Hotel Kompas

Dubrovnik is blessed with more than its fair share of spectacular coastline, and the sunset-facing Lapad Bay, two and a half miles to the west of the historic old town, is like a mini-resort in the suburbs of the city — here you’ve got the promenade, the beach, some spectacular views of the Adriatic, and, presiding over it all, an impressive hotel in a minimalist contemporary style: Hotel Kompas Dubrovnik.

It dates back to the aesthetically inauspicious mid-Seventies, but it’s got good genes, so to speak, and a thorough renovation leaves it looking quite stylish indeed — a color palette of whites, creams, and pastel accents suits it well, and the interior design plays up its modernist heritage to great effect. Its 173 rooms and suites are plenty luxurious, with thoughtful touches like L’Occitane bath products and heated floors, and while they don’t all face out to sea, they do all open onto charming little balconies.

The Energy Clinic spa has its own indoor pool, and there’s an outdoor pool with a view of the bay, as well as a poolside café, with the pebbly Lapad Beach just beyond. And along with Sphere, the hotel’s all-day indoor-outdoor restaurant and lounge, there’s the rooftop Zenith Bar, arguably the best place in town for taking in a sunset and an elevated cocktail.