Hedera Estate, Hedera A38

Hotel Description

I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to Hedera Estate on Fra Filipa Grabovca, I wasn’t expecting much from the exterior. It’s tucked away on this quiet residential street in Lapad, and you might actually drive past it if you’re not paying attention. But here’s the thing about Dubrovnik: some of the best places hide in plain sight, and this turned out to be one of them.

What immediately struck me was how refreshingly normal the neighborhood felt. You know how some hotels stick you in touristy areas where everything’s overpriced and feels artificial? Well, this is the opposite. You’re staying where actual locals live – there’s a little bakery around the corner where the owner remembers your coffee order by day three, and the morning sounds are church bells and kids heading to school, not tour buses rumbling past your window. The Lapad peninsula has this laid-back residential vibe that honestly took me by surprise. It’s maybe a 15-minute walk to the main Lapad beach (which locals prefer over the crowded spots near Old Town), and you can catch the bus to Dubrovnik’s historic center pretty easily, though I ended up walking the coastal path most days because the views are ridiculous.

The hotel itself punches above its weight for a 4-star place. The rooms have this understated elegance – nothing flashy, but everything works exactly as it should. My room faced the garden, which meant it stayed cool even during those brutal July afternoons, and the AC wasn’t one of those ancient units that sounds like a helicopter landing. The staff genuinely seemed to care about getting things right, not just going through the motions. When I mentioned I was interested in local wine, the receptionist – I think her name was Ana – actually wrote down three specific shops in the area, complete with which bottles to ask for. That kind of local insight you just can’t get from chain hotels. The breakfast spread was solid, though honestly, after a few days I found myself grabbing coffee and pastries from that neighborhood bakery instead. There’s something about eating where the locals eat that just feels more authentic, you know? One small thing that impressed me: they had proper blackout curtains, which might sound trivial until you’re trying to sleep off jet lag and Croatian summer sunshine is streaming through your windows at 5:30 AM.

What really sets this place apart is the balance it strikes. You’re not isolated from Dubrovnik’s energy, but you’re not drowning in it either. After spending your day fighting crowds in Old Town (which you absolutely should do – it’s stunning), coming back to this quiet corner of Lapad feels like a genuine retreat. The 8.6 rating makes sense once you’re there – it’s the kind of place that doesn’t try to be everything to everyone, but does what it does really well.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $87. One-Bedroom Apartment with 1 large double bed and 1 sofa bed for Max persons: 2

Reviews

• Boris from Croatia – 3 February 2025 (9/10)

  Since I use to work in hospital, it was a perfect location to avoid morning and afternoon rush hour.

• Jovana from Netherlands – 15 September 2024 (8/10)

  It's a great apartment, easy to walk to close by forest and to the old town. Everything was new and clean.
  
  What could be improved: The reception was unreachable if called, but very spamy with messages. There is a website to put in your documents to get access to information needed to enter the apartment. However, this website was almost impossible to access from the Netherlands as it is marked as phishing and made this offer feel less reliable.

• Jessica from United Kingdom – 14 July 2024 (9/10)

  The apartment was perfect for me and my sister. It felt very clean and well kept and the aircon was a godsend. The apartment is in a really nice spot as it's away from the hectic old town, but also near a bus stop with very frequent buses. The driver who did our airport transfer – Aljosa – was an absolute gem, telling us loads of different stories and facts about the area, it really made our day.

• Maria from Netherlands – 18 October 2023 (9/10)

  Nice apartment

• Marius-iulian from Romania – 21 July 2022 (9/10)

  Everything is clean and nice, as shown in the pictures. Really good value for money.
  
  What could be improved: If you are planning to explore the area by foot, be aware that there are some hills you will need to climb.
  Could be better communication with the host, via booking messages.

• Jon from Puerto Rico – 23 October 2023 (3/10)

  What could be improved: I explained to rental company before renting that I was being discharged form the hospital after having a heart attack. Was not told that the appartment was in the middle of a residential community. The local kids use the front porch and parking lot as their playground. We love kids but trying to relax with 8 to 10 kids sceeming and bouncing balls for hours on in was just to much. We called rental company and asked if we could move or get a refund and they told us "NO". They suggested we ask the kids to find somewhere else to play for the next 8 days will we were there. My wife tried but it only lasted a few minutes. They did not understand being they skoke no English or Spanish. Didnt want to take photos of the kids but the are they play in. Apartment is infront of the white car.
  If you only need a place to sleep from 10 pm until 6 am, this place is for you. If not, do not make the mistake we did, you will be very disappointed.
  Fixtures have fallen off the walls in the bathroom.

• Andi from Germany – 21 April 2025 (8/10)

  Das Appartement ist liegt abseits vom Trubel. Es ist im EG und hat einen kleinen Balkon zur Nordseite. Hinter dem Haus ist ein kleiner Wald, so dass man dort sehr gut mit seinem Hund gehen kann. Das Personal hat sich per SMS bzw. per Mail gemeldet. Die Kommunikation hat sehr gut funktioniert.

• Nata from Croatia – 9 December 2024 (9/10)

  Udobnost prostora
  Mir , perilica za suđe odlična
  Super kvart
  
  What could be improved: Sve odlicno

• Alain from Belgium – 3 October 2024 (9/10)

  De rustige omgeving in een residentiële wijk.
  Ook een rustig terras voor de deur.
  En dan ook nog een doodlopend straatje waar er blijkbaar achter een halfopen hekken een wandelwegje lag (te laat gezien om te ontdekken)
  
  What could be improved: In de badkamer zou een viertal kledijhaakjes tegenover de douche interessant zijn.

• Nicolò from Italy – 23 September 2024 (9/10)

  Casa stupenda, perfetta per una coppia, con tutto il necessario e anche di più. Pulita, accogliente, ben arredata e veramente bella. Anche il quartiere in cui si trova è molto carino, ma purtroppo i mezzi pubblici sono poco presenti.
  
  What could be improved: L'unico punto negativo è la posizione, ovvero alla fine di una salita molto ripida. Abbastanza scomoda da raggiungere senza mezzi di trasporto. Consiglio di noleggiare una macchina o uno scooter.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities