Crowne Plaza Ft Myers Gulf Coast by IHG

The 2024 renovation gives the hotel a modern setting without turning it into a theme park. You stay beside a lake in Fort Myers, with an outdoor pool, fire pits and a restaurant on the premises, so the useful parts of a travelling diver's day are close at hand: a proper meal, a cold drink and somewhere to sit down without having to launch another expedition.

English is one of the languages used on the hotel's website, alongside French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Arabic, Russian, Polish, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Turkish. The hotel is family-friendly, but it also works for couples and independent travellers who want airport access, Gulf beaches and straightforward facilities rather than a dive-resort setup.

The emphasis here is on convenience and easy evenings. You have free WiFi throughout, free private parking, a 24-hour front desk and a complimentary airport shuttle, while the lakefront outdoor area gives you somewhere to slow down when the day's business, sightseeing or diving is finished.

You find the hotel at 9931 Interstate Commerce Drive in Fort Myers, Florida, on the Gulf Coast side of the city and beside a lake. Southwest Florida International Airport is about 3 miles away, with the road journey taking around 10 minutes. Florida Gulf Coast University is roughly 4 miles away, and JetBlue Park is about 6 miles away.

Gulf Coast Town Center is nearby for dining, shopping and entertainment, while the River District is a short drive away. Three Oaks Community Park is about 3 miles from the hotel, and Buttonwood Lake is around 1 mile away if you want a change of scenery without committing to a full day out.

The white-sand beaches of Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island are also a short drive away. This is not a hotel on the beach, so you will want a car, a shuttle or a planned excursion for your sea time; in return, the airport and the main local roads are close, which keeps arrival and departure pleasantly uncomplicated.

The room choice is mainly about how much sleeping and sitting space you need, and whether the view matters more than the bed arrangement. Couples can keep things simple with a king room, while two divers travelling together may prefer a room with two beds. If you are travelling as a small family or want a separate place to sit, rooms with sofa beds give you more flexibility without moving into a suite-sized arrangement.

Lake-view rooms put the outlook ahead of you rather than leaving the scenery to the common areas. Pool views are also available. Several room categories include soundproofing, which is useful when you are trying to sleep rather than listen to the corridor's account of everyone else's evening, and the seating areas give you somewhere to recover before dinner.

Air conditioning, a refrigerator, microwave and coffee machine cover the practical post-travel details: chilled drinks, a quick snack and coffee before an early start. You also have a private bathroom with a shower or bath, hairdryer and toiletries, plus a flat-screen TV, cable channels, a desk and free WiFi. The hotel is smoke-free, and accessible room layouts include roll-in showers or accessible tubs in selected categories.

Oasis Restaurant & Bar handles the hotel's main food and drink offer, with breakfast, lunch and dinner served indoors or on the lakeside patio. The cooking is classic American with regional touches, which is a sensible match for a Florida base: familiar food when you want it, with enough local character to stop every meal becoming an exercise in beige predictability.

Breakfast is included and served as a buffet, with continental and American options. The restaurant also offers all-day dining, special diet menus on request, breakfast in the room and a snack bar for smaller appetites. There is one bar, integrated into Oasis Restaurant & Bar, with craft beer, an eclectic wine list and curated cocktails.

The patio is where the evening gets its own setting, with outdoor seating, lake views and a fire pit. The programme includes themed food nights, specialised action stations and live music; Fridays bring Tacos, Tequila, & Live Music from 5pm to 8pm, while Thursday's Crowne Plaza Social runs from 5pm to 6pm with cocktails and complimentary tastings of food and spirits.

The outdoor pool faces the lake and works equally well for a few lengths or for the more popular post-water activity known as sitting down. Sun loungers, a sun terrace, an outdoor fireplace and outdoor furniture keep the lakeside area usable beyond the pool itself, while the hot tub offers a warmer place to unknot tired legs.

A 24-hour fitness centre is available if you still have energy to spend. Golf is available in the surrounding area, and the hotel can arrange car hire. For a more cultural day, the Edison and Ford Winter Estates are about 14 miles away; Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island bring white sand, water sports and the option of a slower coastal outing.

The hotel also has outdoor entertainment areas suited to families and couples. Live music is part of the evening programme, and televised live sport is available. You can keep things sociable by the fire pit, take a quieter seat by the lake or simply retreat to the room and let the air conditioning do the evening's heavy lifting.

Southwest Florida International Airport is about 3 miles away, and the hotel runs a complimentary 24-hour Mercedes-Benz shuttle to and from the airport. The same shuttle also serves Florida Gulf Coast University, Gulf Coast Town Center and locations within a 3-mile radius. You can use the service for arrival, local appointments or a shopping run, subject to the hotel's arrangements.

Check-in starts at 3pm and check-out is by 11am. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and the minimum check-in age is 21. Early check-in and late check-out are available on request. Children of any age are welcome; cots for children aged 0 to 2 can be requested, while no extra beds are available.

Free private parking is available on site, with no reservation. You also have luggage storage, express check-in and check-out, a 24-hour front desk, an on-site cash machine, a business centre and a small minimarket. Laundry and dry-cleaning services are available. Pets are not allowed.