Hotel Plaza

Hotel Plaza is a compact beachfront hotel with 38 rooms, aimed at travellers who want the Adriatic close at hand and the practical bits taken care of. English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside Croatian, German, Italian, Polish and Hungarian, so you can deal with the useful questions without resorting to underwater hand signals.

The mood is straightforward: sea views, a pool facing the beach, a shaded bar terrace and a restaurant on site. You can spend the day by the water, return to an air-conditioned room, and still have Pag town within reach when you fancy a change of scene.

The hotel sits directly on the beach in Pag, on Marka Marulića Street. You are about 1 mile from the town centre, close enough for an evening walk rather than a logistical exercise. Tartanovo Beach and Prosika Beach are each roughly a quarter of a mile away, while Pagus Beach is about 1 mile from the hotel.

The surrounding area gives you more than sand and sun loungers. Historic sites including Sv. Grgur and Sv. Ante are within roughly 1.5 miles, and the old town of Pag is around 1.5 miles away. For a more energetic outing, Sveti Vid, rising to 349 metres, is about 3 miles away; Zrće Beach is 12 miles away and Zadar is 33 miles away.

The room choice is mainly about how much space you want and whether the sea should be part of the morning briefing. Couples can look towards the Standard Double Room with Sea View or the Superior Double Room with Sea View, both arranged around a king-size bed. If you prefer separate beds, double rooms with twin beds cover that requirement without making anyone negotiate for the good side of the mattress.

For three or four guests, the family and quadruple categories make more sense than trying to turn a small double into a team operation. The Family Room with Sea View and Balcony gives you the most generous layout in the range, while the Quadruple Room with Sea View and Balcony combines a double bed with twin beds. The triple options use either a king-size bed with a single bed or three single beds, depending on the room.

All rooms have air conditioning, a flat-screen satellite TV, a safe, a wardrobe and a private bathroom with a shower or bath, toiletries, towels and a hairdryer. Selected rooms add a balcony and sea view. A minibar, a drying rack for clothing and free Wi-Fi cover the small practical matters; the air conditioning deals with the larger one after a hot, salty day outside.

The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner on a terrace with a view of the sea. The kitchen is international, with a menu rather than a buffet-only routine, and the half-board formula gives you a simple structure for the day. Dinner service runs from 13:00 to 22:00, according to the hotel's stated restaurant hours.

Breakfast is a buffet with continental, vegetarian and gluten-free choices, as well as plant-based milks. Vegetarian, gluten-free and lactose-free diets are catered for, and packed lunches are available when the day's plan starts before your appetite has caught up.

There is one bar, positioned on the shaded terrace beside the pool. It serves cocktails and local and international drinks, which is exactly where you want a bar to be when the sea is still visible and your legs have stopped voting for further activity.

The heated outdoor infinity pool looks towards the sea, giving you a second place to get wet without putting fins on your feet. Sun loungers, parasols and pool or beach towels are available, so the transition from water to horizontal mode is pleasingly short. There is also a hot tub for the part of the day when sitting still begins to feel like a legitimate activity.

The beachfront setting lets you keep things simple: swim, stretch out, or take a few steps along the shore. Kayaks and paddleboards are available for getting out on the surface, while bicycle rental offers a way to explore beyond the hotel without turning the afternoon into a major expedition.

Pag also gives you nearby options for walking and cycling, with historic sites around the town and Sveti Vid within reach. Couples can therefore choose between a quiet poolside afternoon and a small outing, without needing to build the day around a full programme of organised entertainment.

Zadar Airport is around 33 miles away by road, roughly an hour's drive. Private parking is available on site and does not require advance reservation, useful if you are arriving by car and would rather spend your first hour looking at the sea than hunting for a space. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.

Check-in runs from 15:00 to 23:00 and check-out from 07:00 to 10:00. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and the hotel needs your expected arrival time in advance. A 24-hour front desk, concierge service and luggage storage help with arrivals that do not fit neatly into the middle of the day.

Children of all ages are welcome. Cots can be requested for younger children, while extra beds are not available; the room category therefore matters for family groups. Pets are not allowed, and cash is the accepted payment method.