HVAR - Croatia and Slovenia - page 390

Lively Nightlife
HvarprobablyhasDalmatia'smosthappening“après-beach”scene.Expectveryhighprices
for drinks, and prepare to share the nightspots with a very flush international jet-set crowd.
On balmy summer evenings, partying is best enjoyed in three stages. (Note that virtually all
of the places below are closed from about early October through early May.)
Stage 1: Watch the sunset from the groovy Hula Hula beach bar, with drinks—and
tables—“on the rocks” (literally). Don't expect a relaxed vibe here—in summer, it's abso-
lutely jam-packed (drinks with light food and snacks, open daily from 9:00, “chill-out mu-
sic” until 17:00, then a live DJ with dance-club ambience, hopping until about 23:00; for
directions, see here ) . When I asked if older guests would be comfortable here, they smirked
and said, “When they come here, everybody feels young!”
Stage 2: Head for the bars in the center of town, along the harbor (including
Sidro —known for its cheap drinks and friendly service—as well as Nautica, Lion's Pub,
and so on). Just above this strip of bars, on the ground floor of Hotel Park, is Club Park,
with elegant Tuscan living-room ambience.
Stage 3: If you're still going strong, continue to one of the late-night options. While
these places brag about their rich and famous guests, many travelers find them overpriced
and overrated. But, when in Hvar... Carpe Diem is an exclusive-feeling cocktail bar along
the harbor, right next to Hotel Riva (Carpe Diem also has their own beach bar on Stipanska
Island, www.carpe-diem-hvar.com ) . Pink Champagne, the most chichi of the bunch, is up
the lane beyond the bus station and parking lot, near the police station.
Sleeping in Hvar
In keeping with its posh reputation, Hvar has some of the most expensive accommodations
inCroatia.Asusual, sobe andapartmentsareamoreaffordableoption(see here ) thanhotels,
but there are relatively few in the center of town; you'll have to walk 10 to 20 minutes
to reach many of them (fortunately, the ones I've listed are cozy, well-equipped, well-run,
and worth the walk). Very few Hvar accommodations involve a level stroll from the harbor
or bus station (and those that do are very expensive); plan on climbing several steps and/
or trudging up steep and dull suburban streets to reach most places. The farther and steep-
er you're willing to walk, the better the price and views (most of those requiring an uphill
climb come with glorious seaview balconies on a pauper's budget). Some of my listings are
tucked away in residential areas, so they can be tricky to find (though I've carefully placed
them all onthe map on here ) ; get clear directions from yourhost, orarrange to be met at the
boat. In general, it can be challenging to find a room in July and especially August (when
all accommodations boost their rates); book as far ahead as possible for these times.