Palace Elisabeth, hvar heritage hotel

Palace Elisabeth, hvar heritage hotel

Palace Elisabeth stands directly above Hvar's city hall, its rooms and terraces looking down on the main square where the town's evening walk still happens the way it always has. The building's history runs back to the 13th century, rebuilt in 1899 as the Spa Hotel Empress Elisabeth and named for Sisi, the Austrian empress known for her restless love of travel. Venetian and Austrian architectural details remain in the stonework, giving the place a weight that newer builds along the coast cannot fake. It is the first full-service heritage hotel in Hvar's old town itself, not a resort ten minutes down the coast, which matters if walking to dinner, the harbor and the square without a shuttle is the point of the trip. Inside, there is an indoor pool and an outdoor one, a spa with sauna, steam room and massage, a fitness room and a diving club, so the water sports do not require leaving the building. Pets are welcome, for a fee. A private beach and the nearby Lucica and Bonj beaches cover the swimming that a historic square cannot. Rooms run from standard doubles to a penthouse and a presidential suite, most with balconies, air conditioning and sea or garden views, though the entry-level rooms face the city instead. Anyone after a quiet, isolated hideaway should look elsewhere on the island. Anyone who wants the main square outside the window and a spa downstairs will not find both together anywhere else in Hvar. A heritage hotel built into the walls above Hvar's main square, with an indoor pool, spa and diving club a few floors down. It suits those who want the old town outside the door, not those chasing an isolated beach resort. Pets welcome, for a fee.