Hotel Caribe by Faranda Grand, a member of Radisson Individuals

Designed by Cuban architect Manuel José Carrerá Machado, Hotel Caribe by Faranda Grand, a member of Radisson Individuals, brings together colonial architecture, tropical gardens and the practical comforts of a large city hotel. The polished marble lobby and chandeliers provide the grand entrance; outside, the grounds give you room to slow down without leaving the property.

The hotel suits divers who want more than a simple base for the boat. You have a direct beach setting, a large outdoor pool, a spa, a gym and several places to eat, while Cartagena's historic sights remain within reach. It is also a workable choice for couples and families, with room categories that range from straightforward doubles to sizeable suites.

The mood is more classic Caribbean hotel than small, informal guesthouse. That matters when you want somewhere to eat, cool off and sit down properly rather than spend the whole evening looking for the next place.

The address is Carrera 1 2-87 in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, on the Caribbean beach. Beach access is direct, with sun loungers and parasols available, while Bocagrande Beach is around 350 metres away and Laguito Beach is about 500 metres away. Castillogrande Beach is roughly 450 metres from the hotel.

You are in the Bocagrande area rather than inside the old walled centre. Cartagena's historic sights are still close enough for an evening or half-day outing: Cartagena's Gold Museum, the Clock Tower, the Palace of the Inquisition and San Pedro Claver's Museum are all around 2 miles away, with the city walls roughly 2.5 miles away.

For food outside the hotel, several restaurants are within a few hundred metres, including Oh Mar, Submarino Ceviche y Mas and La Diva. Bars such as Las Vegas and La Tribuna are about 300 metres away, so you have alternatives when the hotel menu has had its turn.

The useful choice here is not simply the room name; it is how much space you want around the dive bags and the person sharing your holiday. Couples can keep things simple with a king-bed room, while the Junior Suite, Studio or one-bedroom suite gives you more room to spread out and sit down. The Presidential Suite adds an ocean view and two bathrooms for a more spacious stay.

For families or two couples travelling together, the two-bedroom suites and the family room make more sense than trying to manage several small rooms. Ocean-view superior rooms give you the view; garden-view rooms keep the outlook on the hotel's tropical grounds. The room map below carries the exact sizes, beds and occupancy for each category, so the decision here is mainly about layout and view.

Air conditioning is fitted throughout, which is welcome when you return hot, salty and ready to become horizontal. Rooms have a refrigerator, desk, wardrobe, flat-screen TV with cable and satellite channels, private bathroom, towels, toiletries, bathrobe and hairdryer. Soundproof rooms are available, and daily housekeeping keeps the practical side of the stay under control.

Breakfast is served as a buffet, with continental and American choices, tropical fruit and Colombian coffee. Breakfast to go and breakfast in the room are also available, useful when a morning departure leaves little time for a leisurely plate. Special diet menus can be requested, and the buffet includes child-friendly choices.

There are three restaurants in total. Pedro Heredia is the named restaurant, working with local cuisine and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. That gives you a proper on-site option for the main meal rather than relying on snacks between swims and appointments.

There is one lounge bar, along with a snack bar, coffee house and minibar service. Drinks after dinner can be taken beside the pool, and room service is available when the sensible plan is food without changing out of the clothes you came back in.

The semi-Olympic outdoor pool is the obvious place to spend a non-diving afternoon, with pool and beach towels, sun loungers and parasols available. Direct beach access gives you another option when you want sand and sea rather than another length of the pool. The surrounding gardens, terrace and sun terrace add quieter places to sit with a book or a cold drink.

The spa covers the jobs that become more appealing as the week progresses: massages, facial treatments, a hammam, Jacuzzi, manicures and pedicures. There is also a relaxation area, sauna, solarium and fitness centre. It is a sensible combination for a couple where one person wants a treatment and the other would rather do something mildly energetic before lunch.

When you still have energy, the hotel has table tennis, billiards, mini golf and a games room. Bicycle rental, walking tours and hiking are available for outings beyond the grounds, while evening entertainment, live music, temporary art galleries and a nightclub with DJ provide options after dinner. In other words, there is enough to do without pretending every diver needs an organised programme.

Rafael Núñez International Airport is about 5 miles away, with the drive taking around 14 minutes in the listed road-distance information. An airport shuttle can be arranged through the hotel. On-site parking and valet parking are available, and the hotel also has car hire, a tour desk, currency exchange and an ATM.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out runs until 12:00. You need photo identification and a payment card at check-in, and the hotel asks you to share your expected arrival time. The front desk operates around the clock, with luggage storage and private or express check-in and check-out available.

Children of all ages are welcome. Children aged 12 and over are treated as adults for the booking, while cots and extra beds for younger children can be requested subject to the selected room arrangement; there are no extra beds available at the property. Pets are allowed, including dogs up to 10 kilograms, and the hotel accepts cash, Visa, Mastercard and American Express.

Free WiFi is available throughout the hotel. Laundry, dry cleaning and ironing services are available, and the business centre is there if the laptop has followed you across the Atlantic for reasons nobody fully understands.