Hvar is two islands in one. Hvar Town, at the western end, is the glamorous harbour: yachts on the quay, the Pakleni Islands across the water and late summer nights. A short drive east, Stari Grad and Jelsa have sheltered bays, vineyards and quieter evenings. Where you sleep decides which Hvar you get. This guide explains the areas, compares seven upscale hotels and covers ferries and taxi boats.
This article contains affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read our affiliate disclosure.
Quick answer: where to stay in Hvar
- For the old town and the harbour: Palace Elisabeth, Hvar Heritage Hotel, a five-star on the main square.
- For a spa and a rooftop pool in Hvar Town: Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel, on the harbour promenade.
- For a quiet resort with Michelin recognition: Maslina Resort, in a bay just outside Stari Grad.
- For a small hideaway by the water: Little Green Bay, in Lozna bay, a short drive from Hvar Town.
- For families: Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort near Hvar Town, or Valamar Amicor near Stari Grad.
New to the island? Our Hvar travel guide covers sights, beaches and food. If Hvar is one stop on a longer Croatian trip, compare it with the mainland and other islands in the best luxury hotels in Croatia.
Check prices and availability
Hvar’s hotels are largely seasonal and the best rooms in Hvar Town go early for July and August. If your dates are fixed, compare rates now.
The areas explained: Hvar Town, Stari Grad, Jelsa and the quiet bays
Hvar Town: the harbour, the scene and the noise
Hvar Town wraps around a deep harbour below its hilltop fortress, with St Stephen’s Square running down to the water. Anyone who knows Venice will recognise the loggia and campanile: the island spent centuries under the Venetian Republic. Catamarans from Split arrive here, taxi boats to the Pakleni Islands leave from here, and most restaurants and bars are a few minutes’ walk away.
The trade-off is noise. In July and August the harbour stays lively well past midnight, and rooms facing the waterfront hear it. The town council voted in March 2025 to keep a summer noise limit of 85 decibels for venues, which helps but does not make the centre quiet. Light sleepers should ask for a room away from the harbour front. The town also fines behaviour such as walking the streets in swimwear, so cover up between beach and bar.
Choose Hvar Town if: you want to walk everywhere, eat out every night and take boats to the Pakleni Islands without a transfer.
Stari Grad: the old capital on a long, calm bay
Stari Grad sits at the end of a long inlet on the north shore, beside the Stari Grad Plain, an ancient Greek field system listed by UNESCO. The car ferry from Split arrives here, yet the town is calm, with stone quays and small squares. Allow roughly 20 to 30 minutes by car to Hvar Town. For wine lovers it is the natural base: vineyards line the plain and our Korčula and Hvar wine guide covers the grapes and cellars worth seeking out.
Choose Stari Grad if: you are bringing a car, want a calmer base or plan to explore the whole island.
Jelsa and Vrboska: harbour life without the crowds
Further east, Jelsa is a small harbour town with a pretty square and a pine-backed waterfront, and neighbouring Vrboska has a little canal and bridges. Both suit travellers who want cafés and boats without Hvar Town’s nightlife. The honest drawback: upscale hotel choice in Jelsa is thin, and most good stays are private villas and apartments, so the hotels below focus on Hvar Town, Stari Grad and the bays.
Choose Jelsa if: you prefer a villa, a quiet harbour and day trips by car or boat.
The quieter bays
Small bays outside the towns hold a few boutique hotels and villas: silence at night, Hvar Town a short drive away. The catch is that dinner in town depends on taxis or transfers, so factor in the cost.
The best upscale hotels in Hvar
Every hotel below is listed as open for 2026. Most close in winter and not all publish exact dates, so confirm with the hotel for spring or autumn trips.
Palace Elisabeth, Hvar Heritage Hotel (Hvar Town)
The landmark of Hvar Town stands just above the main square, overlooking the harbour. It began as a 13th century palace and was remodelled in 1899 with the support of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, whose name it carries. Today it is a five-star heritage hotel of 45 rooms, revamped in 2019, with sea-view rooms and suites, a spa with sauna and Turkish bath, and both indoor and outdoor pools listed. The San Marco restaurant looks over the town.
