Boutique Hotel Ani - Adults Only

You come here for a grown-up stay in Makarska, with the practical pleasures close at hand: an outdoor pool, a wellness area, a restaurant and a bar. Boutique Hotel Ani has 23 rooms, and the adults-only policy keeps the setting aimed at couples and other travellers who would rather hear the clink of a wine glass than a children’s club at full volume.

English, German and French are spoken by the hotel team, so you will be understood in English from the start, with French and German also covered. The atmosphere is modern rather than rustic, with designer-furnished rooms, an outdoor lounge area and enough wellness provision to make a proper recovery day possible when your legs have had quite enough of Biokovo and the Adriatic.

The address is in Makarska, Croatia, on the Dalmatian coast between the Adriatic Sea and Biokovo Mountain. The nearest beaches are around 0.1 miles away, including Ratac Beach, while Makarska Beach is within roughly 0.2 miles. This is a coastal town rather than an isolated resort, so you can reach the waterfront and local restaurants without arranging transport every time you fancy a change of scenery.

Don Antonio is about 100 feet away, with Jež and Pizzeria-Konoba Novak also close by. Makarska Main Square is roughly 1 mile away on foot, and the port is about 0.7 miles from the hotel. For a day out of the water, Biokovo Nature Park is about 0.6 miles away and St Peter Lighthouse around 0.8 miles; the mountain backdrop is not merely decorative once you start looking at the walking and cycling possibilities.

Ratac Beach and Makarska Beach are reached on foot, with golden sand, sun loungers and parasols available at the beach. Biloševac Beach is about 0.4 miles away, while Beach St Peter is roughly 0.8 miles from the hotel.

The standard double rooms, superior doubles and deluxe doubles are all set up for two people with a king-size bed. For a couple who wants a room that does more than provide somewhere to drop a dive bag, the deluxe double with balcony and sea view is the obvious choice; the side-sea-view version gives you some of the same maritime outlook without making the view the whole decision.

The Deluxe Junior Suite is the useful option when you want more room to spread out, or when three adults are travelling together. It has a separate seating element through the suite layout and a sofa bed, rather than asking everyone to negotiate ownership of one king-size bed. The room cards below carry the exact dimensions and sleeping arrangements, so the choice here is really about how much space and view you want from the night.

Air conditioning, soundproofing and soundproof rooms matter when you are trying to sleep after an early start or a long day outside. Rooms also have a refrigerator, kettle, tea and coffee facilities, a seating area or sofa in the relevant categories, and a drying rack for clothing. Bathrooms include a bath or shower, towels, slippers, bathrobes and toiletries. WiFi covers the hotel, and a flat-screen television, radio, CD player and DVD player are available for the rare evening when conversation has run out before sleep arrives.

ND Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, giving you a proper in-house option when you return hungry and do not fancy walking any further than the dining room. Breakfast comes as a buffet with Continental, Full English/Irish, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices, alongside a premium organic breakfast and a wide range of gluten-free food.

One bar, Lounge La Cova, occupies the lobby and works around signature cocktails, rum and wine. There is also an outdoor lounge area, plus a snack bar and minibar for smaller appetites or the awkward gap between lunch and dinner. Wine and champagne are available, and breakfast can be served in your room.

Special-diet menus cover vegetarian and gluten-free requirements. The useful detail is the range rather than a grand claim: you can take breakfast lightly, build a full plate before heading out, or use the restaurant for all three main meals without turning every evening into a logistical exercise.

The outdoor swimming pool and sun terrace give you somewhere to lie horizontal without having to reach the beach. Sun loungers and pool towels are available, and the outdoor furniture creates a straightforward place to read, dry off and decide whether the day requires any further effort. Sometimes that is the activity.

For the more deliberate recovery session, the wellness area includes a sauna, hot tub, jacuzzi, hammam, massage and facial treatments, along with a relaxation lounge. The fitness centre is there too, although after several hours in the water you may regard it as an interesting architectural feature rather than a personal challenge.

When you want to leave the hotel but not plan an expedition, bike hire, bike tours, walking tours and tours about local culture are available. Evening entertainment is also offered. A shared lounge and TV area provide an indoor fallback, while the nearby coast, lighthouse and Biokovo landscape give couples enough reason to go out for a stroll before returning to the pool or bar.

Split Airport is about 68 miles from the hotel, and an airport shuttle is available to arrange with the property. A shuttle service, car hire and valet parking are also available, while private parking is on site and requires reservation. Makarska Main Bus Station is roughly 0.7 miles away, giving you another arrival option if you are travelling overland.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to midnight, and check-out from 07:00 to 11:00. The reception is open around the clock, with private and express check-in and check-out, luggage storage and lockers. That is useful if your travel times do not line up neatly with the room, or if you want to make something of the last day before leaving.

The hotel accepts cash, Visa and Mastercard. Children are not allowed, the minimum check-in age is 18, and pets are not allowed. Daily housekeeping, room service, laundry, dry cleaning and ironing are available, with the latter three arranged as additional services. A lift reaches the upper floors, and rooms have air conditioning, heating, a fan and a safe for a less fussy night.