Fodor's Expert Review Dvorac Bežanec

This lovely old manor house, just a 15-minute drive east of Veliki Tabor, offers spacious rooms with period furniture and breakfast. Owned by various barons since Count Keglević built it in the 17th century, Bežanec Castle got a new lease on life as a luxury hotel in 1990. Part of its charm is its authenticity, and the furnishings, in tip-top, dust-free shape, actually feel like the real, 17th-century McCoy. Splendid works by various Croatian artists, including a whole series of superb naive paintings by Slavko Stolnik, line the halls. With advance notice, the hotel will pick up guests who arrive by bus in Veliki Tabor. Any activity, from hot-air balloon rides and horseback-riding instruction to tennis and archery, can be yours, too, for reasonable fees. This hotel operates on request only—meaning, calling ahead to book and check availability and prices is mandatory. The hotel staff, catering to diplomats among other exclusive clientele, is well-versed in diplomatic protocol.