On Michelin status our research turned up contradictory information: the hotel group says Palace Elisabeth was awarded two Michelin Keys, while the Michelin Guide’s own hotel page lists one Key. It was not clear to us which applies in 2026, so check the Michelin Guide before you book if this matters to you. Either way, it is recognised by the guide.
Best for: couples who want history, a central address and the harbour at the door.
Check rates at Palace Elisabeth
Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel (Hvar Town)
On the harbour promenade, a few minutes’ walk from the main square and the quay, Adriana is the spa hotel of Hvar Town. The hotel describes a wellness area of 1,600 square metres with a gym, an indoor pool, and a rooftop pool with terraces and a rooftop bar overlooking the marina and the old town. Penthouse suites have balconies with sea views.
The rooftop bar is busy at sunset in high season. The star rating and room count are not published on the pages we checked, so ask the hotel.
Best for: spa time and sunset views without leaving town.
Check rates at Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel
Riva Marina Hvar Hotel (Hvar Town)
Riva sits right on the waterfront in the heart of the harbour, facing the yachts. The building opened as a hotel in 1914 and was renovated in 2022. Booking platforms list it as a four-star with around 50 rooms, plus the Roots restaurant, a bar and a terrace on the quay. There is no pool on site, but guests can use the pool at sister hotel Adriana, about five minutes’ walk away.
Step out of the lobby and you are on the quay where the day boats leave. It is also where harbour noise is loudest.
Best for: sociable couples and boat people who want to be on the waterfront itself.
Check rates at Riva Marina Hvar
Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort (Hvar Town)
Amfora is the largest hotel in the Sunčani Hvar group, set in its own bay just outside the centre. The hotel quotes about 10 minutes to Hvar Town. Its signature is the cascading pool stepping down towards the sea, and it has beachfront access in the bay. The rooms were renovated for the 2026 season, according to the hotel. The group does not publish the room count or the names of its restaurants on the page we checked, so ask the hotel for details.
Best for: families who want pools and a beach within easy reach of Hvar Town.
Check rates at Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort
Little Green Bay (Lozna bay, near Hvar Town)
Little Green Bay is a small boutique hotel of restored stone buildings in Lozna bay, about 10 minutes by car from Hvar Town. Hotel guides list around 15 rooms and suites; the hotel itself does not publish a total on the pages we could access, so check with the hotel. Guests have direct access to the water from stone paths, with loungers and paddleboards and kayaks for guests, a terrace restaurant serving lunch and dinner, and a small spa area.
This is the place for quiet. For an evening in town you will need a taxi, so ask the hotel about transfers.
Best for: couples who want a hideaway by the water and only the occasional night out.
Check rates at Little Green Bay
Charlotte’s tip: split your stay
With a week on Hvar, two bases work better than one. Spend three nights in Hvar Town for the restaurants and the Pakleni Islands, then four nights near Stari Grad or in a quiet bay for vineyards, swimming and sleep. Arriving by catamaran in Hvar Town and leaving on the Stari Grad car ferry makes the order easy.
Maslina Resort (Stari Grad)
Maslina sits in Maslinica bay, within walking distance of Stari Grad and its ferry port. The resort has 53 rooms, suites and villas, every one overlooking the water, and holds one Michelin Key. There are two outdoor pools, a pebble beach in the bay and a spa with sauna, steam rooms and a Turkish bath, plus yoga. The kitchen uses produce from the resort’s organic garden, and the Michelin Guide lists its Terra restaurant in Stari Grad.
Maslina opens from early May to mid October. For the full picture read our Maslina Resort review.
Best for: couples and wellness travellers who want calm, design and the whole island within reach.
Valamar Amicor Green Resort (Stari Grad)
A four-star family resort run by Valamar, close to Stari Grad’s historic centre. It is built around children: the Aquamar water park with slides, an eco playroom, an outdoor playground with a zipline, a game lounge and an organic garden. Families can book villas and family suites for up to six people, some villas with private pools. Dining includes a buffet restaurant, the à la carte Mediterraneo and a patisserie, and there is an outdoor spa. The beaches nearby are pebble; the resort does not describe a beach of its own.
It is family-focused rather than luxury, and some booking sites list it as Valamar Amicor Resort. For room count and 2026 dates, ask the hotel.
Best for: families with younger children who want a water park and space.
