Apartamentos Babalu

Apartamentos Babalu is an aparthotel for divers who would rather have a room with working space than a formal hotel routine. Each apartment gives you a separate bedroom, a lounge area and a kitchenette, so you can make breakfast at your own pace, put together something simple after a day in the water, and decide for yourself when the evening starts.

The feel is straightforward and practical rather than dressed up. Atlantic views, a private balcony or terrace and three swimming pools give you places to sit outside, while the self-catering format leaves you free to eat out or stay in. It is a sensible base for a couple, or for up to three guests sharing one apartment.

You are in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, on the south-west coast of Gran Canaria, with the Atlantic spread out below the apartments and the town around you. Puerto Rico Beach is about 0.7 miles away on foot, while Amadores Beach is roughly 1 mile away. Playa de Tauro is about 1.5 miles away by car, and Playa Los Frailes is around 2.5 miles away on foot.

For food and a drink, you do not need to organise an expedition. Barbacoa Cocktail Bar is about 50 metres away, with Xtreeemz and The Blarney Stone around 150 to 200 metres away. Restaurante Picasso is roughly 200 metres from the property, while Barbacoa and Garoe Grill are about 300 metres away. Maspalomas Lighthouse and El Parque Botánico de Maspalomas are both around 12 miles away by road, useful destinations if you fancy a change of scenery beyond the resort.

The practical choice here is an apartment rather than a conventional hotel room. The separate bedroom gives you somewhere to shut the door and recover, while the lounge and kitchenette let you spread out a little instead of balancing a post-dive snack on the edge of the bed. Every apartment sleeps up to three people and has a private bathroom.

Choose the standard apartment when the priority is a simple base for two, or the superior balcony and deluxe options when outdoor space or a little more room in the accommodation matters to you. The balcony or terrace is the obvious place to take in the Atlantic view with a drink, check the next day's plans or simply sit there without having to make conversation.

The kitchenettes are useful for the small jobs that matter on a diving holiday: keeping the arrangement flexible and preparing your own meals. A cheerfully decorated lounge gives you somewhere to sit afterwards.

This is a self-catering stay. The kitchenette in your apartment lets you prepare meals yourself, which suits early starts, late returns and the particular appetite that follows a day in the sea. There is also a drinks vending machine on site for the quick, uncomplicated option.

When cooking feels like an unnecessary surface interval, the surrounding streets do the heavy lifting. Restaurante Picasso is around 200 metres away, with Barbacoa and Garoe Grill about 300 metres from the apartments. For the post-dive drink, Barbacoa Cocktail Bar is only about 50 metres away, and Xtreeemz and The Blarney Stone are also within a short walk.

Breakfast service, half-board, full-board and room service are not part of the information provided for this property, so the useful assumption is the one the accommodation itself makes clear: you organise the food, either in the apartment or nearby.

Three swimming pools give you a choice of water without requiring another outing, and there is also a children’s pool. Sun loungers, beach chairs, umbrellas, a sun terrace, a terrace and a garden cover the quieter side of the day. After diving, that is often enough ambition: find a seat, let the legs remember how stairs work, and stay there for a while.

If sitting still becomes too demanding, billiards is available on site. A golf course lies within about 2 miles, and the tour desk can help with arranging excursions. Car hire is also available, which makes the beaches and the sights farther along the coast easier to reach.

For a couple, the appeal is the freedom to split the afternoon without turning it into a timetable. One of you can take the pool, the other can head into town, and the apartment remains the place to regroup.

Gran Canaria Airport is about 28 miles away by road, with a drive of roughly 32 minutes in the stated road conditions. The property offers free private parking nearby, but spaces cannot be reserved. Street parking is also available, and car hire can be arranged if you want to explore beyond Puerto Rico.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to midnight, and check-out is from 08:00 to 12:00. You need to provide photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and you should give the property your expected arrival time in advance. The minimum check-in age is 18, with at least one adult required in each apartment.

Children of any age are welcome, and cots are available for children under two, subject to the accommodation option. There are no extra beds, and only registered guests may use the apartments. Quiet hours run from 22:00 to 08:00, parties are not permitted and pets are not allowed. WiFi is available throughout the property, luggage storage is available, and a lift serves the complex.