Grand Gosia Hotel

Grand Gosia Hotel suits you if diving is part of the plan but not the whole timetable. You can spend the morning by the sea, head into Nha Trang when you feel like it, then return to a hotel with a pool, spa, restaurants and a bar rather than a room that is only useful for sleeping.

English and Vietnamese are spoken by the hotel staff, so everyday arrangements are straightforward. The atmosphere is practical and full-service: room service runs around the clock, Wi-Fi covers the hotel, and the building has a restaurant, leisure facilities, meeting spaces and a direct beach connection.

You are in Nha Trang, at 10-12 Tran Phu Street in Vinh Nguyen Ward, with the hotel set directly on the seafront. The beach is sandy, and sun loungers and parasols are available, so getting from breakfast to the water requires no transport and very little planning.

The centre of Nha Trang is about 3 km away. That gives you access to the city without putting you in the middle of its traffic and noise. The airport is around 35 minutes away by car, making the hotel a manageable first or last stop for a diving trip.

The room choice is mainly about the view and the sleeping arrangement. City-view Superior rooms keep things simple, with either a double bed or twin beds, while the ocean-view Deluxe categories make more sense if you want the sea to be part of the room rather than merely a short walk away. Twin beds are useful when two divers are sharing without wishing to negotiate the duvet every night.

For a more spacious-feeling stay, the Grand Gosia Suite is the obvious step up in category. Room facilities vary, but the hotel provides air conditioning, a private bathroom, television, a minibar and a refrigerator across its room offering. Hairdryers, safes, toiletries, bathrobes and slippers are available according to category, so check the individual room card if one of those matters to you after a long day in the water.

Room service is available 24 hours a day. That matters when your appetite turns up before your energy does, or when you would rather eat privately than dress for dinner. Family rooms are also available, and the hotel has lift access.

There are two restaurants, giving you more choice than a single all-purpose dining room. Crystal Restaurant is the main restaurant on the first floor, with a buffet breakfast and lunch and dinner served from an à la carte menu. Culinary events are also held at times, particularly around weekends and national holidays.

Diamond Restaurant takes a broader line, combining European, Asian and Vietnamese seafood dishes. It serves lunch and dinner, with à la carte options and set menus in a more formal setting. Breakfast is included in the hotel formula, and the buffet is the sensible place to fuel up before heading out rather than relying on a heroic amount of coffee.

The Pool Bar is on the third floor and runs from morning into the evening. You can order fruit juice, cocktails, wine, beer and snacks beside the pool. It is the sort of arrangement that lets you postpone the decision between swimming and sitting down; you can do both, with a drink in reach.

The infinity pool is on the fourth floor, alongside the gym, sauna, steam bath, spa and Pool Bar. From there, you can cool off, sit with a drink and look out over the bay without having to leave the hotel. A separate children's pool is available for younger guests, while the beach gives you a second place to stretch out under a parasol.

Gold Spa & Massage offers massage, facial treatments, a hammam and a sauna, including Vietnamese and Chinese herbal treatments. It is a useful option when your legs have had enough of fins and stairs but are not yet ready for bed. The gym has a range of exercise machines and is available to hotel guests.

If you still have energy to spend, the hotel also has table tennis, billiards, a barbecue area, a garden, a terrace and a sun terrace. Bicycle hire, fishing, hiking and windsurfing also appear among the available leisure activities. You can arrange excursions through the hotel, while the concierge and ticketing assistance can take some of the admin out of planning a day away from the beach.

An airport transfer is available, along with shuttle and other transfer services; arrange the details with the hotel before travelling. If you arrive by car, parking is available, and free Wi-Fi covers the property. The reception is open around the clock, with check-in from 14:00 and check-out by 12:00.

The hotel has a lift, accessible facilities and wheelchair access. Laundry, dry-cleaning and ironing services are available, alongside luggage storage, a safe, wake-up service and concierge assistance. There are also two meeting rooms and a business centre for anyone mixing diving with work.

A security deposit is required during the stay. Extra beds depend on the room category, so check the conditions attached to the room you choose rather than assuming that every category can take one.