Holiday Inn Portland-By the Bay by IHG

A three-star city hotel with a waterfront outlook and enough practical comfort for a few days in Portland, Holiday Inn Portland-By the Bay suits divers who want the town around them rather than a self-contained resort. You can finish the day with a swim indoors, a meal on site or a short walk to one of the nearby restaurants, without turning every evening into a transport exercise.

The mood is straightforward and useful: air conditioning, free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, an indoor pool, a fitness centre and a sauna. There is also a 24-hour front desk, luggage storage and a lift, which matters when your arrival involves bags, coats and the usual collection of things that should have stayed in the car.

The address is 88 Spring Street in downtown Portland, Maine, on the shore of Casco Bay. The hotel has waterfront views towards the Calendar Islands, while the Portland Museum of Art is about 0.15 miles away and the Arts District begins within an easy walk. Victoria Mansion, Wadsworth Longfellow House and Pleasant Street Park are also close by.

You are not staying beside a sandy beach, but the coast is within reach. East End Beach is about 1.5 miles away, and Willards Beach is around 2.7 miles on foot. For a meal away from the hotel, Port of Call Restaurant & Lounge is about 350 feet away, with Little Tap House roughly 350 feet from the address as well. Portland Transportation Center is about 1.5 miles away.

The rooms are arranged for ordinary human use rather than expedition planning: bright decor, plush bedding, a private bathroom with shower, toiletries and hairdryer, plus a desk if you need to deal with emails before dinner. Tea and coffee-making facilities and a refrigerator are useful after a long day out, especially when you want a cold drink without another trip downstairs.

For two people, the king rooms keep things simple, while the premium options with ocean or bay views give you more reason to draw the curtains before heading out. Travelling as a family or sharing with friends? Rooms with two queen beds or a sofa bed accommodate up to four people, and the corner layouts offer more space to spread out. A mobility-accessible room with a roll-in shower and a king room with an accessible tub are also available.

Air conditioning and heating cover the less glamorous but rather important part of the night. Non-smoking rooms, daily housekeeping, an alarm clock and wake-up service keep the basics in order, while a flat-screen television with cable channels and free Wi-Fi handle the hours when your legs have voted against going back out.

Local Toast is the in-house restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with New England-style cooking and a distinctly Maine feel. Breakfast is offered as an American buffet, with an egg station where your order is made to measure rather than excavated from a tray. That is a useful start before a full day outside.

There is a bar on site, along with a coffee house and snack bar, so you have several ways to deal with the post-dive hunger window. Room service is available too. Special-diet menus can be requested, and children’s meals and a child-friendly buffet are part of the dining offer.

The hotel is also surrounded by Portland’s food scene. Friends & Family is about 850 feet away, while Geno’s Rock Club is roughly 1,300 feet from the hotel if the evening needs louder music rather than another quiet drink.

The indoor pool is the obvious place to let the day drain away without asking much of your body. Pool towels, loungers and sun umbrellas are available, although the pool itself is indoors; the sauna and steam room add a warmer option when you want to sit still and call it recovery.

A fitness centre is available for anyone who still has enthusiasm in reserve. For something less gym-like, bicycle rental, cycling, darts and live sports broadcasts give you a few ways to fill an afternoon or evening without committing to another major outing.

Portland also does the work for you. Walking tours and bike tours are available, and the Portland Museum of Art, Victoria Mansion, Casco Bay and the city’s historic houses all sit within practical reach. East End Beach is about 1.5 miles away for a change of scenery, while a nearby foot sanctuary and teahouse offer a more deliberately slow solution to tired legs.

Portland International Jetport is about 1.8 miles away, with the journey taking around 15 minutes by car. An airport shuttle is available, and the hotel also has a general shuttle service. If you arrive by car, public parking is available on site, with valet parking as an option; parking is paid.

Check-in starts from 3pm and check-out is by 11am. You must be at least 18 to check in and will need photo identification and a credit card. Cash is not accepted. Luggage storage, express check-in and check-out, a 24-hour front desk and an on-site minimarket make awkward arrival or departure gaps easier to manage.

Children of any age are welcome, with cots available on request subject to availability. Guests under 18 must check in with a parent or official guardian. The hotel is undergoing renovation works, with possible noise or light disturbance between 9.30am and 7pm. That is worth keeping in mind if daytime quiet is high on your list.

The available hotel information does not set out a named environmental certification or a specific sustainability programme.