Royal Ariston Hotel

Superb hotel on the very outskirts of Dubrovnik. Brilliant location overlooking sea with only a beautiful pedestrian promenade between the hotel and the rocky shore. Sea view rooms have stunning views (although mine was slightly set back so has the wall of the other block to my left view). Large beautiful bathroom just renovated by the looks of it. Water pressure brilliant. bath with shower over .lovely luxurious bed linen and fluffy towels. kettle in room with tea and coffee and minibar. 2 mini armchairs. Lovely thick curtains. Large balcony with substantial sun lounger chairs. Quiet but effective air conditioning (although it did stop blowing cool air on 2 occasions and I had to get maintenance to fix it.) SUper outdoor pools. "Beach" on the rocks has a cafe and sun beds plus ladders down into the water. Indoor pool is beautiful with a large sauna etc. Excellent breakfast. Fruit cereal egg station etc etc. fizz . Smoked salmon. dinner buffet not as large as some but excellent quality. Service throughout is helpful and impeccable - except the bar where the bar staff are reluctant and moody. And prices are expensive but then they are throughout the Dubrovnik and local area A local bus is just 3 minutes walk away which takes you to the gate of the old town in 10 to 15 minutes. It seemed to run every 15 to 20 minutes and cost 1,80 to 2.50 euros. Only Cons are no decaf tea or coffee in Rooms or restaurant. It is surprising that they have not realised that this is a common need these days. Also my sea view was partially blocked (it was still stunning though) although most of my large group had unobstructed views. Overall I was thrilled and would go back like a shot.

Inspired by a sunny weather forecast, my husband and I booked a very last minute 4 night, Thursday to Monday, stay at the Royal Ariston in early March. With limited time to research hotel reviews, location and availability for our first trip to Dubrovnik, I am very pleased that we elected to stay at the Royal Ariston in the picturesque Lapad area. The breathtaking views from the hotel and grounds, and along the boardwalk and walking trails around the headland into Lapad, were a top highlight of our stay. Due to the off-season timing of our trip, it transpired that the Ariston was the only one of the 5 Royal hotels (the Royal Blue, Neptun, Ariston, Palm and Princess) that comprise the resort, that was open. This was not apparent when I booked the trip, through British Airways Holidays, as 3 of the other hotels were showing as available to book at different price points. Happily, the Ariston truly exceeded our expectations, and we wholeheartedly recommend the hotel. The only shortcomings that come to mind are the lack of a la carte restaurant choice and entertainment in the evening, the woefully outdated gym equipment and the 2 remarkably small bathroom towels! Nevertheless the setting and grounds of the resort, the spacious room and spell-binding views from the expansive balcony more than compensated for these minor issues. Prior to travel I found it difficult to determine, from intensive online research, if the various restaurants within walking distance of the hotel were open in March. If you’re considering a stay at the Royal Ariston during the winter season, I hope you will find it useful to know that very few local cafes and restaurants are open, especially in the evening. Levanat and the Cave Bar were open during the day (although the latter was not serving food). In the evening we found only two restaurants open in Lapad town (Sphere restaurant at the Kompas Hotel and Trinity Fusion Lounge which was fully booked both evenings of the weekend). The restaurant at Hotel More on the boardwalk was also open. During our 4 night stay we ate twice at Zoe restaurant at the Royal (hotel guests receive a discount), once at Sphere and one evening we went into Dubrovnik and ate at Dubravka just outside the old city walls. As many other guests have stated, there is a bus stop just outside the hotel and, even in winter, the service is very frequent. Tickets can be purchased on the bus and at kiosks around the town which offer a slightly reduced price. We visited the old town during the day and separately during the evening. It seemed to us that much of the restaurant seating is external but, despite the sunny days, we found it too chilly to enjoy eating outside in the evenings even under a patio heater. The ferry to Lokrum Island runs during winter and we enjoyed spending a couple of hours exploring the island and admiring the beautiful peacocks. From the hotel we followed the walking trail that takes you around the headland and into Lapad where we stopped for a drink before returning to the Royal along the boardwalk. On our final day we checked out and took a taxi to Cavtat. Unfortunately the luggage storage facility at the bus station was closed. Thankfully we were permitted to leave our suitcase at the tourist office for a couple of hours whilst we strolled around the town and along the coastal path before heading to the airport after having an enjoyable late lunch at Restaurant Zino. In summary, our last minute, under researched trip to Dubrovnik was an outstanding success not least of all because the panoramic beauty of the region was showcased by blue and sunny skies.

I spent one night at Royal Hotel Ariston before an early flight. The room and the sea view were absolutely stunning and definitely the highlight of my stay. The room itself was comfortable and well maintained. I arrived early just to leave my luggage before going into town, but the reception staff were very kind and managed to have my room ready much earlier than expected, which I really appreciated. I also had dinner at Zoe restaurant and ordered from the à la carte menu. The food was very good and they offered a 20% discount for hotel guests, which was a very nice touch. However, the spa experience was disappointing for a hotel that markets itself as 5-star. In the changing room the soap dispenser was broken, one of the saunas was out of order, and the slippers provided were cotton room slippers. In a wet spa environment they quickly become slippery and uncomfortable, and it doesn’t really make sense walking back to the room in wet slippers. Flip-flops or proper spa slippers would make much more sense. The spa area itself was also quite loud and busy, with people using phones and reserving most of the loungers around the pool with towels while not actually using them. The mixed shower area also felt a bit lacking in privacy. Overall, Royal Hotel Ariston has an incredible location and beautiful views, but the spa facilities and organisation could definitely be improved.

We stayed as part of a group tour during off-season. The rooms were spacious, clean and new(?). Breakfast was delicious with lots of options. Bus was just outside entrance (#6) so it was easy to get in/out of old town. Great property overall with several hotels, restaurants and bars within walking distance. Beautifully landscaped too.

​I just spent the most amazing weekend at Royal Resorts in Dubrovnik with my boyfriend Faris, and we honestly didn’t want to leave. If you’re looking for a peaceful and quiet getaway to truly recharge, this is the place. ​Our room was beautiful and modern, but nothing beats that incredible sea view, waking up to the Adriatic every morning was a dream. The food was consistently amazing and so diverse. We were really impressed by the variety of fresh options at every sitting. ​We also made full use of the facilities, the gym, and the indoor pool, which was the perfect spot to relax. ​Huge thanks to the staff for making our stay so special. Faris and I are already talking about coming back!