Best Heritage Stays in Zadar Old Town

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.

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.

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.

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, 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.