The Salmar - Adults Only

Adults-only and built around the Atlantic, The Salmar is aimed squarely at couples who prefer sea views, good food and a slower pace to a busy resort timetable. The architecture is designed to blend towards the sea, while the hotel's own description leans into simple pleasures: an unhurried conversation, a book and the evening light.

That makes the address easy to picture for a diving couple. You return from the water to air conditioning, a bathrobe, a drink and somewhere to sit without having to negotiate a family pool or an evening entertainment programme. The setting is polished rather than fussy, with a swimming pool overlooking the sea, a lounge and a sun terrace for doing very little — a perfectly respectable post-dive activity.

You are in San Miguel de Abona, on Tenerife's south coast, at Golf del Sur. Playa de San Blas is about 200 metres away on foot, while Playa Grande is around 600 metres away. Playa San Miguel de Abona is roughly 1 mile away if you fancy a longer walk along the coast.

The immediate surroundings are practical rather than isolated. Little Italy Restaurant and Gulliver's Grillhouse are about 100 metres away, with El Tiburón around 200 metres away. Seven Islands Sports Bar is about 150 metres from the hotel, and The Bees Knees Gin Bar around 300 metres away. Golf del Sur is about 1.6 km away, while Tenerife South Airport is roughly 4 km away.

Sea views are the common thread, with several rooms adding a balcony or terrace. For a couple who wants to step outside with the first coffee, the Deluxe Double Room with Balcony and Sea View is the obvious choice. The Swimup Room changes the routine again, putting the pool directly into the picture; the Junior Suite and Suite give you more room to spread out, with the latter accommodating up to three guests if your travelling party is not strictly a twosome.

Every room has air conditioning, a private bathroom and a kitchenette with a refrigerator, microwave, toaster, kettle, coffee machine and kitchenware. That is useful in the unglamorous but important way: cold water when you come back thirsty, coffee before an early departure and somewhere to keep a small snack without turning the room into a provisioning exercise. Bathrobes, slippers, towels and toiletries are included, and some categories add a terrace, balcony, bath tub or private pool.

The room set-up stays firmly adults-only, with double-room options for couples and larger suite categories when you value space more than another view. Free WiFi, a flat-screen TV with cable channels and streaming services are there for the evening when the legs have had enough. The practical detail worth keeping in mind is that children are not allowed and the minimum check-in age is 18.

Three restaurants give you more than one answer to the post-dive question of what to eat. The style is modern and romantic, with Mediterranean, Spanish, local and international cooking on the menu. Vegetarian and gluten-free choices are available, so the table is not limited to one narrow idea of island food.

Breakfast comes as a buffet, while lunch and dinner are also served. The hotel's own description places the emphasis on long lunches, Atlantic cooking and dinners enjoyed in the sunshine — a useful rhythm when the day's main exertion has already happened underwater. No need to turn supper into a military operation.

There is also a bar for the drink that usually appears somewhere between showering and deciding whether you have the energy to go out. Outside the hotel, you have Seven Islands Sports Bar and The Bees Knees Gin Bar within a short walk, plus several nearby restaurants if you want to vary the evening.

The main recovery station is the swimming pool with its sea view, backed by a sun terrace, loungers, umbrellas and pool towels. You can choose the horizontal option without needing to leave the hotel, which is often all the activity required when the logbook is already doing the talking.

For a more deliberate reset, there is a fitness centre, steam room, hot tub and sauna. Massages are available as well. The hotel's gym is presented with views, while the pool is intended as a quieter place to switch off; together they cover both the disciplined and the sensible approaches to a non-diving afternoon.

Golf del Sur lies about 1.6 km away, and hiking is available for an additional charge. A shared lounge and TV area gives you somewhere else to sit when the room feels too close and the pool too sunny. The tour desk and car-hire service can help turn the day towards Tenerife rather than another length of the pool.

Tenerife South Airport is about 4 km from the hotel. A shuttle service is available, and car hire can be arranged; a 24-hour front desk, luggage storage and a tour desk make the awkward edges of arrival and departure easier to manage. The hotel also has a lift and facilities for disabled guests.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out runs until 12:00. You need photo identification and the card used for the reservation at check-in, and the minimum age is 18. Cash is accepted. WiFi is free throughout the property, and laundry is available when salt, sunscreen and travel clothes have begun to form their own small ecosystem.

The adults-only policy is central to the character of the place, not a footnote. You are booking a hotel for adults, with no cots or extra beds available, so the room choice matters if you want a proper sitting area or the extra space of a suite.