President Hotel, Valamar Collection

The pool, spa, gym and beach setting were all good, though each could use some investment, a deep clean and regular outdoor upkeep to meet the standard you’d expect from a five-star hotel. The bathrooms and a few furnishings also need refreshing, from the seals to the headboard and the chair and sofa arms. It felt like basic attention to maintenance was missing, and a regular schedule would make a difference. We stayed four nights with our teenage daughter and really enjoyed the visit. Breakfast was great, and the staff were friendly and very helpful. The bar and restaurant, though, felt expensive for menus with fairly limited choices.

The sea view from the lobby was the first thing that really struck us. We’d just arrived in Croatia, and even the hotel transfer felt welcoming because we got to chat with the driver and experience the locals’ warmth. When we mentioned our honeymoon, manager Matko Maric quietly upgraded us to a lovely suite. There were towel swans arranged in hearts in the bedroom, and the balcony was a peaceful spot to enjoy the view. They’d also left us a complimentary bottle of champagne, a lovely start to the trip. Breakfast was another highlight, with fresh-squeezed juice, great cappuccino and plenty of local dishes. We had a really good stay and felt very well looked after. The hotel made it easy to enjoy Dubrovnik’s comfort and natural beauty, and we’d recommend it.

We had a very enjoyable four-night stay in October, right as the season was winding down and many places were closing. We’d originally booked Valamar Argosy hotel, but were told two weeks before our trip that it would close early, so we were offered this hotel instead. It’s a very nice place, with a huge reception. The hotel is on floor 7, and things go down from there: breakfast, bar and terrace on 6; gym, spa, wellness centre and outdoor pool on 5; our room was on 3; and the public restaurant and beachfront are on 0. There’s swimming in the sea, with markers showing how far out you can go, as well as a pier. We came for my friend’s birthday. She’s gluten free, and the staff made her a gluten-free birthday cake and brought it to the room with a bottle of fizz. Everyone was so friendly. We did have a small hiccup with room service: the phone didn’t work, and staff said they’d tried to call to ask how we wanted the steak cooked. I’d definitely come back to this area and hotel.

The main drawback for me was the temperature of the breakfast food. We arrived as soon as breakfast opened, but the poached eggs, potatoes, grilled vegetables and oatmeal were all room temperature. Only the eggs or omelet cooked while you waited came out hot. I prefer food at least warm. There was plenty to choose from among the cold items, though, and those were all lovely. Breakfast was included. Everything else was very nice and clean, from reception and the pool to the workout area and the bar with live music in the evening. The view was wonderful, too. Getting around was easy: we bought bus passes, and the stop was right outside the hotel, with routes into Dubrovnik’s old city, to laundry down the road and to groceries. The food issue wouldn’t stop me from staying here again.