Imagine building your own private retreat on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast. What would you think to include? That’s exactly the question the owners of Sun Gardens Dubrovnik found themselves confronted with when they came upon a nearly 55-acre plot of land perched on the limestone hillside of Orašac, seven miles from the UNESCO-protected center of Dubrovnik.
With the idea of replicating a traditional Mediterranean village designed around some of the property’s more noteworthy ruins, like a 1512 stone palazzo where Florentine statesman, Piero Soderini, lived in exile after being banished from Italy by the Medici’s, the plans for Dubrovnik’s only luxury seaside resort were laid.
With the idea of replicating a traditional Mediterranean village, the plans for Dubrovnik’s only luxury seaside resort were laid.
First came the bare necessities: shelter, water, and food; thus the 201 charming rooms and suites, and 207 luxury residences, surrounded by three sprawling swimming pools, private beaches, and secluded coves that frame the shimmering Adriatic Sea. 16 on-site restaurants and bars, serving everything from locally-caught seafood, to traditional Croatian cuisine and haute Italian cooking, are punctuated by majestic sea views and panoramas of the Elaphiti islands in the distance.
Next came the walking and shopping arcades, surrounded by mature gardens of citrus, olive, and pine trees; and fragrant white and pink oleander bushes. The pristine spa center, known for its products crafted with native Croatian ingredients, features coal and salt saunas, as well as a Turkish hammam, aromatherapy steam room, a thalassotherapy bath with 252 water jets, and an 60 foot lagoon with a waterfall and underwater loungers.
The pièce de résistance though, is the state-of-the-art sports center, designed for active travelers looking to keep up with their healthy habits whilst on holiday. Take advantage of the expansive facilities with a personal training session at the fully equipped gym. Or make your own fun on the indoor and outdoor soccer pitches, clay tennis courts, squash courts, full-size climbing wall, and aerobics gyms.
Also on offer are the Sun Gardens Summer Festival, a series of spectacular open-air performances during the warmer months; and a suite of facilities and services to keep the kids entertained. One such program? A series of summer sports academies for children taught by talented coaches and former professional athletes, as in the month-long soccer camp, coached by Ognjen Vukojević, a former member of the Croatian national soccer team, and Champions League player.