Travel
Croatia Cool
Croatia may not be on your travel list of places to see-- but it should be. American born and raised Emily Little, who now lives in London, explored the country and discovered a culture of cool.
by Emily Little
Traveling through Europe you're bound to see wonderful places like Italy, France and Spain but Croatia serves as a gateway to eastern Europe. It's a country many Americans have never seen. Croatia lies along the east coast of the Adriatic Sea and shares a border with Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, and Slovenia. The country has rocky coastlines, wooded mountains, plains, lakes, rolling hills and yes, some fabulous hotels.
Should your travels take you to Croatia, we strongly suggest a stopover on the Adriatic island of Korcula (a relatively short ferry stop away from Dubrovnik), where we chanced upon a gem of a hotel, Lesic Dimitri.
Husband and wife team, Tania and Toni Lozica, spent seven years refurbishing two former bishopric palaces, turning them into six multi-roomed suites each with a different theme predicated on Marco Polo’s Silk Road route: China, Venice, Arabia, Ceylon, India and of course, Korcula.
The inspired décor and modern amenities, couched in such rich historical settings, will tempt you to skip the site seeing and scuba diving.
Creative touches, like a panorama of Venice lining the interior of a gigantic lampshade suspended from the ceiling, Alice in Wonderlandesque oversized dining room table and chairs, and marble bathtubs big enough for the Brady Bunch lend to the luxurious vibe.
With the exception of Ceylon, all apartments have 2 bedrooms or more, perfect for group (or family) holidays. The hotel sleeps 26 collectively, all of which can be booked should you decide on that destination wedding or wish to gather your friends in one place for an extended stay. Rates start at €240-775 (€3025 for the entire hotel) in the low season and go up to €385-1200 (€4785) at peak times.
In addition to a topnotch spa, the hotel also runs one of the best restaurants on the island. Take a seat overlooking the beautiful sea and sit back as knowledgeable waitstaff suggest local wine pairings with the various crustini creations, sumptuous pasta and famous fish dishes.
(Note: we went back for dinner after thoroughly enjoying lunch here.)