Aquamare Hotel

Aquamare Hotel suits divers who want a proper town base rather than a remote resort routine. You have a rooftop swimming pool, a restaurant, a cocktail bar and room service, so the practical part of the evening is covered without turning the place into a checklist of facilities.

Air conditioning, free WiFi, a lift and a 24-hour front desk keep the stay straightforward. The hotel's website is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese, which is useful when you are checking the details of your stay before travelling.

You are in San Andrés, Colombia, close to the island's main beach-and-town circuit. Spratt Bight Beach is around 0.1 mile away on foot, while San Andrés Bay is also nearby. Beach access is described as direct, so you can keep the sea close without booking a secluded coastal hideaway.

The surrounding streets give you options once you have changed out of damp dive gear: several restaurants and bars are within roughly 0.1 mile, including Ile, Café Bar Jet Set, Cosechas and Caribbean Disco Club. Parque Sunrise is about 0.4 mile away on foot, while Morgan's Cave, San Luis and other island sights provide reasons to explore beyond the immediate waterfront.

The room choice is mainly about how much breathing space you want at the end of the day. A standard double room keeps things simple for two, while the double rooms with two beds make more sense for a pair of divers travelling together or a small family that would rather not negotiate one bed after a long day. For a couple, the king-bed rooms with a balcony or a view are the more comfortable way to make the room part of the holiday rather than just a place to leave your bags.

The junior suites and suites give you a clear step up in room to move around. The Junior Suite with Balcony accommodates up to four, making it the sensible choice when several people need somewhere to sit, change and organise themselves without turning the whole room into a kit bag. The larger suites are aimed more squarely at two people who want room to spread out and a balcony for the quiet part of the evening.

Air conditioning matters on a warm island, particularly when you are trying to recover from heat, salt and a boat ride. Rooms also include a private bathroom, flat-screen TV, free WiFi and, depending on the accommodation, a balcony and garden views. Daily housekeeping and room service mean you can keep the evening low-effort when dinner out feels like unnecessary exertion.

Varka handles breakfast, lunch and dinner, with Mediterranean cooking at its centre. Breakfast is served as a buffet, with panoramic views to give the first meal of the day a little more direction than coffee and a packet of biscuits. Vegetarian options are available in the restaurant.

Lunch runs from midday to 3 pm from Monday to Saturday. Dinner follows from 6 pm to 10.30 pm on those days, and from 6 pm to 9.30 pm on Sundays and public holidays. The kitchen combines Mediterranean preparations with ingredients associated with the San Andrés archipelago, so the menu has an island connection rather than stopping at generic international dishes.

For a drink, Coral Bar focuses on cocktails, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, with recipes inspired by San Andrés. It is the obvious place to sit with something cold while deciding whether you have the energy for dinner. Room service is also available when the bed wins the argument.

The rooftop outdoor pool gives you somewhere to cool down without putting your fins back on. It is a useful pause between the sea and the evening, particularly when the plan is to read, sit still and avoid making any ambitious decisions for a while.

A fitness room is available for those who still have energy to spend, while the tour desk can help turn a non-diving day into an island outing. Spratt Bight Beach is close enough for an easy change of scene, and the nearby bars, restaurants and parks mean you are not dependent on the hotel for every hour away from the water.

Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport is about 1 mile from the hotel, with the mapped driving distance just under that. The address is Cra. 2 # Calle 2 1B-128, San Andrés. A lift helps with arrival and departure, and the 24-hour reception is useful if your travel schedule does not fit neatly into office hours.

Check-in runs from 3 pm to midnight, and check-out from midnight to midday. The minimum age for check-in is 18. Children of any age are welcome; children aged 12 and over are charged as adults, and extra beds can be requested for guests aged 12 and above. Cots are not available.

Free WiFi covers the hotel, and room service, daily housekeeping and a tour desk take care of the practical details. Pets are allowed, with a possible extra charge, and payment is accepted in cash.