Hotel Lero is located just a 15-minute walk from Dubrovnik's UNESCO-listed Old City, allowing guests easy access to the city's iconic attractions while offering a peaceful retreat away from the busy tourist hub. Strolling down to the city through Dubrovnik's charming streets is a pleasure in itself, and in the off-season, you can enjoy the sights without the summer crowds.

One of the standout features of Hotel Lero is that it remains open throughout the year. In a city where many hotels close their doors during the off-season, Hotel Lero continues to welcome guests, providing a reliable option for those who prefer to visit Dubrovnik outside the bustling summer months.

This makes it a firm favourite not just for tourists but for locals as well, who often frequent the hotel for weekend stays, events, and gatherings. The hotel's commitment to staying open all year allows visitors to experience a different side of Dubrovnik—one where you can fully appreciate the city's beauty and tranquillity.

Comfortable and Affordable Accommodation

Staying at Hotel Lero during the off-season means you can enjoy all the comforts of a four-star hotel at a fraction of the peak season prices. The hotel's rooms are modern and well-equipped, offering everything you need for a comfortable stay. Many rooms feature stunning views of the Adriatic Sea or the nearby hillside, and the hotel provides free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and cozy bedding to ensure a relaxing retreat after a day of exploring. For those seeking a bit more luxury, the hotel offers premium rooms and suites, perfect for a longer stay or a special occasion.

A Local Favorite: The Piano Bar and On-Site Dining

Hotel Lero is not just popular with visitors—it's also a favourite among locals, thanks in large part to its popular café bar, the Piano Bar. The Piano Bar is a welcoming and vibrant spot where both locals and guests come to enjoy a coffee, a cocktail, or a light meal. Its laid-back ambiance and friendly service make it an ideal place to unwind after a day of sightseeing. During the off-season, when many cafes and restaurants in Dubrovnik close, the Piano Bar remains a lively and dependable option.

In addition to the Piano Bar, Hotel Lero boasts an excellent restaurant that serves a variety of delicious dishes. The breakfast buffet is particularly popular, offering an array of fresh, locally-sourced options to start your day. Guests can enjoy everything from pastries and fruit to hearty cooked breakfasts, ensuring there's something for every palate. Whether you're indulging in a leisurely breakfast or savoring a dinner of local specialties, the hotel's dining options are sure to satisfy.

Convenient Parking and Easy Access

For those traveling by car, Hotel Lero offers the added convenience of on-site parking, a rare and valuable perk in Dubrovnik. Parking in the city can be challenging, especially in the Old Town area, but Hotel Lero's private parking makes it easy for guests to come and go as they please. Whether you're driving to nearby attractions such as the Dubrovnik Cable Car, Mount Srđ, or venturing further afield to explore the stunning Dalmatian coast, the hotel's parking ensures that you have a hassle-free base from which to explore.

According to the data from the tourist check-in and check-out system eVisitor, there are 13,300 tourists staying in Dubrovnik—five percent fewer than last year at this time.

Along with the leading British and American visitors, the most numerous guests came from Germany, Croatia, Canada, Finland, France, China, Australia, and Ireland.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been 1,207,000 arrivals and 3,862,000 overnight stays, representing a 9 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Franković reflected on yesterday's Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit, which took place on Wednesday in Dubrovnik, organized by the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia. The mayor expressed his gratitude to the citizens for their patience.

Below is the mayor’s full statement:

Dear citizens,

Yesterday, our city hosted the summit between Ukraine and Southeast European countries.

Following the major international event, the China 16+1 summit, Dubrovnik once again demonstrated its ability to organize international events at the highest security level.

It was an honor for me to welcome the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, and to present him with the book “The Enigma of Victory” by Oliver Pezo. President Zelensky, at the suggestion of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, visited the Memorial Room of Dubrovnik Defenders, where he, along with the Prime Minister, laid flowers in honor of the brave heroes of our city.

Dubrovnik, as the host city, a symbol of peace and cultural heritage, is an ideal place to send a strong message of solidarity and joint efforts to preserve freedom.

I am confident that the Dubrovnik Declaration will be an important step toward building peace.

I thank the citizens of Dubrovnik for their patience throughout the day. Thanks to you, we have once again proven ourselves on the international stage as a city that is hospitable, safe, and with an outstanding reputation. All of this is only possible through the synergy of citizens and city administration, making even the most demanding tasks easier to accomplish.

Once again, dear citizens, thank you! We have shown and proven many times that we proudly bear the title of tourism champions and a city whose reputation is recognized in every corner of the world. This is Dubrovnik, a city of international renown.

With respect,

Mato Franković

In Croatia, there are over 2,000 homeless individuals and only 420 places available in shelters and temporary accommodations. Additionally, more than 10,000 people live in inadequate and unsafe housing conditions, as highlighted by the Croatian Homeless Network (HMB) on World Homeless Day.

These figures are estimates, as the exact number is difficult to determine, given that many homeless people lack ID cards or do not seek help from shelters and social services. Moreover, the capacity of shelters is insufficient, HMB warned.

"Only 11 out of 24 county seats and major cities fulfill their legal obligation to allocate funds for shelters, while the others are ignoring this growing issue," the statement reads.

A shift in the homeless population has been observed, with fewer employable individuals and more elderly persons with low pensions and social benefits, as well as those suffering from mental illnesses and intellectual disabilities.

Lack of access to social services 

Social exclusion is a significant factor in homelessness, and HMB calls for the development of a national strategy to prevent and combat homelessness, as well as a strategy for social housing. These strategies would target those at risk of poverty or living in inadequate housing conditions.

