Hotel Grand Kupari

The oldest of the Kupari resort hotels, built in 1920 with 139 beds and an indoor pool. It later became part of the Yugoslav army’s holiday complex and was destroyed in the 1991 war.

Hotel Grand Kupari sits in Dalmatia, a part of Croatia with its own character, and the abandoned place is the reason most people stop.

Ruins are unstable. Do not climb on structures, watch for loose masonry and never go in alone. Many of these places are sites of difficult history, so move quietly and take nothing.

Practical info

• Entry: look up the current price and opening hours before you go. Both change through the year, and a few spots close completely out of season.
• How to get there: Tap the map for the route. Croatian town parking is mostly paid and marked with blue P signs; if your trip involves an island, build buffer time in for the ferry.

Best time to visit

Aim for May to October at Hotel Grand Kupari, and within that, June and September for warm water without the peak crowds. High summer means heat and queues; winter, by contrast, is quiet, cheap and surprisingly handsome inland.

This is part of an open Croatia library by Photograph by John, real places, real maps, no paywall. Share it if it was useful.