San Marino Resort

Five hotels make up this resort in Lopar, so you are choosing a small holiday complex rather than a single, self-contained hotel. That matters if you like having a beach, a restaurant, evening entertainment and practical shops close at hand, without turning every meal or drink into a logistical exercise.

The atmosphere is built around easy seaside holidays: air-conditioned rooms, a long sandy beach, a restaurant with a bar and terrace, and activities for the moments when you are not underwater. Couples can keep things simple with a compact room and direct access to the beach; families have larger suites and plenty to do on site. It is a straightforward base for a diving trip with a more traditional resort rhythm around it.

San Marino Resort is at Lopar 608, in Lopar, Croatia, alongside a sandy beach stretching for 1.5 km. Paradise Beach is around 0.05 miles away, with direct access from the resort to the sand. Rajska Beach is about 0.1 miles away, while Livačina Beach is roughly 0.2 miles away.

You are staying in a beach resort rather than in Rab's historic centre. The centre and old town of Rab are 9 miles away, which puts the island's older streets and cafés within reach but not outside your front door. Three restaurants are around 0.2 miles away, and Northern Velebit National Park is about 12 miles away for a land-based outing.

Rijeka Airport is listed at 27 miles from the resort. The driving distance is longer, at around 34 miles, and the journey takes about two and a half hours by car. An airport shuttle is available, so arranging the arrival leg directly with the resort is sensible.

The first decision is not really about decoration; it is about which of the five hotel buildings suits your party. The complex includes Family Hotel Lopar, Family Hotel Plaza, Hotel Veli Mel, Hotel Sahara and Hotel Rab. Different room categories are housed in different parts of the resort, so the building name matters when you book.

For a solo diver, the single rooms keep the arrangement simple. Couples can choose a double room, while the rooms with a sofa bed work for two adults travelling with one child. The larger junior suites and suites are the practical choice for families or groups who need separate sleeping space rather than a careful game of luggage Tetris. The suite at Plaža Hotel is the room to look at when several people need room to spread out.

Every room has air conditioning, a private shower and toilet, satellite television, a telephone and bed linen. That gives you the useful basics after salt, sun and a full day outdoors: a cool room, a proper shower and somewhere to put your head down. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the resort, although the room facilities also include the more old-school option of switching the television on and ignoring your phone.

The Hotel Restaurant serves breakfast and dinner, with breakfast arranged as a buffet. The morning choice includes continental and vegetarian options, so you can keep the first meal practical before heading towards the water rather than negotiating a complicated menu while still half asleep.

Dinner is broader than the restaurant's vegetarian label alone suggests. The selection covers international dishes, appetisers, soups, fish, meat and Croatian meals, with Croatian desserts and vegetarian choices in the mix. Drinks with dinner are included in the meal arrangement, a useful detail when the appetite has caught up with the day's diving.

There is one lounge bar, plus a dance terrace attached to the restaurant. On selected evenings, the resort puts on entertainment shows and parties centred on fish dishes, Dalmatian wine and a folk programme. In other words, you can have a quiet drink, or let the evening acquire a little more volume. The choice is yours, although the resort does have a nightclub for those who still possess the necessary reserves.

The beach is the obvious place to let the afternoon go soft. Direct access leads to sand, with sun loungers and parasols available on the beach. For a less static option, kayaking and water-sports facilities are available on site, while bicycles can be rented for exploring beyond the resort.

On land, the San Marino Sports and Entertainment Centre provides football, basketball and mini-golf. Tennis players have nine courts, and table tennis is also available. These are useful choices for a couple who want to move a little after breakfast or burn off the stiffness that sometimes arrives several hours after a dive.

Evening entertainment and aerobics add a more organised resort feel, while the terrace, garden and beach give you places to sit without having to leave the complex. The resort also has a hairdresser, a newspaper shop, a gift shop, a minimarket and an ATM, which can save a trip into town when all you need is a small purchase and not a cultural expedition.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 21:00, and check-out is from 07:00 to 10:00. That early departure window is worth keeping in mind if you are combining the stay with a flight or a long transfer. An airport shuttle is available, and on-site parking is provided; confirm the current parking arrangement when booking.

Cash is accepted, and the resort has currency exchange facilities and an ATM. Wake-up service is available, which is handy for an early start when your own alarm has previously demonstrated a flexible attitude towards responsibility. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the resort, and non-smoking rooms are available.

Children of any age are welcome. Cots can be requested for children aged two and under, while extra beds are not available. Pets are allowed, and the resort also provides pet bowls. The choice of accommodation is spread across several hotel buildings, so check the named building as well as the room category before you commit.