Check prices and availability
Prefer a villa in Jelsa or a smaller guesthouse? Compare options across the island.
Comparison table: Hvar hotels at a glance
| Hotel | Area | Standout | Noise level | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palace Elisabeth | Hvar Town, main square | Heritage five-star, 45 rooms, spa | Central, lively in summer | Couples, history |
| Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel | Hvar Town, harbour promenade | Rooftop pool, 1,600 m² spa | Lively at sunset | Spa lovers |
| Riva Marina Hvar Hotel | Hvar Town, on the quay | Waterfront, Roots restaurant | Loudest | Boat days, nightlife |
| Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort | Bay outside Hvar Town | Cascading pool, rooms renovated 2026 | Moderate | Families, groups |
| Little Green Bay | Lozna bay | Small, on the water | Very quiet | Couples, hideaway |
| Maslina Resort | Maslinica bay, Stari Grad | One Michelin Key, two pools, spa | Quiet | Wellness, design |
| Valamar Amicor Green Resort | Stari Grad | Water park, family villas | Busy by day, calm at night | Young families |
Getting there and around: ferries, catamarans and taxi boats
Hvar has four ports: Hvar Town, Stari Grad, Jelsa and Sućuraj.
- Split to Hvar Town (catamaran): foot passengers only, about one hour, run by Jadrolinija and Krilo. It sails all year, more often in summer.
- Split to Stari Grad (car ferry): Jadrolinija, about two hours, several sailings a day. Buses meet the ferry and continue to Hvar Town. Book a car space ahead in July and August.
- Split to Jelsa (catamaran): stops at Bol on Brač on the way; check the timetable for your dates.
- Drvenik to Sućuraj (car ferry): a short crossing to the far eastern tip, handy if you drive up from Dubrovnik, but Sućuraj is about 80 kilometres by road from Hvar Town.
- Split airport: at Kaštela, about half an hour by road from the ferry port.
Coming from Italy: Jadrolinija’s car ferry from Ancona to Split normally runs all year, but the company has suspended its international sailings until 5 January 2027, so check before you plan. Our guide to Italy to Croatia by boat covers the alternatives, and Split itself deserves a night or two: see our Split and Diocletian’s Palace guide.
Taxi boats: from Hvar Town’s waterfront, taxi boats and day boats cross to the Pakleni Islands, a few minutes away. In July and August a taxi boat also links ACI Marina Palmižana with Hvar Town. For private hire, routes along the south coast and the best coves, read Hvar and the Pakleni Islands by boat.
On the island: a car or driver helps if you stay outside Hvar Town; book evening transfers in advance in peak season.
When to go and how to book
- June and September: warm sea and more space in the bays than in high summer.
- July and August: peak prices and peak noise in Hvar Town. Book hotels and car ferry spaces early.
- May, October and winter: some restaurants and hotels are closed, and most resort hotels close for winter. Check dates first.
Prices on Hvar are in euros. Ask about minimum stays in July and August.
Hotels we looked at but did not include
Villa Nora in Hvar Town has eight rooms and no pool, which places it mid-range rather than upscale. The former two-star Hotel Sirena, in a cove north of town, has been rebuilt by Sunčani Hvar as the four-star Sirena Resort Hvar. Our research turned up contradictory information on its opening: the group announced 1 July 2026, while booking platforms gave August 2026, so confirm with the hotel. We will cover it once there is more to report. For the Dubrovnik side of a Dalmatian trip, see where to stay in Dubrovnik.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hvar Town too noisy to stay in?
In July and August the harbour front is lively late into the night. Choose a room away from the waterfront, or stay in a bay or Stari Grad and come in for dinner.
Is Stari Grad or Hvar Town better for a first visit?
Hvar Town for restaurants, nightlife and the Pakleni Islands on foot. Stari Grad for a car, calm evenings and vineyards.
How do I get from Split to Hvar?
Take the passenger catamaran to Hvar Town (about one hour) or the Jadrolinija car ferry to Stari Grad (about two hours). Jelsa has a catamaran via Bol.
Are Hvar hotels open in winter?
Most upscale hotels on Hvar close in winter. Maslina, for example, opens from early May to mid October. Check exact dates with each hotel.
