The Plitvice national park, in wooded hills way south of Zagreb, is famed for its 'seventeen lakes of a beautiful turquoise colour, linked by waterfalls and cascades: one of the great natural wonders of Europe'.

In south Dalmatia, this ancient stone-built fishing village is off the main coast road north-west of Dubrovnik. It is 'quiet, and gorgeous, with lots of narrow streets suitable only for pedestrians'.

The Pucic Palace hotel sits in the peaceful Gundulic Square at the centre of the Old Town in Dubrovnik.

On the small island of Lopud, 45 minutes by ferry from Dubrovnik, this 'charming hotel', run by its owners, the Vilina family, is warmly recommended.

This classic seaside resort was popular with the aristocracy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

St Joseph's is a small, elegant boutique hotel set in a restored townhouse dating from the 16th century and located on a quiet street in the heart of Dubrovnik's Old Town.

This historic city/port is the cultural and economic centre of Dalmatia, and this 'lovely old stone building', managed by Joze Tomaš, is used by business people, but other travellers love it too.

'Pleasantly situated' on the Bay of Gruz, three kilometres from Dubrovnik Old Town, this small luxury hotel is a conversion of a family home built in 1573.

Terraced on to a cliff on the southern side of Dubrovnik, this striking modern building faces the old walled town and the island of Lokrum.

On a small private island in the south Adriatic, off the coast of the island of Hvar, this 'splendid' complex ('my favourite place for a weekend break', says a fan) is owned and run by Dagmar Meneghello, journalist and arts patron, with her three adult children, Djenko, Romina and Tarin.

Studio Kairos is a small, family-run boutique hotel set just 15 minutes' walk or four tram stops from the main city square.