Words like heritage, authenticity and place are thrown around a lot when it comes to hotels but there’s seldom any real weight to them.
Hotel Supetar is different. It’s not just that it’s housed in a 1920s stone villa, in the old town of Cavtat, a historic seaside village along the coast from Dubrovnik, or that there are only 16 rooms. Here, the walls are hung with art made by Croatian artists and the staff are all locals, who will tell you stories of their childhood swimming lessons in the bay and finish their shifts with a moonlit dip in the sea. As artist-in-residence Dubravka Tullio said: ‘When you live somewhere so beautiful all you need to do is look out of the window for inspiration.’
The Concept
This is laid-back luxury at its best: no fuss or pretension. You can wander into the reception area dripping wet and barefoot from the sea to be met with a fresh towel, or return to your sun bed after a dip in the pool to find a plate of cold, sliced melon placed thoughtfully on the side table. The staff get to know all of their guests by name so that there’s never any need to sign for anything or to remember your room number – small things but they go a long way in creating a relaxed and homely atmosphere. Most of the team are also locals, which means they are well-equipped with tips for secret swimming spots and places to eat.
How does art fit into all of this? Unlike a lot of luxury hotels which opt for the big-name international artists that many of their well-heeled guests will instantly recognise, Hotel Supetar champions Croatian culture and art through both its permanent collection and a residency programme which runs throughout summer. The residency takes the form of a month-long exhibition. with works placed throughout the hotel’s public spaces – all of which are available to purchase. Our stay coincided with a presentation by Tullio who draws on her emotional responses to the light and landscapes of her surroundings to create other-worldly compositions that seem to flicker in and out of focus, while this month shines a spotlight on Jasmina Runje’s large-scale abstract compositions; showing until 5 September. Jasmina’s show will be followed by an exhibition of works by Iris Lobaš Kukavičić who works with sculpture and sound elements.
The Collection
The artworks at Hotel Supetar have been carefully selected to enhance rather than dominate the spaces in which they hang, with the majority of the works evoking a strong connection to place. An installation of ten linocuts by Braco Bravačić, for instance, depicts the angular architecture of Croatia’s cities while colourful works by Romana Milutin Fabris evoke the sensory experience of wandering through Dubrovnik’s narrow cobbled streets. There are also ceramics by Lucija Perojević and Miranda Gluhaić as well as two oil paintings by Milovan Stanić (1929–89), one of Dubrovnik’s best-regarded artists.
The Design Details
Our Double Deluxe bedroom overlooked the pretty sloping roofs and hillside pathways of the old town which, despite Cavtat’s growing popularity as a tourist destination, still feel rustic and somewhat untouched. Every morning our room was filled with the scent of pine trees through the windows, and we could hear a rooster crowing in the distance.
There’s a slightly whimsical theme to the interiors – nothing too wild or outlandish but lots of patterns, colours and quirky textiles. Tasseled parasols dot the pool, wicker throne-like chairs are scattered in the garden, and bedrooms have mismatched fabric headboards, boldly patterned wallpaper, cushions and curtains. Hotel Supetar is, on paper, an urban hotel rather than a resort. It’s located in a town (albeit a small one) where square footage is at a premium, but clever design and use of outdoor space make it feel expansive. There’s a walled garden with seats underneath leafy trees and two terraces (one extending out from the restaurant and another on the floor above), while the pool area is a serene, tropical oasis planted with tall palm trees and more than enough sun beds for all guests.
The Food & Drink
The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with drinks and snacks served when and wherever you want in-between. In the mornings, it’s a buffet with lots of fruit, yogurts, cereals and pastries plus juices and a selection of hot dishes made to order.
Lunch and dinner focus on fresh Mediterranean flavours and seasonal produce cooked using traditional methods. The seafood is a real highlight – try the shrimp risotto with toasted almonds and cheese mousse or the monkfish served with olive tapenade and cauliflower, followed by a selection of cheeses from local producers that come with fig jam, olives and more unconventionally, arancini.
Art in the Neighbourhood
One Croatia’s most famed painters, Vlaho Bukovac (1855–22), was born in Cavtat and in 2004 his childhood home opened to the public as a museum. Here you’ll find over 200 paintings, drawings and sketches by the artists as well as murals that Bukovac painted as a teenager. Or else take a 45-minute ferry round the bay to Dubrovnik to visit the Museum of Modern Art whose collection provides a neat overview of Croatian art from the 19th century to the present day. The current exhibition (until 15 September) pays particular attention to the ways in which the country’s diverse landscapes have been depicted in 20th and 21st-century painting.
It’s also worth stopping by the Dulčić Masle Pulitika Gallery, named after the three artists to which it is dedicated (Ivo Dulčić, Antun Masle, and Đuro Pulitika). Recent exhibitions have included a solo presentation of sculptures and paintings by Dulčić and a major group show focusing on the work of the ‘Dubrovnik Colourists, 1945 –48’.
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