Hotels in Zadar

Luxury Aparthotel Zadar has family rooms with practical extras such as washing machines, which I would point out first to parents on a longer stay. The swimming pool has panoramic views, there is a sun terrace and an outdoor seating area, and Diklovac Beach is a short walk away. Parents can use the sauna and the fitness room after a day out. A 9.9 score from 156 reviews is exceptional and suggests a very well-kept property.

For a family, Hyatt Regency Zadar is a five-star hotel with a seasonal outdoor pool, an indoor pool and a sun terrace, so children have water in any season. Rooms are air-conditioned with bathrobes, a tea and coffee maker and free Wi-Fi. A spa with a hot spring bath, a sauna and a fitness centre is there for the adults, and the dining is varied. I would choose it for a pampered stay inside the hotel rather than for stepping out to the city.

Bastion Heritage Hotel suits families with older children better than toddlers: it is a refined four-star in Zadar's Old Town, with a spa, a sauna and a hot tub rather than a pool or a play area. The location is the real asset, a few metres from the Arsenal, so the Sea Organ and the Roman Forum are easy walks. Rooms are individually decorated in art deco style, and the Kaštel restaurant has a garden terrace. A 9.5 score from 702 reviews is outstanding.

Hidden Tree suits couples and small families who want to sleep inside Zadar's walls and walk everywhere. From Poljana Požarišće, the Roman Forum and St Donatus' Church are about three minutes away, the Riva and the Sea Organ a little further, and a lift serves the rooms. The garden and terrace give a quiet corner after a day in the streets, and breakfast is a buffet. The limits: rooms of about 19 square metres are tight for a family of four, the nearest beach is roughly 14 minutes on foot, and the 9.3 guest score rests on only 28 reviews. I would choose it for a two- or three-night city stay rather than a beach holiday.

Teatro Verdi Boutique Hotel puts you inside Zadar's Old Town, steps from its historical monuments and museums, and I would recommend it to families who want to explore on foot. The property offers both rooms and apartments, which gives a family more space to spread out. A garden-view terrace provides a quiet corner after sightseeing, and the front desk is staffed around the clock. The guest rating is excellent. Expect a central stay, not a beach resort.

Miramare Hotel in Zadar is a four-star hotel that I would recommend to families who want comfort with the practical points covered. Rooms are air-conditioned with a private bathroom, a minibar and free Wi-Fi, and many have a balcony or terrace with a sea or city view. The seasonal outdoor pool is there for hot days, the modern restaurant and the 24-hour coffee shop simplify meals, and private parking is free, although off site.

For a family, Falkensteiner Hotel & Spa Iadera is a beachfront hotel on the private Punta Skala peninsula, 12 km from Zadar, with a vast 6,000 m² wellness and spa area. Rooms are comfortable with seating areas, and the dining mixes international and regional cuisine. Family and pet-friendly stays are welcome. The setting is calm and a car or transfer is needed to reach Zadar, so I would choose it for a restful resort stay.

Hotel Niko is a family-run four-star in Puntamika, just steps from a pebbly beach, and I would recommend it to families who want quiet days by the sea with Zadar's centre a short drive away. The à la carte restaurant keeps dinner on site, parking is free, and parents can use the spa and wellness area. Rooms are air-conditioned, some with sea views, and pets are welcome. A guest score of 9.1 from more than 750 reviews supports the choice.

I would suggest Hotel Delfin to travellers who want to be at the water's edge in Zadar's Diklo area. It is just 10 metres from the sea, many of the Mediterranean-style en-suite rooms have sea-view balconies, and the covered outdoor restaurant terrace has panoramic views. A bus stop right outside gives easy access to the city centre. Guests rate it 9.0 from 1,178 reviews, a large and encouraging sample.

For a family, Hotel A'mare offers air-conditioned family rooms with private bathrooms and views over the city or a quiet street. A family-friendly restaurant serves Croatian dishes, and a coffee shop and a bar with live music are on the premises. Maestrala Beach is an 18-minute walk away and the Palace of the Governor General is nearby. Pets are welcome. I would ask for a quiet-street room if live music in the evening could bother the children.

Hotel Mediteran is a three-star in Zadar, a 10-minute walk from the beach and 4 km from the historic centre, and I would suggest it to families travelling by car. Free private parking makes arrivals easy, and the on-site restaurant and bar save a drive at dinner time. Rooms are air-conditioned with balconies, some facing the sea, pleasant for a quiet evening. A guest score of 9.0 from more than 1,800 reviews shows a dependable family stay.

Free private parking on site makes Hotel Sky an easy pick for families arriving in Zadar by car, and it removes a classic summer headache. Rooms are air-conditioned, which matters in a Dalmatian summer, and some come with a furnished balcony where parents can sit once the children are asleep. The pebbly and stone-paved beach is about 1 km away, so I would plan a short walk or drive rather than expect a seafront stay. The residential setting keeps evenings calmer than the old town.

