Hotel Ivka

“Excellent hotel in New Town, Dubrovnik! ”

Hotel Ivka is a wonderful hotel all around! Hotel Ivka is located in the New Town, 2 km removed from Dubrovnik's Old Town/city walls. Old Town is over priced and full of tourists, making this a quiet and an ideal place to retreat to after a long day of sightseeing. There are many restaurants nea... more

Hotel Ivka is a wonderful hotel all around! Hotel Ivka is located in the New Town, 2 km removed from Dubrovnik's Old Town/city walls. Old Town is over priced and full of tourists, making this a quiet and an ideal place to retreat to after a long day of sightseeing. There are many restaurants nearby the hotel, as well as a small fruit shop (30 metres from the hotel) and a small supermarket (about 150 metres from the hotel). I could find everything I needed for a comfortable stay nearby to the hotel. I walked to and from the Old Town (just over 2 km on foot), but bus number 6 will take you to the Old Town if you prefer to use public transport. The cost of the bus is under 2 Euro, you can purchase a ticket on the bus or at a little kiosk outside the bus, and the bus ride takes about 10 minutes. The bus stop is only 100-200 metres from the hotel. This hotel is very busy, receiving large tour groups every day. However, staff were very efficient with the check-in process. Staff were professional, courteous and were there to answer any questions you have. The reception offers a city/tourist map also. The hotel has a restaurant and a bar. I didn't use either, so I cannot comment on the quality or pricing. Rooms were very modern and nicely decorated. There were two twin beds in my room, which for me wasn't a problem. The beds were extremely comfortable and the bed linen felt clean, almost brand new. The firmness of the mattress and pillows were perfect for me! The rooms are on the smaller side, but, I had plenty of room to navigate, traveling only with a small backpack. The room came equipped with a desk, a chair, two bed side tables, a large luggage storage cabinet with hangers, and even had its own outdoor/private patio with a table and two chairs! The view from the hotel is nothing to write home about, but it was nice to have the option to sit outside in your own space should you choose. The bathrooms were clean and modern! Smartly designed, with ample space to move around. Ample towels were provided - 2 hand towels, 2 large bath towels and a floor mat. Towels were fresh, fluffy and felt brand new! Toiletries and necessities were restocked every day by housekeeping, including toilet paper, hand soap in dispenser above the sink, and in shower body/hair gel. The only other amenities provided were 2 shower caps and a couple of mugs in the room. Appreciated the enclosed shower. Water pressure and temperature were both great! There was no fridge nor was there an electric kettle, however it wasn't a problem for me. They would have been a nice perk! Air conditioning was in good working order, but, note that it is centrally controlled. You cannot adjust the temperature in your room yourself, and so it tends to be on the cooler in the room. The blanket on the bed was on the thicker side, so this kept me warm overnight. Wifi worked, but it was extremely spotty. Maybe it was just the floor I was on, but the wifi signal cut in and out. There was a flatscreen tv in the room with mostly local channels, but I was able to find a handful of entertainment and news channels in English. Important to note also that there is an elevator for those with large baggage, or who opt not to take the stairs. The breakfast buffet was one of the best in all of the Balkans! Breakfast starts at 7:00am, but with large tour groups being accommodated, the breakfast buffet can get extremely busy! Often times, guests won't find seating until the large tour group clear out in the morning. There are numerous staff working attentively to restock the breakfast and to clear away plates to ensure seating for new guests arriving to the buffet. There was so much variety and quantity to choose from, guests could find everything they need. On offer was: scrambled eggs, hard boiled eggs, bacon, sausages, fresh cut vegetables, fresh cut fruits, whole fruits for takeaway (apples, kiwis, nectarines, bananas, oranges), cakes and pastries, cookies, a good selection of cold cut meats and cheeses, garnishes like olives, muesli and multiple types of cereals, milk, juices, a variety of breads to choose from with jams, butter and other spreads. The breakfast buffet was terrific and the staff worked really hard to ensure a good flow of traffic. My only complaint is the queue for the coffee machine. The buffet has only one automatic coffee dispenser which makes coffee according to your specifications (espresso, black coffee, cappuccino, coffee with milk, hot chocolate etc.), and it was very very slow to dispense coffee. Meaning the wait times for coffee were long. Drip coffee was also on offer, but this ran empty very often with guests not wanting to wait for the coffee machine. Guests who prefer tea must also wait in the queue for the coffee machine since it's the same machine that dispenses hot water. Despite this, the breakfast buffet was one of the best I had encountered in months of traveling! Just beware the large tour groups occupying the breakfast room! Once they depart, the breakfast room is much more peaceful. Overall, I had an excellent stay at Hotel Ivka! The hotel offers good value and a nice quiet retreat from the Old Town crowds. You won't be disappointed with your stay. There is a laundry place nearby the hotel also, though I did not use the services during my stay. Suggestion: buy a Dubrovnik pass (35 Euro), which includes the Fort, the city walls and various other attractions in the Old Town! The pass is excellent value compared to paying entrance fees separately, and is valid 24 hours. Walking the city walls is a great way to escape the masses in the Old Town and offers amazing views of Dubrovnik! I wasn't interested in the cable car, knowing my panoramic view of Dubrovnik would be superior from the city walls. The pass also includes use of public transit for 24 hours, meaning you can take the bus free of charge by showing your pass.

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