Heritage hotel Chersin

You stay in the old centre of Fažana, in a small heritage hotel where the building carries rather more history than the average holiday room. Heritage Hotel Chersin occupies a 500-year-old property protected by UNESCO, with the fishing town's harbour life close at hand and the sea a short walk away.

This is a useful base if you want your diving holiday to include more than boats and rinse tanks. You can deal with the hotel in English, Italian or German, while the surrounding Istrian towns, restaurants and cultural sites give you plenty to do when the weather turns too good for sitting indoors.

The tone is historic rather than resort-like. There is a garden, terrace and inner courtyard, as well as Wi-Fi, a lift and practical services such as luggage storage, laundry and concierge assistance. It is the sort of address that suits a couple who would rather walk to the waterfront and choose an evening table than spend the whole stay inside a large complex.

The hotel stands at Piazza Grande 8 in Fažana, Croatia, right in the old centre of this fishing town. The sea and beaches are about 0.06 miles away, so getting to the waterfront is a matter of walking through town rather than organising a transfer every time you fancy the coast.

Fažana's small port is the natural starting point for an evening stroll. Fishing boats, nets, the fish market and the promenade facing Brijuni Islands National Park all sit within the character of the town. A small fishing museum and the churches of St Cosmas and Damian and Our Lady of Mount Carmel add some local history to the route.

The hotel also puts you within reach of Istrian excursions, including Brijuni National Park, Pula, Rovinj, Venice, the Plitvice Lakes and the inland towns around Motovun, Beram, Pazin, Buzet and Hum. The address works well when the sea is only one part of the itinerary.

The room choice is mainly about how much comfort and view you want from the night rather than about resort-style extras. Standard rooms have a private bathroom, while the superior range adds air conditioning and a television. Superior rooms with a water or sea view make the most sense if the view from the window matters to you as much as the location outside it.

For two divers, the superior double room with sea view is the straightforward choice when you want air conditioning, a private bathroom and a double bed in the same package. One superior double room also adds a private entrance, patio, safe, soundproofing, heating, wardrobe, towels, bed linen and a shower, so check the exact room details rather than assuming every superior room has the same specification.

The practical details are there for a proper night's recovery: air conditioning in the superior categories, heating for cooler evenings, and soundproofing in one of the listed superior double rooms. Some rooms are described as hypoallergenic. Standard and superior categories also differ in their equipment, so the room card deserves a careful look before booking, particularly if air conditioning or a sea view is part of your post-dive routine.

Da Nonna is the hotel's restaurant, with a terrace and a Mediterranean menu served at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Its cooking leans into Istrian and Italian specialities, with local olive oils and wines from Istria rather than a generic international buffet doing all the work.

Wine here means Malvasia and Teran from local cellars. The more curious order is Istarska supa, an Istrian speciality made with red wine, toasted bread, oil and sugar. It is, quite literally, a wine you eat — useful knowledge before you order it while hungry and expect soup in the conventional sense.

Meal inclusion depends on the rate you book, so check the booking details for your stay. The restaurant's three-meal service gives you an on-site option when you return tired and hungry, while the terrace puts you back in the town's Mediterranean rhythm without requiring another journey.

The easiest plan is also the most local one: walk down to the port, follow the promenade and watch Fažana carry on with its fishing-town business. The hotel also offers a garden, terrace and inner courtyard, giving you somewhere to sit with a drink or a book when the legs have had enough of the day.

Walking, cycling and fishing are available for days when you want to stay active without booking another organised programme. Beach and pool towels are available, and the coast is about 0.06 miles away. That makes a short dip or a waterfront walk a realistic addition to the day rather than a full expedition.

The hotel can also help with cultural excursions. Options include Brijuni National Park, Pula, Rovinj, Venice, Plitvice Lakes National Park and several inland Istrian routes around Motovun, Beram, Pazin, Buzet and Hum. It gives a non-diving partner something substantial to do, and gives you a respectable excuse to take a day off the water.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 23:30, with check-out by 11:00. The hotel provides airport transfers, which you can arrange directly with the property, and parking is available on site. An electric-vehicle charging station is also part of the facilities.

Wi-Fi is available throughout the property, and the lift is useful in a historic building when you are carrying luggage rather than pretending that every staircase is an opportunity for fitness. The hotel is non-smoking and has air conditioning in the building's general facilities, with heating available as well.

A concierge, luggage storage, laundry, safe and ticket assistance cover the practical jobs that tend to appear between flights, boat departures and dinner. Visa and Mastercard are accepted. The address is also equipped for business use, with a conference room and business facilities, though the old centre and waterfront are likely to be more useful to most visiting divers.