Croatia’s gorgeous Dalmatian coast continues to heat up with new hotel openings. On the island of Brač (a short trip by boat from Split on the mainland), the five-star Hotel Lemongarden recently debuted in the fishing village of Sutivan. With just 22 suites and six guestrooms, the boutique hotel is housed inside three, 300-year-old stone houses, surrounded by lush gardens filled with bougainvillea, roses, and hibiscus flowers. Rooms are decorated with floors made of Brač marble and custom furniture built by a local carpenter. Other luxurious accents include Murano chandeliers and fabrics by Missoni. Note: The luxury maisonettes are spacious, two-storey accommodations for up to four people.
Hotel Lemongarden has an outdoor pool, and a private beach is a 10-minute walk away. The hotel’s Mediterranean restaurant is helmed by chef Željko Neven Bremec, who earned the title of World Master Chef in 2013. Fish are purchased from local fishermen, while the hotel’s organic farm supplies vegetables and fruit for the kitchens. Even the bread and pasta are homemade. An exclusive Lemongarden spa is slated to open in 2017.