Bluesun Hotel Marina

There is a straightforward appeal here: you stay beside the Adriatic, keep the beach close, and have enough room around you for a proper family holiday rather than a diving base disguised as one. Bluesun Hotel Marina suits families particularly well, with family rooms, a kids' club, a games room and organised animation for adults and children.

Couples are not forgotten in the family-friendly arrangement. Sea-facing rooms, balconies, a shared lounge and the beachfront setting give you somewhere to sit when the day is done and the only serious decision left is whether to walk or order another drink. The hotel's website is available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Russian and several other European and Asian languages, so you can check the practical details in English before travelling.

Free Wi-Fi covers all areas, while the twenty-four-hour reception, luggage storage and wake-up service keep the useful parts of hotel life properly simple. There is also a fitness centre for anyone who still has energy to spend after the sea, though the more sensible option may be a chair on the terrace.

The address is Filipinska 2 in Brela, Croatia, on the coast rather than inland behind the resort strip. The hotel is beachfront, and Beach Maestral is about 0.1 mi away. Punta Rata Beach is roughly 0.1 mi away as well, with Beach Soline at around 0.2 mi and Berulia Beach at about 0.4 mi.

That gives you several stretches of coast to try without turning a beach day into an expedition. The seaside promenade also leads towards Makarska to the east and Vrulje to the west, which is useful when you want to walk off dinner or give the family a change of scenery.

Biokovo Nature Park is about 0.6 mi away on foot. Makarska's main square, the Franciscan Monastery and the archaeological and sea-shell collections are around 7 mi away, while Sveti Jure and Biokovo Mountain provide the larger backdrop inland. Restaurants including Restoran Nikolina, Nautica and Restoran Palma are each about 0.3 mi away.

For two, the sea-side double rooms with a balcony are the obvious choice if you want the Adriatic to be part of the room rather than something you visit between meals. The king-size bed keeps the arrangement uncomplicated, and the balcony gives you a place to sit without having to retreat straight indoors.

Travelling with children calls for a different calculation. The family room gives you separate sleeping arrangements across a king-size bed, two single beds and a sofa bed, so four people have a more workable setup than in a standard double room. The superior doubles also add a sofa bed for smaller groups who need that extra bit of flexibility.

Every room has air conditioning, a private bathroom, wardrobe space and free Wi-Fi. A minibar and electric kettle cover the small practicalities: cold drinks and a hot cup without a march downstairs. There is also a seating area and desk in the accommodation, along with a flat-screen TV and satellite channels. Views are either towards the Adriatic or towards Biokovo, depending on the room, and balconies are available in selected categories.

Two restaurants give you more than one dining room to choose from, although the available information does not attach a named cuisine to either restaurant. Breakfast is the more clearly defined meal, with continental, Italian, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and American choices served buffet-style. That is a useful spread for a mixed group, especially when one person wants a familiar breakfast and another is already thinking about vegetables rather than bacon.

There is one bar for the evening drink, along with a minibar in the room. Breakfast can also be served in your room, and packed lunches are available when a full restaurant meal does not fit the day's plans. Kids' meals are part of the food-and-drink offering, which removes one predictable family negotiation from the evening.

The dining arrangement is therefore practical rather than theatrical: two restaurants, a bar, buffet breakfast and enough flexibility for different diets. If you prefer to eat elsewhere, Restoran Nikolina, Nautica and Restoran Palma are all within roughly 0.3 to 0.4 mi.

The main non-diving activity is already outside the door: beach time, swimming and the coastal promenade. With several beaches close by, you can change your view without arranging transport, while the garden and terrace offer a less sandy place to sit when the sun has done enough for one day.

For families, the kids' club, games room and animation programme give children something structured to do while adults claim a quieter stretch of the afternoon. Cycling is also available for a more active change from the water. The promenade towards Makarska or Vrulje adds a simple outing that costs nothing but time and decent footwear.

A fitness centre is available, and massages are offered for an additional charge. There is no need to turn the stay into a wellness project: the useful combination is a short workout, a massage if your shoulders demand one, then a seat outside with no further obligations.

Check-in runs from 15:00 to midnight, and check-out from midnight to 11:00. Reception operates around the clock, with luggage storage available if your arrival and departure do not line up neatly with those hours. An airport shuttle and other transfer arrangements can be organised through the hotel, and car hire is available.

The private outdoor parking area is nearby, about 0.5 mi from the hotel, with valet parking listed among the services. Split Airport is about 40 mi away by road, with a driving time of around 1 hour 12 minutes. Brac Airport is around 28 mi by road and takes about 1 hour 54 minutes by car; Mostar International Airport is roughly 59 mi away by road, with a journey of about 1 hour 44 minutes.

Children of every age are welcome. Children aged 14 and over are charged as adults, cots for children aged two and under can be requested, and extra beds are not available. Up to one dog weighing up to 15 kg is allowed on request. Payment is by card, as cash is not accepted, and laundry is available as a chargeable service.