The Best Budget Hotels and Hostels on Hvar, Croatia

Set on a hill a fair stroll from the action in Hvar town, the Villa Marija offers several facilities you would expect of a three- or even four-star hotel. For a start, it has a pool, a cocktail bar and even a private apartment if you’d rather not sleep in one of the 100-plus dorm beds. You can also book boats, scooters and various excursions. As well as comfort, security is paramount, with pin-protected admission to each individual dorm.

‘Party hard and sleep easy’ is the motto at the Green Lizard, tucked away within walking distance of Hvar town harbour. As such, it lays on pub crawls and provides hammocks and beanbags beneath welcome shade. The kitchen is also outdoors. The three-bed female dorms are popular, and all sleeping areas are air-conditioned, colourful and airy.

One of two Jelsa hotels in the Adriatic Islands mini-chain, the Hotel Hvar provides features above the remit of most three-stars. Massages, facials and other treatments are available in the Beauty & Spa area, attached to two seawater pools and a gym. Other sports facilities include a football pitch used in a local league and a sports hall, and there’s access to a tennis court, diving and cycling. A children’s club runs from mid June to mid September. All 200-plus rooms have balconies, and the beach and ferry port are both reasonably close.

Once a 16th-century palace, now alongside The Palace in the Sunčani Hvar hotel chain, the Park has a refreshingly independent choice of 14 suites and one room. The smaller units in particular are remarkable value given that you’re steps away from the now exclusive waterfront of Hvar town harbour. At once both echoing its heritage as a historic property and former life as a Mediterranean hotel in the 1930s, the impeccably furnished Park also contains a decent restaurant and bar that turns into a nightclub after dark.

The Vila Irming is one of those away-from-it-all places that Hvar does so well. On the coast of the pretty fishing village of Sveta Nedjelja, an equidistant 20-minute drive from either Hvar town, Stari Grad or Jelsa, this family villa is surrounded by little but pine trees and sea, with beaches close by. There are also restaurants, and a barbecue for outdoor feasts. You can spend all day swinging in one of the hammocks, sat by the pool or taking one of the boats out. Diving and climbing are also offered, for those after an active break. The friendly owners can arrange transfers to and from main points of entry.

Located near a pretty bay but close to Hvar harbour at the same time, the Villa Skansi appeals to young travellers looking to party by night and chill out by day. Dorms are limited to under-35s. Key features include a large patio bar and dining area overlooking the Adriatic, an equally expansive communal kitchen and an outdoor lounging zone designed for hangovers. The organised bar crawl proves popular, and scooter and boat rental are also offered.