Welcome to the pine-scented islet of Koločep (known by locals as Kalamota), located a short boat ride from Dubrovnik. This teeny island has just two harbourside villages, Donje Čelo and Gornje Čelo, made up of old stone cottages and villas, and connected by a lovely footpath that winds its way for 20 minutes through olive groves and orchards planted with fig trees and lemon trees. Nature is unspoilt and abundant, and the air fragrant with wild herbs.
At the water's edge in Gornje Čelo lies the charming Kalamota Beach House. Although it's new, the hotel was built on the site of the old Pansion Kalamota, dating from 1928, which was much-loved by European artists, musicians and writers of that time. Now there are 11 spacious suites of varying sizes, all with glistening sea views. Out front, a wide stone terrace, lined by towering palms, hosts the G Chelo bar-restaurant, while a row of baldachini sun beds, shaded by white chiffon drapes, look directly onto the bay. And on the hotel's rooftop, approached up stone steps adorned by fragrant jasmine and pink hydrangeas, is a secluded aqua-tiled pool and a wooden deck with sun beds. Service, from reception to housekeeping is very welcoming and professional at all times; nothing is too much trouble for them to arrange for you. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
Highs
- Peaceful location on a car-free islet with lush Mediterranean planting, a sandy beach and clear turquoise waters for swimming
- Proximity to medieval-walled Dubrovnik, served by regular ferry and catamaran, and a ferry landing station directly out front
- Suites have one or two bedrooms, plus sofabeds and kitchenettes, making them ideal for families
- All suites have gorgeous sea views and either a furnished balcony or terrace
- Waterside terrace with bar-restaurant serving all-day drinks and creative Mediterranean fare plus baldachini sun-beds for sunbathing
Lows
- No twin beds
- Spacious modern bathrooms come with walk-in shower but no bathtub
- Koločep is a tiny island with limited nightlife – but utterly romantic under a full moon
Best time to go
For swimming and sunbathing, summer is the obvious time to visit and the sea is warm enough to swim from June through September. Dalmatia, and especially Dubrovnik, do get very busy in July and August. May and early-October are lovely for quieter pursuits and a more easy-going and relaxed atmosphere. The hotel is closed mid-October to end-April.
Our top tips
Borrow a hotel sea kayak to explore Koločep's indented shores. Paddle down to the lighthouse on the island's southern trip, passing several sand and pebble beaches along the way, then round to the southwest coast, to see plummeting rocky cliffs giving onto spectacular turquoise coves. Swim into the Blue Cave, a hidden grotto bathed in iridescent aquamarine light round midday.
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 6 independent reviews from i-escape guests
Beautiful setting on a lovely island. Somewhat overrun with boats in August, but nice to be away from Dubrovnik.
A fantastic small hotel right on the water, on a peaceful island near Dubrovnik. The location, staff and food were all excellent, and very welcoming. We particularly enjoyed swimming and snorkelling in the sea, and the fast boat trips around the island and to Dubrovnik. Our room was excellent - spacious, well-equipped, with generous outdoor space and lovely views.
We had the most wonderful week at Kalamota Beach House. The room was fantastic and the location is stunning! The staff went above and beyond to make the week a special one. I would highly recommend the hotel to anyone looking for a truly relaxing get away.
The hotel has a relaxed boho vibe and the rooms were modern with an amazing private terrace. The sea water was crystal clear and we even saw a shy octopus! We had a large kitchen in the apartment but I would really emphasise that there is no-where to buy food. There is a tiny basic shop on the other side of the island but it was too hot to walk that distance. One day the owner kindly took us there in his buggy but otherwise we wouldn't have made it. This meant that you ate at the hotel restaurant for every meal which ended up being quite expensive.
We had a really lovely stay at Kalamata beach house, the position on this beautiful island is amazing and the staff were so welcoming, friendly and helpful, from greeting us in the very relaxing outdoor bar/restaurant area when we arrived to helping us with the kayaks that are free to use (wonderful coast to kayak around). We had a lovely stay, it felt a privilege to be right by the sea on this lovely island for a swim first thing in the morning to enjoying it last thing at night when the day tripping boats had left. The outdoor bar area with laidback comfortable outdoor sofas is really lovely but it is a shame that this had constant piped music on a short loop that quickly grated on us. It was a shame that the laidback outdoor beachy living feel of this space didn’t follow through in the hotel rooms, which were a bit bland. Our terrace was spacious and with an amazing view of the bay, we really enjoyed using it. The food was disappointing for the price, a shame as we’d had amazing food elsewhere in Croatia. It must be difficult on a small island and with an 11 room hotel to get this right but even a simple BBQ with local seafood would’ve been more in tune with the lovely surroundings.
Outstanding service, stunning location and the staff's attention to detail was incredible and very personal. I cannot recommend this hotel enough. The rooms are a perfect combination of some facilities and total luxury, with extraordinary views over the bay. Enough boat action to keep you entertained but never so much it felt that you didn't have the bay and hotel to yourself. The pool and beds on the roof is perfect, incredible views. Restaurant serving food all day is fantastic, and we loved the extensive Croatian wine list. Special comment to the staff, who were without exception outstanding in every way. Cannot wait to return.
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