Holiday Inn Club Vacations Grand Residences by IHG

Set on the Riviera Maya, this is a resort built for the sort of holiday where the sea, the pool and a proper dinner all have their place. You can spend the morning by the water, retreat to air conditioning when the sun has done enough, then let the evening take care of itself between the restaurants, the bar and the beach.

You will be understood in English and Spanish by the hotel team. That matters when you are arranging a transfer, asking about dinner or trying to establish whether the day’s plan involves a towel, a taxi or both. The resort also gives you plenty of room to choose your own pace: all-inclusive stays, several places to eat, a spa, fitness facilities and a direct beach access.

Families are catered for with a kids’ club, children’s play areas and a games room, while couples can keep things rather simpler with a suite, a treatment and a long lunch. It is a large resort operation, with 60 rooms and five floors, rather than a small hideaway pretending not to notice other guests.

The address is in Puerto Morelos, Mexico, on Boulevard El Cid. The resort has direct access to a private beach, with sun loungers, parasols and beach facilities ready for the hours when you want sand rather than a timetable.

Puerto Morelos town centre is an eight-minute drive away. That keeps local restaurants, shops and the town itself within reach without putting you in the middle of it. You can stay on the property when you want everything close, then head into town when a change of scene is called for.

The airport is around 30 minutes away by car. An airport transfer is available, as are taxi reservations and vehicle hire, while parking is available at the resort. In other words, arriving with luggage, dive bags or the usual collection of things that seemed essential at the time is manageable.

The room range is aimed less at the traveller who only needs somewhere to fall into bed and more at guests who want space to stay put for a while. Junior suites cover the straightforward end of the choice, with double-room options, views in some categories and a kitchen in the double junior suite. For a couple, that kitchen can make the difference between a quick drink in the room and a full expedition in search of food after a long day outside.

The larger Master Suites bring one, two or three bedrooms, with penthouse versions and private-pool options for guests who want more separation between sleeping, sitting and cooling off. There is also a quadruple junior suite with a jacuzzi and a four-bedroom Presidential Suite. The cards below do the arithmetic; the useful distinction is whether you are travelling as a pair, bringing a family or simply refusing to holiday in a room where every suitcase becomes furniture.

Room equipment varies by category. Air conditioning, a television, a minibar, a hairdryer, bathrobes, slippers, toiletries and a safe all feature across the room information, but not in every category. A private bathroom is standard in the listed room types. Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel means you can deal with messages from the comfort of the room, though the more sensible use of the evening may be the view, the minibar and doing absolutely nothing for a change.

The all-inclusive formula gives you several ways to organise the day without making every meal an administrative exercise. El Faro Grill serves breakfast, lunch and dinner on its terrace, with breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., lunch from noon to 4:30 p.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Its cooking is international, which is useful when the table needs to work for more than one appetite.

Flor de Canela Restaurant takes over for dinner on the terrace, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Heaven Beach Bar & Grill keeps lunch by the sea, serving seafood from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Lobby Cafe And Bar covers breakfast indoors and stays open until 10:30 p.m.; there is also a Pool Bar for the sort of drink that should not require shoes.

Room service runs around the clock. Chef in Suite is listed as an evening dining option, and the property also has a snack bar, coffee and tea facilities, bottled water, a microwave and coffee machines. Smart casual is the dress code at El Faro Grill, while Flor de Canela asks for casual elegant dress. A dry shirt will do, but the shirt should at least have met an iron once.

Four pools give you an alternative to the sea, including indoor and outdoor pools, a children’s pool and pool facilities with beach and pool towels. The direct beach access means the choice is easy: lie under a parasol, move to a lounger by the water or retreat indoors when the heat has become more ambitious than your plans.

The spa is the place for massage, facials, a hammam, sauna, jacuzzi, mud baths and body wraps. There is also a solarium, a gym and fitness equipment, with yoga for those who prefer recovery to another round of competitive lounging. The resort has a tennis court and table tennis, plus cooking classes when the idea of learning something practical feels more attractive than reading the same book beside the pool.

Snorkelling is available for time spent on the water without turning the whole day into a major undertaking. Families have a kids’ club, a games room, children’s play areas and babysitting and childcare services. When the sensible plan is to let everyone else occupy themselves, the garden, terrace and outdoor furniture provide somewhere to sit with a drink and no particular ambition.

Reception is open around the clock. Check-in runs from 4 p.m. to midnight, and check-out is at 11 a.m.; early arrival and late departure can be requested. Check-in is for guests aged 25 and over. A security deposit is requested on arrival, and a tourist tax applies to foreign visitors in Quintana Roo, with proof of payment required at the airport before departure.

Airport transfers are available as a paid service, and the resort can arrange taxis. Parking is free, Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, and the building has lifts and accessible facilities. A concierge, luggage storage, laundry, dry cleaning, ironing, currency exchange, an ATM and a souvenir shop cover the practical jobs that tend to appear once the holiday has started.

Visa, Mastercard and American Express are accepted. The property also has a medical facility on site, a business centre, meeting and conference facilities, a 24-hour room service and a 24-hour reception. The resort is non-smoking, and pets are not admitted.