Hotel Luxe

The streets of heaven, we’ve heard, are paved in gold — but in Split, we can confirm that they’re lined with white marble. They’re a throwback to the city’s glamorous heyday: around 300AD, to be exact, when the Roman emperor Diocletian chose this seaside settlement as the ideal place to build his retirement palace. Thanks to the Roman ruins and the idyllic location on the Adriatic coast, Split remains one of Croatia’s most popular destinations — the kind of place where you’d like to stay close to the historic center, but not right in the middle of the tourist action. Someplace like the Hotel Luxe, a quick five-minute walk from the palace.

The Luxe is a contemporary boutique hotel, but the aesthetic is far from minimalist. With shiny metallic design accents, deep purple satin, sculptural white chaises longues and ceilings studded with tiny lights resembling stars in the night sky, the look is more extravagant than understated. The bold design is especially noteworthy considering the simple building the hotel is located inside — an old waterfront factory. The converted spaces aren’t lofty and atmospheric, as you might expect: guest rooms are on the boxy side, but smartly designed with painted wood furnishings, striped rugs, spacious bathrooms, flat-screen TVs. All but the most basic rooms feature views of the water; Superior rooms have private sea-view balconies.

Apart from the location around the corner from the port, and the hotel’s fresh, brand-new feel — something of a rarity in a city as old as Split — the Hotel Luxe’s notable attributes include the small wellness center, an ample buffet breakfast, and a Cigar Lounge with great people-watching opportunities over the street below. And after returning from sightseeing, it’s a relaxed spot to sip rakija, the local version of grappa.