Hotel More & Villa Filaus Dubrovnik

We had wanted to visit Dubrovnik in Croatia for a long while and was delighted to get the opportunity when we were invited to stay and photograph the Hotel More, a luxury five star boutique hotel on the peaceful Lapad Bay with a stunning view overlooking the Adriatic Sea. It is just a short bus ride to the Old Town, which is one of the world’s finest and most perfectly preserved medieval cities. It took just over two hours flying with easyJet from London Luton Airport to Dubrovnik Airport, arriving nearly thirty minutes ahead of schedule, down to the late flight and a tail wind. Dubrovnik Airport is a modern and efficient airport to transit through and within minutes we were being greeted by our driver Predo, whom the hotel had sent to meet us.

From the airport, transfer time was 15 minutes to the Old Town and about a further 15 minutes to Villa Filaus a 1930s traditional villa, which belongs to the Hotel More and where we would be staying for this long weekend trip. All of the amenities and services of Hotel More are available to you whilst staying at the vllla and it is only a 10 minute walk along the beautiful coastal promenade to the hotel. Because of our late arrival, Anita our host at the villa was unavailable but she had sent us all of the information that we required, including, the codes to the main entrance door and our room, which all had digital keypads for entry.

Our room was beautifully furnished, with a really comfortable double bed, air conditioning, flat screen television with English satellite channels, fast Wi-Fi, plenty of wardrobe space which included a safe, ensuite bathroom, with walk in shower, hairdryer and bath robes with slippers. Large French windows opened out on to the balcony.

Outside there is a swimming pool surrounded by palm trees and just across the road is Restaurant Rhea Silva, which is where we took breakfast, which consisted of continental styles, with pancakes, fruit and pastries and a selection of juices, teas and coffees.

In the morning we met Anita, who was a great source of information for us, giving us the details of the local area and how to get to the Old City, which is a simple 5 minute walk from the villa to the bus stop. Tickets for the bus are available from the kiosks which can be found on the opposite side of the road.

On our first day we were to meet Nika, who was to give us a tour of the famous Cave Bar which was discovered when the Hotel More was under construction and has now been turned into a stunning bar area which is fully enhanced by the natural beauty of the rocks and stalactites. With a roof that contains over 300 miniature lightbulbs and set on three levels with comfortable seating areas and a unique atmosphere you can appreciate why this Cave Bar has been named as one of the best bars in the world by the worlds media. With a temperature inside of less than 24 degrees, it is the perfect environment for special events and weddings.

Outside the Cave Bar you are led on to a magnificent sun terrace area, which stretches along the water’s edge with a view over the wooded hills in the distance and the lighthouse on the horizon. You will soon appreciate why this area is is so popular, especially with photographers like myself, because from here the views of the sun as it dips below the sea are quite dramatic, as we witnessed every night that we were here.

After we had sipped cocktails at the Cave Bar, we caught the No.6 bus for the short ride into the Old Town, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The area had succumbed to a devastating earthquake in 1667 and is famous for its iconic red roof tiles as well as being one of the locations for the hit television series ‘Game of Thrones” The Old Town is still a lived-in city, that is bustling with shops and restaurants, churches, palaces, markets and bazaars. We paid 200 Kunas each (about £20) to take the city walls walk, which is a must if you visit the Old Town because the views that you get from above the pedestrian areas below looking out to sea are unparalleled.

The weather was a pleasant 28 degrees and the quaint alleyways reminded me so much of those that can be found in Venice. You will find locals selling their home made lace and wares along the city walls , which is also interspersed with much needed bars, cafes and ice cream vendors.

The second day that we spent in the Old Town, we took the cable car up to the top of the nearby hills that give you a superb aerial view. The cost is about £20 each for the return trip.

We also took the glass bottom boat that takes you around the coast of the Old Town and then around the nearby island of Lokrum

Our third day was spent chilling at the hotel’s rooftop swimming pool, hot tub and sun terrace overlooking the centuries old pine trees, cypresses and the crystal clear water that has an area specifically cordoned off for the hotel visitors. The food that is served from the Cave Bar was delicious and great value for money.

We were so impressed by the beautiful scenery along this part of the coast in Dubrovnik and exploring the historic Old Town and those views from the city walls. We found it very reasonable to dine out and travel on the local buses and even the restaurants in the Old Town were not expensive.

Hotel More and Villa Filaus are the perfect places to stay and explore this city, ideally located in breathtakingly beautiful surroundings and so convenient to get too.

A big ‘Thank You’ to Mirjana and Nika from Hotel More and to Anita at Villa Filaus for the lovely welcome you gave both of us and for making us feel at home.

Our stay was complimentary. As always, all opinions are my own.