Azul del Mar

This is a small boutique hotel on the edge of Blackwater Sound, built for a couple who would rather have a private beach and a room with practical comforts than a large resort with a timetable. The garden leads down to the waterfront, with loungers, parasols and a beach bar for the important business of doing very little.

Azul del Mar suits divers who like their base calm and self-contained. You can return from the water, switch on the air conditioning, make coffee, put something cold in the fridge and decide whether the evening calls for a barbecue or a short trip out for dinner. No grand production. Just a useful place to land in Key Largo.

You are in Key Largo, Florida, at 104300 Overseas Highway, beside Blackwater Sound. The hotel has direct access to its own small private beach, set within a tropical garden, so the water is part of the address rather than something you reach by car.

John Pennekamp State Park is about 0.8 miles away, while Dolphin Cove is around 0.9 miles from the hotel. Friendship Park is about 1.1 miles away. For dinner, Fish House is roughly 0.1 mile from the property, Alfredo's Cookhouse about 0.2 mile, and Catch around 0.3 mile. That is the sort of geography that matters when you have spent the day in a wetsuit and would prefer not to organise an expedition for supper.

The room choice is mainly about how much space and outlook you want. The sea- and ocean-view suites are the natural pick for a couple who want the water to do some of the evening's decorating; garden-view rooms keep things more inward-looking and practical. The larger Superior Suite is the one to consider when you want proper room to spread out rather than merely somewhere to put two bags.

Every room brings the useful kit of a small apartment: a kitchenette with a refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, coffee machine and kitchenware. That means fresh water stays cold, breakfast can be handled without ceremony, and a late return does not automatically become a restaurant decision. A seating area, flat-screen TV and satellite channels cover the quieter part of the evening.

Air conditioning matters in the Keys, particularly when the day has involved heat, salt and neoprene. Rooms are non-smoking and have a private entrance; the small King Room is the compact option, while the larger suites give you more breathing room. Daily housekeeping, Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and laundry facilities keep the practical side of a longer dive stay under control.

There is no hotel restaurant or stated meal plan to organise your day around. Instead, the kitchenette gives you a degree of independence: coffee before an early start, something simple between outings, or a cold drink waiting when you get back. The refrigerator and microwave are more useful here than another decorative lobby feature.

Outside, the picnic area has gas barbecue facilities and outdoor furniture. It is a straightforward way to make an evening of it without putting on smart clothes or driving anywhere. After a long day in the water, that can be exactly the right level of ambition.

When you want somebody else to handle the cooking, Fish House is about 0.1 mile away, Alfredo's Cookhouse around 0.2 mile and Catch roughly 0.3 mile. The nearby options are close enough to keep dinner simple, while the private beach area and its bar give you somewhere to sit with the last drink of the day.

The private beach is the main answer here. You have sun loungers, beach chairs, parasols, an outdoor shower and changing facilities, with the garden behind and Blackwater Sound in front. It is a good arrangement for a slow afternoon: get out of the sun when you want, go back to the water when you do not.

The hotel also offers snorkelling, canoeing and water-sports facilities on site. Kayaking, paddleboarding and boat excursions are part of the wider activity offer, while bicycle rental and cycling give you a land-based option when sitting still has finally lost its appeal. None of this requires a complicated programme; you can choose according to how much energy the day has left.

A massage is available on site for an additional charge, which is a sensible option when shoulders and lower back have started keeping their own logbook. Free private parking makes the property workable for a road trip through the Keys, and the garden, picnic area and sun terrace provide the rest of the setting without trying to turn the hotel into an entertainment complex.

Miami International Airport is about 45 miles from the hotel, with the driving route covering around 54 miles and taking roughly one hour and five minutes by car. Free private parking is available on site, although spaces cannot be reserved. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.

Check-in runs from 16:00 to midnight and check-out is by 11:00. You need to tell the property your expected arrival time, and check-in requires photo identification and a credit card. The minimum age for check-in is 21.

Children of any age are welcome, but cots and extra beds are not available. Pets are not allowed. The hotel sends check-in details by email, so keeping an eye on your inbox before travelling is part of the arrival routine.