Wilhelm Lerch, an Austrian landlord, came to Dubrovnik in 1911.
He bought a castle called Piccola Venezia, with a chapel, from the Đorđić family, in which he planned to construct a hotel.

The construction of the Weisses Schloss (White Castle) began in 1912.
At that time the hotel had only 73 beds.

After the end of World War I and after the collapse of the Austrian monarchy, Lerch returned to Vienna and sold the hotel to a bank. The bank then renovated it and called the new building Grand hotel Lapad. Back then, in 1920, the hotel had its own car park and 2 drivers at the disposal of guests.

• 1925 tram line passes by hotel
• 1941 after the collapse of the Yugoslavian empire, war begins and Italian soldiers are located in hotel
• a catering school was established after the war ended
• 1949 renovation
• 1960 to 70’s tourism expands widely in the Dubrovnik area
• 1986 new wing built with 140 rooms
• 1991- 1993 during the Homeland War in Croatia 496 people found shelter in Lapad hotel
• In 2008 after complete renovation, Hotel Lapad received a 4 star category and has never looked better.