Falkensteiner Hotel Adriana

From the outside, the hotel looks like a well-kept country house, with a cheerful yellow exterior leading into an art-filled lobby area. There are ample seating arrangements here and in the adjacent bar with modern wicker furnishings. The surrounding grounds are immaculately maintained and filled with gardens. Hotel Adriana offers plenty of activities, but it's billed as the company's "romantic hideaway," so the overall atmosphere is low-key and chilled out, which is great for those wanting a get-away-from-it-all vacation, though it won't suit those keen on lots of nightlife. The hotel has a 16-and-over policy so adults can enjoy a kids-free holiday. Not surprisingly, it's especially popular with couples, although the hotel sees its fair share of solo travelers and caters to them with special excursion partnerships and other activities. Typically, English and German travelers make up a large percentage of the guests. Guests with mobility difficulties should note that there's no elevator on the property. 

Located close to other hotels on the coast, Hotel Adriana is on the outskirts of Zadar. The city's old town is a 10- to 15-minute drive away, making the hotel ideal for those who would rather take advantage of the resort-like features on-site than have a base ideal for exploring the town. Guests can also rent bikes for free from the hotel to cycle into town. A public beach is located a three-minute walk from the property, but other than that, there's little to do nearby (most attractions are in Zadar's old town). Paklenica National Park is a 45-minute drive away. Zadar's airport is a 25-minute cab ride away. 

The hotel's 48 suite-style rooms all have balconies, which is lovely when the grounds and views are as gorgeous as these. Rooms are modern, with lovely wooden walls and recessed lighting alongside contemporary furniture and earth-tone fabrics. Superior Rooms are the same size as comfort rooms (about 315 square feet or 29 square meters), so guests won't get any more room with an upgrade, but they do offer a sea or park view from the balcony. Bathrooms have both showers and separate tubs, and come with bathrobes, slippers, hairdryers, and toiletries. Towels and flip-flops for the beach conveniently come in a beach bag in each room. Rooms all have free bottles of water, Nespresso machines, flat-screen satellite TVs, safes, air-conditioning, and minibars. 

The hotel's Restaurant Magnolia serves exceptional "Dalmatian interpretations" of Mediterranean food, with a focus on light, healthy dishes, including a catch of the day. Half-board dining options are available, as well as a separate choice of three menus for late-risers until mid-afternoon (including a hangover breakfast). A free breakfast is served until late morning, with yogurt, cereals, and eggs cooked-to-order. On Saturdays, there's a barbecue night, and on Tuesdays, the restaurant offers a six-course Croatian menu. Although the dining room itself is light and airy, the outdoor dining terrace is a particularly lovely place to have a meal. There's also a hotel bar with a couple of seats at the bar itself, and more seating in a living room-style area.

The hotel offers more than a few places to enjoy the water: There's a swimming "bay" with a white-sand beach, as well as shingle and rocky beaches that are a bit more relaxing. The L-shaped outdoor pool is generally pretty quiet and well-maintained, with lots of loungers and umbrellas. For those who prefer to play in the water instead of lay next to it, there's a water-sports center that offers diving, sailing, and surfing. 

The hotel shares a 27,000-square-foot spa center with the company's larger (and busier) Hotel Borik next door. It encompasses heated indoor and outdoor pools, relaxation lounge, saunas, hot tubs, a Kneipp pool, and a menu of spa treatments. There's also a small, basic fitness center. Tennis courts are also available on- site at Hotel Adriana. Reliable Wi-Fi is free throughout the property, and free parking is available in an outdoor lot.