Captain's Villa Sokol

This was one of my favorite places ever. The hosts are lovely people who know how to care for their guests. The apartment was so wonderful with a stunning view. It was such a pleasure to wake early to a beautiful sunrise over the Adriatic Sea. Lumbarda is a perfect small village with a lovely bay. Korcula is only 5 km away and is a historical treasure. We hope to return again for a longer visit.

We had a wonderful time at Villa Sokol. Our hosts were extremely welcoming, helpful and professional. We were offered refreshments on arrival and felt relaxed straight away. We thoroughly enjoyed the breakfasts, which changed each day and were brought to us on our balcony, such luxury! We also had fun using the bikes and kayaks, which were available for use. If a guest prefers not to use bike, feet, bus, or taxi, they might find a car useful for getting around, this was not a problem for us as we found plenty to do within a short distance including an excursion run by the proprietors ( Korcula Adventures). The nearest shop is about 20-30 minutes walk and the beach further so some form of transport is helpful, as and when you can drag yourself away from the beautiful view!

We arrived late (apparently common for UK visitors flying into Dubrovnik) but were warmly met by the owners who had left us a welcome platter of meats and cheese and wine. The apartment was spotless with plenty of room. Every morning, our private breakfast was served on the balcony - bread, cheese, cold meat, eggs, fruit, cereal, coffee, yoghurt, orange juice - and slightly different every day. Plenty of it too - we were encouraged to make up lunch, or just keep the leftovers in our fridge. The apartment wasn't cleaned during our stay (5 days) but as it was spotless to begin with, that was fine. Fresh towels provided on request, and also beach towels. The owners run various activities (snorkeling trips, buggy rides, cycling, kayaking) which we were under no pressure to participate in. They also gave us free use of their kayaks and bikes (we were pretty much their only guests, so I don't know if this would always be possible when they are busy). Villa Sokul is on a quiet bay just outside Lumbarda town. The town is a few minutes drive or an easy cycle ride. Maybe 30 minutes flat walk around the headland. Lumbard itself is a small town with a small marina and just enough amenities. Surrounding it are vinyards (try the local wine - grk - which is only produced here), walks in the woods and a couple of beaches. Korcula town is maybe 15 mins drive away or you can walk, cycle, kayak, or take a bus or taxi. The other end of the island is only an hour in the car.

We booked only two nights in May 2014 but would loved to have stayed longer had we not been on a three destination ‘taster tour’. The room was extremely comfortable, spacious and with an unbelievable view from the balcony. Our hosts were kind, friendly and welcoming. Breakfast was delicious and included a huge selection laid out on our balcony table at our convenience. Thanks for a lovely stay.

While Villa Sokol is not the most pristine villa I have ever stayed at, the hospitality we received was second to none. Our host invited us to share a beer in his house(below the apartments) and made sure that we knew our way around the locality with a map and detailed advise on places of interest and restaurants etc. We were always welcomed if we needed anything and were offered a lift into Dubrovnik when we had issues with traveller's cheques. We were also invited to pick fresh fruit from the gardens whenever we chose. The town of Cavtat is down a pretty long & steep hill which was fine for us but would be an issue for anyone with compromised mobility. The town itself is beautiful and while it is clearly set up for tourists it manages to strike an uncommon balance and retains a certain charm. There is a huge selection of restaurants for every budget and you can access the sea everywhere - a blessing when it's hot!