Between wars and (more recently) tourist visits from Tara Reid, the country has suffered through a lot. But this June, things are looking up: Dubrovnik's seaside Hotel Excelsior will reopen following an extensive $20-million makeover. Once the walled city's premier resort, the 95-year-old building sustained heavy damage during the region's conflicts in the nineties. Now it's been refitted with in-suite Jacuzzis, an expanded spa for après-beach downtime, and a piano bar that's been shifted 180 degrees to face the Adriatic Sea. There's also the massive new Villa Odak—a four-room aerie with a private pool and head-turning Old Town views, which promise to be blessedly Tara-free.
Hotel Excelsior, reopening this June, 011-385-20-353-353, hotel-excelsior.hr