Art Hotel Kalelarga sits inside Zadar's UNESCO-protected Venetian walls, on the main promenade, and I would recommend it to couples and families who want to explore on foot. Rooms are modern and air-conditioned with stone details, Wi-Fi is free and there is an on-site restaurant. Key historical sites are a short walk away. The guest rating is very high. Expect a lively central street, not a quiet resort.

For a family, Falkensteiner Family Hotel Diadora is built for children: it stands on the Punta Skala peninsula in Petrčane with beachfront access, several pools including a children's water world, and free swimming lessons. A buffet restaurant and a beach club cover meals and afternoons, and a spa is there for the adults. Pets are welcome. I would choose it for a full resort holiday, since Zadar is some distance away.

Children cannot stay at the Almayer Art & Heritage, since it is an adults-only hotel, so I would not send a family here. For couples and solo travellers, though, it is one of the calmer bases inside Zadar's Old Town, with a garden and a terrace to come back to after a day on the peninsula. Rooms are air-conditioned with private bathrooms, and the on-site bar and restaurant save a walk at night. Families should look outside the walls instead.

Villa Valentina is a family-run villa in Zadar's Borik quarter, and I would suggest it for beach days rather than Old Town evenings. Air-conditioned rooms and apartments come with free Wi-Fi and satellite TV, and many units have a sea-view terrace. The beach is 500 metres away and a spa centre 300 metres, secure parking is available, and the villa can book excursions. The guest rating is high. Expect a quiet, relaxed base.

This adults-only hotel is aimed at couples and friends, not families, so I would not book it with children, who are not part of its concept. It has an outdoor pool and beachfront access, and guests receive complimentary entry to the extensive Thalasso & Spa Center Borik next door. Air-conditioned rooms come with a minibar and a spa bag. For adults who want a calm, spa-focused stay by the sea, the setup is clear and consistent.

I would book Falkensteiner Club Funimation Borik for a family that wants everything sorted from the moment they arrive in Zadar. It is a beachfront resort with an all-inclusive option, indoor and outdoor pools, and enough sport, from tennis and beach volleyball to water sports, to fill the days of active children. Parents get a 2,500 m² wellness centre with sauna, hot tub and massage. Rooms are air-conditioned with free WiFi, and a score of 8.6 from 2,800 reviews backs it up.

For a family, Hotel Kolovare puts an outdoor pool and a pebbly beach almost on the doorstep, with air-conditioned rooms and balconies. The lungomare promenade starts at the hotel and leads to the historic centre of Zadar within a 15-minute walk, so strollers and tired legs manage it without a car. The restaurant serves national and international dishes. I would ask for a balcony room on booking.

Donat is built for families who want everything on the spot. Meals and drinks are included, the outdoor pool runs in season, a free kids' club keeps younger children busy, and the beach is reached directly through the pines. Family rooms sleep four or five in two separate areas and have a fridge, which helps with milk and snacks. The weaknesses are worth knowing: this is a large three-star of 240 rooms, last renovated in 2010 according to listings, and a guest score of 8.0 across nearly 2,900 reviews points to solid rather than standout. Zadar's old town, with the Sea Organ and the Forum, is 3.5 km away. I would choose it for a week of beach and pool with small children.

For a family, Hotel Marinko is a villa-style hotel in Zadar's Borik complex, 200 metres from the beach and 100 metres from the marina, so the sea and the boats are within a short walk. Rooms are renovated, a restaurant serves breakfast and guarded parking is available, which helps with a car. Zadar's historic core is about 4 km away. I would choose it for a calm coastal base, with the old town as a short outing.

I would suggest Central Apartments Integrated Hotel to a family that wants to cook its own breakfast and walk everywhere in Zadar. The apartments are in the historic core, about 100 metres from the sea, and each one has a kitchenette, which makes early meals and picky eaters easier to handle. Units are air-conditioned with free WiFi, and pets are accepted. It is an apartment-style stay with a guest score of 7.9, so expect independence rather than hotel extras.

I would consider Unique Integrated Hotel for a family that wants a quiet room in Zadar and plans to spend the day out. Family rooms are air-conditioned and soundproofed, which helps light sleepers and small children, and they come with free WiFi, a TV and city views. Maestrala Beach is less than 1 km away and the main sights of Zadar are close by. Breakfast offers a varied menu. With a guest score of 7.7, it is a simple, practical choice rather than a resort.

I would consider Hotel Porto for a family touring Dalmatia by car that wants an easy base at the entrance to Zadar. The airport and the city centre are both about ten minutes away by car, a direct bus line runs into town, and parking is on site, which takes the stress out of arrivals with luggage and children. There is a restaurant for simple evenings in, and pets are welcome. It is a practical three-star choice with a guest score of 7.4, not a resort.

I would consider Villa Nico for a family that wants a quieter part of Zadar with the sea right in front. The private hotel stands directly on the coast in Diklo, a peaceful district away from the busy centre, and family rooms and some sea-view rooms are available. There is a restaurant on site, free parking for a car full of luggage, and an airport shuttle for arrivals. Pets are welcome. The guest score of 7.0 suggests a simple stay, so keep expectations modest.