A two-minute walk from Korcula’s central area, the Lesic Dimitri Palace occupies a restored 18^th-century bishop’s residence. Today, the boutique property has five fully serviced suites (complete with kitchens and washing machines), each named after a place Marco Polo visited (Venice, China, Arabia, India, Ceylon).

The décor in the five residences follows a mostly white color palate, but each feature touches from the destination it is named for. The three-bedroom Venice suite is the largest, and boasts a stunning birdcage-like alcove, while the one-bedroom Arabia suite is draped in white silks and offers 360-degree views of the town and surroundings. While there are no communal hotel spaces, the rooms all have either a balcony or courtyard, so there is ample private space for lounging.

The hotel’s extensive LD Spa and its restaurant, which serves superb Croatian cuisine in a waterside setting, make the Lesic Dimitri a top choice for visitors touring the Croatian islands. There is no pool, but guests can walk across the street from the hotel to a rocky beach with crystalline waters. The town’s nightlife is centered on bars and restaurants down the alley from the hotel, but the Lesic Dimitri is set just far enough away that the only sounds guests will hear at night are the nearby church bells’ melodious chimes.

In 1703, brothers Ivan Petar, Juraj and Ivan Marchi built a stone chapel and castle as a last line of defense against pirates invading the desolate bays of western Solta. Today, the historic family home has been turned into a six-room boutique hotel overlooking the sleepy and sunbaked harbor of Maslinica.

Croatia tends to lack truly sophisticated design hotels, however the rooms here are modern, bright and spacious, if sparsely furnished. The charm comes from the building's ancient bones and stone windows that open to the intimate harbor below. The hotel also has a beautiful, serene pool and a terrace restaurant serving that serves seafood and updated Dalmatian classics.