the main meals down. The starters and soup were excellent as was the selection of sweets. The bar/Aperitif on the same level as the restaurant was excellent and not overly expensive. Directly outside there is a lovely seating area in dapple shade if warm enough. Lydija was excellent as was the barman (whose name I didn’t catch). Down some steps from the hotel is a tiny, but secluded beach which was very pleasant. Back to the rooms and fresh towels were changed on a daily basis and your bed made up for you. I chose to use the “do not disturb” sign every other day as daily towel changes seemed unnecessary. Wi-Fi was available throughout the hotel but was better in certain areas than others. The hotel is situated in Lapad. The bus into Dubrovnik (No.4) stops directly opposite the steps to the hotel and takes you all the way to the Pile gates. I bought a 7 day Dubrovnik card which gave me 10 bus trips along with other benefits. It’s 350 Kuna (CASH only) but I had my money’s worth. Lapad itself is a lovely area. It’s a peaceful area and has a pebble beach. Overlooking the beach is the Sunset Beach Bar which serves excellent tea & coffee along with a wide variety of other drinks and food plus free Wi-Fi. Prices were very reasonable and the service and quality excellent. Dubrovnik overall. The Old City was crowded and expensive (as expected). Check the cruise ship arrivals for the days you’re there and choose a quieter day to visit. Do the walk around the wall as early as possible, 200 Kuna but included in the 7 day Dubrovnik card. This card also gives you 4 trips on the suburban No.10 bus to Cavtat, a small coastal town which is nice when you get there. The journey is horrendous. One bus every 30 minutes is totally inadequate. I stood for almost the whole 21 Kilometre journey as the bus was rammed full and quite frankly a disgrace. Lokrum. An island just off-shore from the Old City. Ferries run regularly and there is a 30% discount with the 7 day Dubrovnik card. Lokrum is inhabited by Rabbits and Peacocks, has lovely walks and a visit to Fort Royal provides panoramic views of Dubrovnik. There is a nice bar on the island plus a ruined Monastery. I spent the day there and loved the peace and quiet. Conclusion Whilst I’m not one to re-visit places, if I did I’d have no qualms about staying at the Hotel Splendid again. It’s ideally placed just a 20 minute bus ride from the Old City, in a lovely quieter area. Full marks from me but change the tea and coffee.

Visited in April with my husband and 1 year old. We came for a 3 night stay to dubrovnik, but wanted to stay out on Lapad Bay as more family friendly for Our 1 year old. The hotel staff are lovely and friendly, they were so helpful with information and booking a restaurant for Our lunch for us. The room was clean, with a beautiful sea view. Decor a little dated, however what we expected. Bus to dubrovnik every 15 mins so easy to get to the sites. We stayed half board and the food was lovely. Lots of fresh meat,seafood and vegetables. The weather was not great but we were able to use the hotels partner opposite to use their in hotel spa and pool for the day. We came out of season, I imagine the private beach and garden to be beautiful in high season. Would definitely recommend for closeness to dubrovnik, great budget hotel, and lapad bay has a lovely coastal walk, beach, shops and bars.