Croatia Two Centre - Hotel Kazbek and Kalamota Beach House

This fabulous, boutique five-star hotel started life as a primary school and was even a prison during World War 2.

The current owners have looked more to its heritage as the cherished summer home of a Dubrovnik noble family and have carefully preserved the beautiful historic features including stone walls and arches. The property is a protected cultural monument dating back to 1573.

Approaching the hotel, Kazbek still looks like a private mansion built of traditional stone. There is a beautiful garden-courtyard in front of the building which is sea facing, with covered, shaded areas and tables and chairs. The outside courtyard has steps which lead up to the first level outside terrace. Blankets are provided for evenings in cooler periods.

Inside, the décor is traditional, even with a hint of an English country house and many of the guests are regular visitors from the UK

There is a beautiful outdoor pool and jacuzzi set in a garden to the rear of the property with sunbeds, pool towels and parasols. Further table seating for drinks and snacks and a pool bar serving these. Lunch can also be taken by the pool. The pool is heated if required (usually only April). A changing area is adjacent to the sauna area with direct access out to the pool.

Inside there is a stylish lounge with a vaulted stone ceiling, a small library area and a beautiful stone arched corridor leading to the indoor restaurant and bar. Breakfast is served from an a la carte menu and the restaurant served both international and Croatian dishes with an excellent wine list featuring Croatian wines and others.

The nearest beach is Sunset Beach on Lapad Bay, some 20 minutes’ walk and buses depart from near the hotel to the old town, journey time usually under 15 minutes.

Accommodation

• There are 13 luxuriously furnished rooms, all of different shapes and sizes due to the historic nature of the building.
• Choice of 11 superior double rooms, one suite and one deluxe room.
• Rooms and suites are located throughout the building. No balconies (not permitted due to protected monument status)

Amenities/Features

• Lounge and bar, both with pretty outside terrace areas.
• Library
• A la carte breakfast choice
• Free WiFi throughout the hotel
• Lift
• Room service
• Stylish swimming pool set in lovely garden
• Free parking

This feels like a place where James Bond might drop in on a jet-ski! In reality, the island of Kolocep is a car-free place so a jet-ski might not be allowed even for 007? “Kalamota” is the word for Kolocep in local dialect and old maps will show the island as Kalamota, not Kolocep. There are some 135 permanent inhabitants on the island

The Kalamota Beach, as the family team calls it, may well be unique in Croatia: a beautiful white stone building designed as an aparthotel with really spacious accommodation, an exquisite beachside location (and a feeling that there might be nobody else on the island) with high quality services and within easy proximity to Dubrovnik.

The owner told us that he had Kalamota Beach designed as a spacious aparthotel so that people could self-cater if they wished. In the very first year, guests barely made a salad or a cup of coffee in their apartment suite – they all wanted to chill outside. All the time.

And so, today, it is as it is: guests can prepare something “at home” for themselves (they need to buy supplies from a small supermarket in Gornje Celo a 25-minute walk away, or from Dubrovnik when sightseeing perhaps) or chill drinks in their fridge. Apparently, even when a local fisherman pulls up at the jetty offering fresh fish, guests still say they prefer to have it cooked for them. The best laid plans…and all that.

This is a pure chill-out zone both at the stone beach deck or at the rooftop open-air pool (with wonderful panoramic views)

The a la carte restaurant has an excellent local chef and there’s a pool-beach bar serving a wide range of drinks and snacks.

A few minutes’ walk around the path by the sea (under five minutes and visible from Beach Kalamota there’s a small, private local restaurant and a café-bar - both right by the sea).

On the inland side of the property there is a tiny 12th century chapel, rarely used, but where local singers sometimes perform. For 2023 there will be kayaks for hire, morning stretching exercise on request (probably in the sea) and a weekly programme of trekking for the super energetic.

Kalamota Beach is reached by the hotel’s private speedboat or by a regular boat-line from Dubrovnik twice a day. In very high season (mid-July-end August), this may increase to three times per day.

This is a great spot for a group of family or friends and is available to take as a whole in May, June, early July (minimum 9 nights stay in July) and September with very advanced notice. Please enquire.

Accommodation

• There are 10 stylish and spacious apartment suites, either one, two or three bedrooms. The design incorporates white and blue (colours of the sea and sky) with touches reflecting the island’s maritime tradition

Amenities/Features

• A la carte restaurant serving breakfast and other meals. Huge outside terrace and inside space too.
• Beach-lounge deck bar serving drinks and snacks all day (can serve drinks to rooftop pool on request)
• Free WiFi throughout the hotel
• Lift
• Private speed boat to go to Dubrovnik and back, other spots (charge)