In addition to housing, homeless individuals, especially in smaller cities, lack access to other social services, such as soup kitchens or day centers, forcing many to move to Zagreb, where they encounter legal issues related to vagrancy laws due to the lack of a registered address in the city.

The president of the "Fajter" association, Mile Mrvalj, raised concerns about these issues and proposed the creation of social ID cards for homeless individuals to enable them to access social and healthcare rights. After discussing the issue with Interior Minister Davor Božinović, Mrvalj decided against a planned one-day hunger strike on World Homeless Day after Božinović agreed to ongoing meetings to address the problem.

The Croatian Homeless Network and its 18 members will mark World Homeless Day with various activities to raise public awareness of the issues faced by socially excluded individuals and families.

In Zagreb, HMB members (including PET PLUS, the Red Cross, Caritas, and Dom Nade) will distribute food and hygiene packages to homeless people at the Main Train Station. Other events, such as a panel discussion in Split and an open day at a shelter in Rijeka, aim to engage citizens in addressing the issue.

The 3rd Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit was held in Dubrovnik yesterday. On this occasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made his first official visit to Croatia, and the summit gathered leaders and numerous officials from Southeast European countries.

The summit participants adopted a joint "Dubrovnik Declaration," which was negotiated during the event. The declaration provides further support to Ukraine, which has been facing Russian aggression for over two and a half years.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also signed a bilateral cooperation agreement between Croatia and Ukraine, which includes elements of humanitarian aid, demining, and prosecuting war crimes.

This summit in Dubrovnik was the third of its kind. The first summit took place in Athens in August 2022, and the second in Tirana in February 2024.

A memorial hall dedicated to the defenders of Croatia’s independence. Together with Prime Minister @AndrejPlenkovic, we honored the warriors who defended Dubrovnik. It is important to preserve the memory of the heroes who fought for freedom.

I thank Croatia for respecting our… pic.twitter.com/zp2cpXAmpW

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 9, 2024

Among the participants were Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borjana Krišto, North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, and the Foreign Ministers of Moldova, Turkey, and Romania: Mihai Popșoi, Hakan Fidan, and Luminița Odobescu.

Dubrovnik Summit Declaration: There is no free Europe without a free Ukraine

The declaration concluded that without a free and peaceful Ukraine, there can be no free and peaceful Europe. It condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and expresses support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, European integration, and NATO membership.

"Almost 1,000 days have passed since the beginning of Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. We strongly condemn this unprovoked, unjustified, and illegal Russian war of conquest against Ukraine... a crime against the Ukrainian people, a clear violation of international law... and a great threat to peace and security in Southeast Europe, the entire European continent, and the world," the declaration states.

Support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders remains "absolute," according to the declaration's text.

"The path to a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for Ukraine can only be based on international law... We reaffirm our support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's peace formula as a key framework for restoring such peace," participants emphasized.

The declaration also calls on the international community to increase its support for Ukraine and "all countries to refrain from providing material or other assistance to Russia's war of conquest."

Participants condemned and declared "Russia's attempts to forcibly and illegally annex Ukrainian territory" during the elections Moscow held in occupied Ukrainian regions in March and September as "null and void."

The declaration welcomes the opening of accession negotiations between the European Union and Ukraine, as well as NATO's commitment at the Washington Summit to "provide support to Ukraine on its irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership."

Unquestionable commitment

"We reaffirm our strong commitment to bringing to justice those responsible for the crime of aggression, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed during Russia's war of conquest," the declaration states.

Ukraine appreciates all support from Croatia, including assistance for the children of our defenders, who have the opportunity to improve their health in Croatia.

Together with Prime Minister of Croatia @AndrejPlenkovic, we met with the children currently undergoing recreation.… pic.twitter.com/mofJBhgRdd

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 9, 2024

The Dubrovnik Summit also emphasized the critical importance of Ukraine's energy security, as its "power plants and energy grid suffer enormous damage due to Russia's systematic and deliberate attacks."

"We also stress that any use of nuclear energy and nuclear facilities must be safe, secure, and environmentally sustainable. In this context, we emphasize that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant must be returned to full sovereign control of Ukraine and operate safely," the declaration highlights.

Participants expressed their commitment to participating in Ukraine's current and post-war reconstruction "to ensure its prosperous future."

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, who is co-hosting the Ukraine and Southeast Europe summit in Dubrovnik, visited the memorial room for fallen defenders at Sponza Palace in the historic Old City centre. 

As he entered the historic center, Zelensky was greeted with loud applause by many tourists, some of whom were clearly aware of his visit and waited for him to descend from Hotel Excelsior into the city.

After leaving Sponza Palace, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and State Secretary Frano Matušić briefly acquainted him with Dubrovnik’s history. The Ukrainian president was visibly moved by the support shown to him in Dubrovnik.

According to data from the Croatian National Tourist Board regarding nautical tourism in the Dubrovnik area, September recorded nearly 8,000 arrivals and 56,000 overnight stays, which is a 6% increase compared to the same period last year.

The majority of nautical tourists in September came from the USA, the UK, Australia, Germany, Croatia, Poland, and Canada.

In the first three quarters of the year, there were over 39,000 arrivals and 262,500 overnight stays, marking a 3% increase compared to the same period last year.

Has President Zelensky arrived in Dubrovnik? A reader sent us this video of a police helicopter escort and a huge motorcade speeding through Župa Dubrovačka on the main road from Dubrovnik Airport to the city.

A Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit will be held today in Dubrovnik. On this occasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is visiting Croatia for the first time.

There have been several police escorted conveys this morning as various leaders turn up for the conference. However, this particular one that our reader caught was by far the biggest and strictest in security terms.