Hotel Indigo La Paz Puerta Cortes by IHG

You are staying in Pichilingue, at Hotel Indigo La Paz Puerta Cortes by IHG, a 115-room hotel built for a coastal break rather than a quick night in town. The setting puts the sea and the beach at the centre of the day, while the hotel keeps the useful comforts close: air-conditioned rooms, a pool, a spa, places to eat and a bar for the transition from wet gear to dry clothes.

English and Spanish are spoken by the hotel team, so you can deal with the practicalities without resorting to hand signals before breakfast. The atmosphere suits divers who want a proper base, not just a bed: a place where you can eat, stretch out, swim, book a treatment or simply let the afternoon disappear without having to go anywhere.

There is also a fitness room, a garden, terraces and a private beach. Dogs and cats are accepted, with access restrictions applying to the pool and restaurants.

The address is in Pichilingue, Mexico, on Carretera Pichilingue Km 7.5, in the Lomas de Palmira area. La Paz city centre is about 5.5 miles away, giving you a quieter coastal base while keeping the city within reach when you want more movement, shops or a change of scenery.

The hotel sits directly by El Tesoro Beach, a sandy stretch with sun loungers and parasols. That makes the first and last part of the day pleasantly simple: the sea is not a distant promise on a map, but part of the property itself.

La Paz International Airport is approximately 15.5 miles away. The hotel offers airport transfers, and car hire is available through the hotel’s services. Free parking is also available if you arrive with your own vehicle.

The room choice is mainly about how you want to wake up. A garden-view double room keeps the view quieter and more inward-looking, while a sea-view room gives the morning a distinctly better opening scene. Twin-bed rooms make practical sense when two divers want separate sleeping arrangements; a couple may prefer a double bed or one of the sea-facing suites.

The rooms are equipped for the unglamorous but important part of a diving holiday: air conditioning for cooling down after heat and salt, blackout blinds when your body clock has given up, and a fridge for keeping water cold. Tea and coffee facilities, bottled water, a private bathroom, toiletries, towels and a hairdryer are available in the relevant room categories. Wi-Fi and a television cover the quiet hours when even a short walk feels ambitious.

The Bay View Suite and Sea View Suite are the room choices for more space around the evening, with a safe, telephone, toiletries, towels and private bathroom. Some rooms also offer a bathrobe, iron and additional in-room equipment, so check the individual room description before choosing rather than assuming every category carries the same kit. Communicating or adjacent rooms may be available for families or companions travelling together.

The hotel has three named food and drink outlets. Cardon serves lunch and dinner, while Barco covers lunch and dinner from its terrace, giving you an outdoor option when sitting inside feels like a waste of coastal weather. Puerto is another named venue, used for mezcal tastings alongside Barco.

Breakfast runs from 7.00 am to 12.00 noon, which is a civilised window for divers: early enough for a morning start, late enough not to punish anyone whose previous day ended slowly. Breakfast is available as a buffet and can also be served in your room. The hotel also has a snack bar, bottled water and coffee facilities.

Barco is the beach bar, so the post-dive routine can remain close to the sand rather than becoming a search for somewhere open. Mezcal tastings at Puerto and Barco add a local detail to the evening, with the tasting built around both drinks and food. Meal arrangements depend on the booking selected, so check what your chosen stay includes.

The outdoor pool is the obvious place to cool down without committing to another trip into the water. Around it, the sun terrace, garden, beach loungers and parasols give you several versions of doing very little. El Tesoro Beach is directly accessible, so a swim in the sea or a slow stretch of sand requires no transport and very little planning.

Espíritu Spa offers massages and facials, useful when your shoulders have spent the day carrying more equipment than they would like. The hotel also has a sauna, steam room and fitness room, so you can choose between recovery, heat and a modest workout rather than pretending every afternoon needs an excursion.

When staying active is the plan, the property offers golf, cycling, hiking and fishing among its leisure facilities. Boat trips, island outings, snorkelling and cultural excursions are also available. The hotel has a children’s play area, a children’s pool and babysitting services, which makes it workable for a diving holiday with family members who have no interest in discussing visibility over dinner.

Check-in runs from 3.00 pm until midnight, and check-out is at 12.00 noon. Early arrival and late departure can be requested. Reception operates around the clock, with a lift, luggage storage, concierge services, a cash machine and currency exchange available on site. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, and the property is accessible to wheelchair users, including access to the restaurant.

Airport transfers are available, and the service can be arranged with the hotel. Parking is free. Laundry, dry cleaning and ironing services are available, with some of these services carrying an additional charge. The hotel also has a medical facility on site, a business centre and meeting facilities.

Children up to 12 can stay without an accommodation charge, and extra beds are available. Pets are accepted, although dogs and cats are subject to the hotel’s rules, and pets cannot use the pool or restaurants. Visa, Mastercard, American Express and cash are accepted. Electrical sockets are type A, with a 127-volt supply at 60 Hz.