Presidente InterContinental Cozumel Resort & Spa by IHG

Hotel Presidente InterContinental is a beachfront resort built around the parts of a diving holiday that matter once your mask is back in the bag: somewhere to swim, somewhere to eat, a proper spa, and a room with air conditioning when the Caribbean has done its sweaty best. The private beach opens directly onto white sand and clear, sargassum-free water, while the infinity pool faces the sea rather than a car park. A sensible arrangement for divers, couples, and families who do not all want to spend every hour doing the same thing.

The resort has a polished, full-service feel without requiring you to leave the grounds whenever hunger, tired legs or a need for a cool drink appears. Four restaurants, a bar, room service, a spa and a concierge keep the practical business of the evening close at hand. English is used on the hotel's website, alongside German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese and several Asian and other languages, so you can at least handle the planning stage in a language you know.

You are on Cozumel's southern hotel zone, at KM 6.5 of the road to Chankanaab, with the resort directly on the Caribbean. This is a proper seafront position, not a hotel that uses the word beachfront because you can glimpse blue water between two buildings. The private beach area and direct access put the sand at the centre of the stay.

Cozumel International Airport is 4 km away. The island's other beaches give you reasons to explore by car: Playa Santa María is about 1.7 miles away, Caletita Beach about 2 miles, and Playa Coyoc about 3 miles. Faro Celarain is 17 miles from the resort, so the southern end of Cozumel is within reach when you want a change of scenery rather than another turn on the sun lounger.

The immediate surroundings include restaurants such as Alfredo di Roma, Faro Blanco and Le Cap, all within roughly 0.1 miles. Several bars lie farther north, including El Cid La Ceiba Beach and Bakkan Cozumel. Car hire is available at the resort, which is useful on an island where the map may look compact until the heat, bends and beach stops join the calculation.

The room choice is mainly about how much of the sea you want to bring indoors and how much space your group needs once wet bags, clothes and ordinary holiday clutter have taken over. A Classic King Room suits a couple or a small group, while rooms with two queen beds make more sense when three people are sharing without wanting to negotiate every square inch. Families who need genuine separation can look towards the two-bedroom suite, with an ocean view and room for four.

For two people, the seafront options with beach access put the useful part of the resort just outside the door. The ocean-view and reef-view rooms are the natural choice when the view matters more than simply having a place to sleep; the balcony category gives you outdoor space, while pool-access rooms trade the wider panorama for a quicker route to the water. There is no need to choose a room as if every balcony were interchangeable. Here, the view and access are the point.

Air conditioning is available throughout the accommodation, a welcome ally when you return warm, salty and ready to lie down rather than discuss the weather. Rooms also include free WiFi, a coffee machine, minibar, wardrobe, desk, flat-screen television, bathrobe, slippers and a hairdryer. Comfortable bedding is part of the offer, and daily housekeeping keeps the room from becoming a minor expedition by the end of the week. Some rooms have an outdoor shower, and the private-entrance layout gives selected categories a little more independence.

Four restaurants keep dinner from becoming a daily logistical exercise. The cooking covers Italian, Mediterranean, international and Caribbean styles, so you can stay with familiar pasta, move towards a broader menu, or keep the evening closer to the island. The useful detail is variety on site: after a long day, you can eat without arranging another outing or climbing back into transport.

Breakfast comes as a buffet, with continental, American, vegetarian and gluten-free choices, plus breakfast to go. That gives you several ways to start the day, whether you want a proper plate, something lighter, or food you can carry with you. Special-diet menus are available on request, and breakfast can also be served in your room.

There is one bar and a snack bar for the less formal moments, together with a minibar in the rooms. Room service is available when the sensible decision is food in a bathrobe. A happy hour adds a more sociable option, while the bar gives you somewhere to sit with a drink instead of treating the room television as your evening entertainment.

The 535-square-metre infinity pool is the obvious headquarters for a non-diving afternoon, with the Caribbean forming the far edge of the view. Pool towels, sun loungers, beach chairs and umbrellas are available, and the direct white-sand beach gives you a second place to stop moving. The garden, terrace and sun terrace add quieter spots when the pool has become too lively or your skin has reached its daily limit.

The spa covers the more deliberate form of recovery: a relaxation area, steam room, sauna, hot tub and spa facilities, with massages and body treatments available. Couples can book a couples massage, while the treatment list also includes head, neck, back, foot, hand and full-body massages, body scrubs and body wraps. It is a useful choice for the day when your shoulders have opinions about yesterday's activity.

If sitting still proves impossible, you have a fitness centre, yoga classes, a tennis court with equipment, and bicycles for getting around. Families have children's entertainment, outdoor play equipment, a playground and a children's menu, while board games and puzzles cover the less ambitious hours. The concierge and tour desk can help organise time away from the resort, and the beach itself remains a perfectly valid activity. No medal is awarded for filling every afternoon.

Check-in starts at 3 pm and check-out is by midday. You need photo identification and a credit card at arrival, and the resort asks you to share your expected arrival time in advance. The minimum age for check-in is 18. Early arrival and late departure can be requested, subject to availability.

Cozumel International Airport is 4 km away, making the final road transfer a short one. Free private parking is available on site without reservation, and valet parking is also available. Car hire, a concierge, a tour desk, luggage storage, currency exchange, an on-site cash machine and a 24-hour front desk cover the practical details that tend to appear once the holiday is under way.

WiFi is free throughout the resort. Cash is not accepted, so keep a suitable card to hand for the bill and incidental arrangements. The resort accepts pets on request, with dogs and cats allowed within the stated property rules; guide and assistance dogs are treated separately. The accommodation is non-smoking, and accessibility features include wheelchair access, a lower bathroom sink, raised toilets, grab rails and Braille visual aids.