Sleeping in Split

Try to stay in the old town or a little outside. No matter where you stay (relatively close by), I don't think you'll have trouble walking over to where the ferries are. Try www.booking.com if you cannot find an airbnb apartment.

Diocletian's Palace, Old Town, port, and promenade are very close together. And most accommodations will be in and around this area. There are some other places you could stay, but anything where you're outside of walking distance will be a hassle.

Thank you. I keep looking at the accomodations on Hvar and it just looks gorgeous ! With just 3 nights in the area, I don't want to break it up between 2 locations. Any thoughts on the pros and cons of staying on Hvar vs staying in Split for 3 nights andjust taking day trips?

Any thoughts on the pros and cons of staying on Hvar vs staying in Split for 3 nights andjust taking day trips?

Split makes a better base to go to several locations as day trips via ferry (better schedules and connections). If price matters, staying there is probably cheaper than Hvar because Hvar has a reputation for well-heeled tourism and being a party town (I'm not trying to discourage you but there are obvious differences in staying on a rather pricey island versus the mainland which has more lodging options in general). Believe me, everything will look gorgeous once you get on the ground - Hvar just has better marketing than most places so it's more evocative and really stands out. In general, the Croatian coastline and islands are all very beautiful. Have you looked into Trogir? It's more laid back than Split and close by.