Pousada Colonial Chile

You stay in a traditional colonial building in the historic centre of Salvador, with modern essentials in the guestrooms rather than a resort-style spread of facilities. Pousada Colonial Chile suits a diving trip built around the city: sleep, breakfast, a shower, and the freedom to step straight back into Salvador's streets when the day's plans are done.

The website is available in English, Portuguese and Spanish, so you can get a clear feel for the property before booking. Inside, the practical side is covered by air conditioning, free WiFi, daily housekeeping and a 24-hour front desk. This is a city pousada for divers who would rather spend the evening among historic squares, museums and local restaurants than remain inside a self-contained hotel.

Your address is Rua Chile, in Salvador's historic centre, at the heart of the city recorded as Salvador, Brazil. The Lacerda Elevator is within a short walk, and Pelourinho is about 0.3 miles away. Castro Alves Square is around 0.2 miles from the door, while Sé Square and Terreiro de Jesus are also close enough to reach on foot without turning the outing into an expedition.

The city is at your feet, but the sea is not directly outside the entrance. MAM Beach is about 0.7 miles away, with Porto da Barra around 2.2 miles away and Farol da Barra Beach about 2.5 miles away. Campo da Pólvora metro station is roughly 0.7 miles away, and Salvador International Airport is about 12 miles from the pousada, around a 20-minute drive in the stated journey information.

Choose a double room when you are travelling as a couple, or a twin when two divers want separate beds and no nightly negotiation worthy of a UN summit. Several room categories include views over All Saints Bay, giving you a reason to draw the curtains before heading out into the city. The triple and quadruple arrangements are the practical choices for small groups, with single-bed layouts available as well as combinations of double and single beds.

Every room has air conditioning, a television, a telephone and a minibar. That minibar matters more when you return warm, tired and in need of cold water than it does in a brochure. The pousada has 33 rooms in total, and the room selection ranges from economy accommodation to deluxe options, with sea-view categories for guests who want the bay to feature in the room rather than only in the day's sightseeing.

Breakfast is served as a buffet each morning in the indoor dining room, with a panoramic view over All Saints Bay. The regional breakfast includes breads, fruit, juices and hot drinks: enough variety to put something sensible on the plate before you head out, without pretending that breakfast is an all-day restaurant.

There is no hotel restaurant or bar to build the evening around, so Salvador does that job outside. Casa do Bolo is only a few steps away, with Maria Preta around 400 feet from the property and Lanchonete Ponto de Encontro around 600 feet away. The nearby historic centre also gives you a choice of places to eat without having to organise transport every time hunger arrives on schedule.

The main activity here is cultural, and the location makes it easy to follow your own route. You can walk towards Pelourinho, the African-Brazilian Museum, the Museum of Religious Art and Terreiro de Jesus, then return to the pousada when the heat and the day's walking have done enough. The hotel also has a tour desk, and cultural excursions are part of the offering.

For a quieter stretch, Praça São Tomé de Souza is close by, while the Museum of Modern Art and Solar da Unhao are about 0.7 miles away. You can also make a day of Salvador's coastline, with MAM Beach nearby and the beaches around Barra further across the city. This is sightseeing between dives, not a property designed to keep you beside a pool.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to midnight, and check-out is available from midnight until 12:00. You will need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and the pousada asks you to share your expected arrival time. The front desk is open around the clock, while express check-in and check-out can keep the arrival and departure formalities from eating into your day.

Free WiFi is available throughout the property, and luggage storage is available when your flight and room times do not line up neatly. The pousada offers a tour desk, car rental and airport transfers, which you can arrange with the property. Cash is an accepted payment method. Children of any age are welcome; cots can be requested for children aged up to two, and there are no extra beds.