Hotel Maritimo

Family-run Hotel Maritimo gives you a straightforward base by the sea in Makarska: comfortable rooms, a restaurant on site, and a cocktail bar looking out towards the water. The atmosphere is more about getting back from the coast, having a proper meal and finding a chair than putting on a performance for the brochure.

You can finish the day on the open-air terrace, order something cold and watch the light change over the islands. The beach is right outside, the centre of Makarska is close, and the hotel keeps useful things within easy reach: air conditioning, free WiFi throughout, room service and a 24-hour reception.

You are in Makarska, Croatia, at Put Cvitačke 2a, directly on the seafront. A pine-shaded promenade separates the hotel from the beach, so you can reach the water without crossing a road or organising a transfer. Ratac Beach is by the hotel, while Makarska Beach is about 250 metres away on foot.

The setting gives you both coast and mountain. St Peter Lighthouse is about 1 mile away, Makarska Main Square about 1.5 miles, and the Franciscan Monastery about 1.2 miles on foot. Biokovo Nature Park is roughly 0.8 miles away by road, with Biokovo Mountain farther inland and Vosač peak rising to 1,421 metres.

You can also walk to the main bus station in about 1 km. For air travel, Split Airport is about 47 miles by road, Brač Airport about 21 miles, and Mostar International Airport about 58 miles.

For two people who want the sea to be part of the room rather than something found at the end of a corridor, choose a balcony room with sea view. The balcony gives you somewhere to sit with a drink, while the view does the heavy lifting. Mountain-view rooms turn the other way, towards the Biokovo side, and suit you if the outlook matters more than watching the water.

Travelling as three, the Junior Suite or the one-bedroom apartment gives you more room to spread out than the smaller double rooms. The apartment also has a balcony and sea view, making it the practical choice when you want separate living space rather than three people negotiating around one bed and a suitcase.

Air conditioning matters here when the day has involved heat, salt and too much sun. Rooms also have a wardrobe, a desk, a flat-screen TV and free WiFi; selected rooms add a minibar, sofa bed, private bathroom and balcony. A lift reaches the upper floors, and daily housekeeping keeps the return from the beach pleasantly uncomplicated.

The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a choice between a daily menu and à la carte dishes. The cooking covers local and international fare, which is useful when you want something familiar after a long day outside but would rather eat locally on another evening.

Breakfast is continental and buffet-style. That gives you the sort of start a diving day normally requires: something before you leave, without turning the morning into a formal occasion.

There is one bar, with a cocktail-focused Mediterranean atmosphere and an open-air terrace next to the promenade. It overlooks the clear sea, so you can move from table to terrace without going anywhere near a taxi. Room service and a minibar are also available when the sensible plan is to stay in.

The beach is the obvious answer when you have finished with organised activity. Sun loungers and parasols are available, although their use may carry an additional charge. Outdoor furniture and terraces give you somewhere to sit when lying on the beach has stopped being relaxing and started being a test of character.

For a change of pace, bicycles can be rented, and hiking is available. The hotel also offers access to water sports on site. The nearby coast gives you an easy reason to walk along the promenade, while the Biokovo area provides a more serious change of scenery when you want hills rather than another horizontal afternoon.

Excursions include Biokovo, Imotski, the Red and Blue Lakes and a zip-line. The main square, St Peter Lighthouse and the monastery are close enough to turn a non-diving day into a self-guided wander rather than a full logistical exercise.

Check-in starts from 14:00 and check-out runs until 11:00. The 24-hour front desk can look after luggage, and a lift serves the upper floors. Private parking is available on site in a parking garage, with a reservation required; that is worth sorting before arrival if you are driving into Makarska.

Car hire, packed lunches, room service, laundry and ironing are available. WiFi is free throughout the hotel, and rooms are non-smoking, with a designated smoking area elsewhere. Cash is accepted for payment.

Pets are allowed on request, including dogs up to 10 kg. Extra charges can apply. The hotel also has air conditioning, heating, a wake-up service, a safety deposit box and key-card access. Those are small details, but small details are what you notice when the day has started early and your kit bag has acquired a life of its own.