Madonna Guesthouse II

Hotel Description

Look, I’ve stayed at my fair share of guesthouses in Croatia, and Madonna Guesthouse II is honestly one of those places that gets everything right without making a big fuss about it. It’s tucked away on Ulica Iva Vojnovića in Lapad – and if you don’t know Lapad yet, you’re about to fall in love with it. This is the peninsula where locals actually hang out, about a 15-minute bus ride from Dubrovnik’s Old Town madness. You know what I mean by madness if you’ve ever tried to grab lunch near Stradun in July.

The thing about this place is that it feels like someone’s grandmother decided to open a few rooms to travelers, except she actually knows what she’s doing. The rooms are clean in that European way where everything just works – the shower has proper pressure (miracle!), the AC doesn’t sound like a helicopter, and there’s enough space to actually unpack your suitcase. I stayed there during shoulder season in May, and honestly, I could hear the morning birds more than any traffic noise. The family running it – because it’s definitely family-run – remembers your name by day two and will chat about the best beach spots without you even asking.

What really won me over was the location, though. You’re literally a five-minute walk to Lapad Bay, where there’s this gorgeous tree-lined promenade that feels like stepping into an old postcard. The beach there isn’t the pebbly tourist trap you’ll find closer to the city walls – it’s actually sandy (well, mostly), and the water stays calm even when it’s choppy everywhere else. There’s a little café right on the water where you can grab morning coffee for the price of a normal human being, not tourist prices. Plus, the bus stop is right there when you want to head into the Old Town, and the buses run regularly – I mean, this is Croatia, so “regularly” is relative, but you won’t be waiting forever.

The guesthouse itself has that unpretentious charm that’s getting harder to find as everything gets bought up by booking chains. There’s a small terrace where you can eat breakfast if you want, and the WiFi actually works throughout the building (not always a given in these older Croatian buildings, trust me). Parking isn’t a nightmare either – they’ve got a few spots, and street parking in Lapad is way more reasonable than trying to navigate those narrow streets in Dubrovnik proper.

I’ll be honest, it’s not fancy. There’s no pool, no spa, no marble lobby with dramatic lighting. But after spending days wandering medieval walls and dodging cruise ship crowds, you don’t want fancy – you want a place that feels real. The kind of place where you can rinse off the salt water, take a proper nap, and wake up feeling like you’re staying somewhere with actual character. That 9.2 rating isn’t an accident; it’s what happens when a place consistently delivers exactly what it promises without any pretense.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $92. Studio Apartment with 1 large double bed and 1 sofa bed for Max persons: 2

Reviews

• Exceptional – Marc from Dominican Republic – 28 June 2025 (10/10)

  Very cute, great location
  
  What could be improved: should add a cofee maker

• Exceptional – Ami2 from France – 29 May 2025 (10/10)

  Beautiful place and garden. Nice and comfortable room. Very calm surroundings. Perfect !
  
  What could be improved: Dubrovnik is an expensive destination.

• Exceptional – Steven from United Kingdom – 1 May 2025 (10/10)

  A cozy guesthouse situated in a quiet area. Comfortable bed and good shower. Air-conditioning works very well. Would definitely stay again

• Nice room to rest at night while seeing the sites of Dubrovnik – Caitlin from Canada – 17 April 2025 (9/10)

  These room rentals are run by a multi-generational family and everyone was friendly and chatty when I was coming and going from the property. Nice garden and pet turtles to see. My room seemed newly renovated and had a large terrace. Good size shower with decent hot water for one person. Comfy bed and nice bedding. Midway distance between Dubrovnik Old Town and Lapad restaurants and Marina areas. I would recommend this stay for short stays.
  
  What could be improved: Less amenities than I am used to with hotel or apartment stays. It’s between a lot of the major sites, so you need to travel a bit by walking/bus/car to get to nearby sites. Occasional noise from the busy street, construction, dogs, and kids at the property that is worth being aware of.

• only a one night stay so very easy to locate, arrive, sleep and depart the next morning – Roger from United Kingdom – 22 October 2024 (9/10)

  Location: great
  Easy to find
  staff/owner: super helpful
  very close to main bus route in to DUBROVNIK (150 metres away)

• Exceptional – Papadopoulou from Greece – 8 October 2024 (10/10)

  Everything was perfect

• Excellent – Harriet from United Kingdom – 10 September 2024 (10/10)

  The location was great and in walking distance to nearby restaurants & bars. Bus ride is straight forward from the old town, the number 4 dropped us right outside our accommodation. Free parking was available which was a huge bonus. Our room was clean and perfect for what we needed.
  
  What could be improved: We were unable to connect to the wifi, but that wasn’t a huge problem for us 🙂

• Nice place to stay – İbrahim from Turkey – 31 August 2024 (8/10)

  İt was nice and the owners are very kind .The wi fi was amazing
  
  What could be improved: İt was a bit hard to find the place when you arrive.

• Great for the price – Sacha from United Kingdom – 29 August 2024 (10/10)

  Great for the price.l

• Wish could have stayed longer – Holly from Montenegro – 24 August 2024 (8/10)

  It was close enough to talk to walk but also close to the bus route if one does not want to walk. The free onsite parking was very useful if you have a car.
  The room is modern and clean, small but has everything we needed for a short stay.
  
  What could be improved: Google maps struggled with exact location, but the information from the staff with pictures on how to find the entrance were very useful.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities