Adriatic Escape: Villa Dubravka near Dubrovnik

This property in the small village of Zaton about 20 minutes from the old city of Dubrovnik is an ideal place to stay. On a quiet, picturesque bay, it is a perfect place to relax. The home is spacious, new and clean. It is within walking distance of several good restaurants, all overlooking the bay. Darko, the owner met us and answered all of our questions. On our last evening he provided and cooked an outstanding wood fired dinner of fish, meat and chicken together with a lot of great conversation. Darko was also able to provide references for a very reliable, knowledgeable guide who we used on several occasions. All in all, we highly recommend this property as a great place to stay. Pat and George

Our family of 5 plus a family friend stayed at Villa Dubravka for a week in April. When we arrived we were greeted by our very friendly host Darko who was very welcoming and drove us to the supermarket to stock up on food. The villa is located about 6 km from old Dubrovnik in a quiet little town called Zaton. If you rather stay away from the overcrowded city this is the perfect place to be. The house beautifully renovated and very comfortable - 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms gave us plenty of space. We loved the views from the dining area and the well equipped kitchen. There is a sweet little balcony to hang out and read or watch the sea. We took day trips to old town Dubrovnik and the area. Due to the less than favorable weather we didn't take any day trips to Montenegro or Split but that can all be arranged. Darko organized a boat tour for us right from the villa. We visited the Elaphiti islands with a local guy in a small boat and that was great fun even though we got soaking wet on the way back. There are a few restaurants in town so you don't have to eat in Dubrovnik every day. Konoba Vala was our favorite, serving authentic Croatian cuisine in a rustic setting. There are 2 small supermarkets in walking distance for the basics and we bought the things we needed for breakfast or a light lunch. We chose not to rent a car and used local taxi services and Uber to get around which was a good decision. Parking in Dubrovnik can be difficult and it was easier to just take a cab. We did the usual tours in Old Dubrovnik which we enjoyed but it was nice to return to the villa at the end of the day. I think what really made this a memorable vacation was our host Darko. He came over several times during our stay and we had many great conversations with him. He allowed us to learn more about the history and the culture of the country. On the last evening we had a wonderful feast together: fresh fish grilled to perfection on the outdoor grill, seafood, cevapcici, chicken, grilled vegetables, and local wine. We sat around the table for hours talking and laughing and attempting to learn some basic Croatian. It was the perfect end to a great vacation. Villa Dubravka is highly recommended for people who like to stay in a beautiful place off the beaten track.