Isabella Castle *****

The setting does much of the talking here: an island address, a historic-sounding name and a direct connection to the coast. Isabella Island Castle, Valamar Collection is built for travellers who want the sea close at hand but still want Poreč within easy reach.

The hotel's website is available in English, which is useful when you are checking the practical details before travelling. Once back at the property, the rhythm is straightforward: settle into your suite, find the beach or pool, and leave the evening to dinner, a treatment or a quiet drink elsewhere on the island.

A concierge, 24-hour reception and on-site medical support keep the useful details close by. This is a resort stay with an island setting rather than a hotel dropped into the middle of town.

The address is Sv. Nikola Island, just off Poreč in Croatia. The sea is not a walk away from the hotel; it is the hotel's immediate neighbour, with direct access to a sandy beach equipped with sun loungers and parasols.

Poreč town centre is a five-minute boat ride away. That gives you access to the town without giving up the separation of an island stay, although the boat crossing becomes part of the daily logistics rather than a detail you can ignore.

The property is also close to Poreč's oldest Blue Flag beach location. In practical terms, you can choose between island time by the shore and a short crossing for the town's streets, restaurants and historic sights.

The accommodation is built around deluxe suites, with the choice becoming more interesting when you look at the outlook. The junior suite with balcony and sea view is the obvious pick if opening the door to the water matters more to you than simply having a suite. The water-view deluxe suite takes the same idea further for travellers who want the view to be part of the room rather than just part of the address.

The suites come with a private bathroom and toiletries. The deluxe suites also add a safe, telephone, towels and a mirror, giving you the practical basics for an evening out or a day by the coast.

For a longer stay, room service runs around the clock, which is handy when your appetite and the restaurant schedule fail to meet at the same time. The room categories are best chosen by the view and balcony detail rather than by chasing a long list of decorative extras.

Breakfast is served as a buffet, and the stay can be booked with breakfast included or on a half-board basis. That gives you a clear starting point for the day and a simple way to have dinner covered after time by the water.

Dinner is spread across three named venues. Momenti and Miramare by Fratelli Cerea focus on fine dining, while the Premium buffet restaurant serves both breakfast and dinner with a gourmet approach. The choice is therefore not just buffet or à la carte; it is also a choice between a more structured evening and the freedom to build a plate at your own pace.

Room service is available 24/7. There is a bar on site, although the dining information gives no further detail about its style or opening hours, so the restaurants are the part of the food and drink offer that can be described with confidence.

The infinity pool gives you a second place to spend the day when the beach is not calling. Direct access to the sandy shore, with loungers and parasols, keeps the simplest option close: find a place to sit and let the island do very little for you.

There is also a spa offering massage treatments and a Mediterranean wellness programme. The fitness room is part of the Stay Fit programme, so you can keep moving without turning the trip into a training camp. A sensible distinction, especially when the sea has already supplied enough exercise for one day.

Families have access to a kids' club, while the concierge can help organise the practical side of a stay. The result is a choice between pool, beach, massage and gym, with the town available across the water when you want a change of scene.

Check-in starts at 14:00 and check-out is by 12:00. Early check-in and late check-out can be arranged on request, which may be useful when travel times do not fit neatly around those two standard hours.

The hotel has 24-hour reception, free Wi-Fi throughout the property, a lift, currency exchange and parking. Parking is chargeable, as is the airport shuttle. The crossing to Poreč takes five minutes by boat, so allow for that extra movement when planning restaurant bookings, town visits or onward travel.

An on-site infirmary and a doctor available on request cover the more serious practicalities. The property also has a conference room and accepts pets, making it workable for more than one kind of trip, even if diving remains the reason many visitors will be looking at the coast.

The property holds ISO 14001, ISO 50001 and Travelife certifications. Its sustainability work includes on-site solar energy generation and 100% electricity from renewable sources.

The lighting uses 90% energy-saving LEDs, while food waste is composted to nourish plants. The island is home to 1,743 trees, with guest donations contributing to further tree planting.

These are practical measures rather than a slogan on a wall: energy production, lower lighting consumption, food-waste composting and tree planting all form part of how the resort operates.