Donoma Las Terrenas Resort & Villas, Autograph Collection

Beach, garden, pool and a proper choice of room sizes put Donoma Las Terrenas Resort & Villas in the resort rather than simple hotel category. You can spend the day moving between the sea, the infinity pool and the sun terrace, then retreat to air-conditioned accommodation with a balcony and free WiFi when the heat has done its work.

The layout suits more than one kind of diving holiday. Couples can keep things compact in a junior suite or a deluxe room, while families and groups have suites and villas with considerably more room to spread out. Family rooms and interconnected rooms are available, and the site is also equipped for younger travellers, with a kids' club, children's play areas and babysitting.

The hotel's website is available in English, which gives you the practical details in English before booking. The atmosphere is built around easy days rather than a timetable: sea, pool, food, then a room where the air conditioning can do its useful, unglamorous work.

You are in Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic, on Calle Francisco Alberto Caamaño Deno, with direct access to the beachfront. Las Ballenas Beach is roughly 0.03 miles away, close enough that the difference between hotel and beach is mostly footwear. Sun loungers and parasols are set up for the shore.

The town centre is about a 30-minute walk away, so you can reach Las Terrenas without treating every outing as an expedition. Punta Popy Beach is around 0.7 miles away, while Playa El Portillo is about 1.7 miles from the resort. Bonita is also around 0.7 miles away, and Coson about 1.6 miles.

Samana El Catey International Airport is roughly 19 miles away, with a drive of about 47 minutes. An airport shuttle is available through the hotel. That matters on arrival, particularly when your luggage contains more stubborn objects than most holiday wardrobes.

The room choice is really a question of how much space you want around the diving kit, the wet towels and the people you are travelling with. A Deluxe Queen Room with Balcony keeps the arrangement straightforward for two, while the Junior King Suites add a sofa bed and more breathing room for a small party. For a couple who prefer a separate living feel and a terrace, the One-Bedroom Villa is the more generous option.

The Two-Bedroom Suite with Balcony and Terrace is the practical family choice, with two bathrooms and enough separation to make early starts less of a group negotiation. Larger villas are aimed at travelling parties rather than couples, including a Four-Bedroom Villa with a private pool, terrace and view. Some accommodation also combines balcony or terrace space with ocean views, so the outlook changes according to the category you choose.

Air conditioning is available in every room category described, alongside a private bathroom, towels, slippers, toiletries, a hairdryer and a wardrobe. Soundproof rooms and soundproofing are also part of the accommodation offer, useful when your neighbours have not yet discovered the joys of a quiet morning. A flat-screen television, streaming service, coffee machine and kettle cover the slower hours, while room service and daily housekeeping keep the evening uncomplicated.

Breakfast is served in several workable forms: continental, American and buffet, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices, as well as breakfast to go. You can also have breakfast brought to your room. For divers who prefer food before the first boat rather than a grand ceremony, that flexibility is the useful detail.

The main restaurant, Solmarella, covers Japanese, Peruvian and international cooking and serves breakfast and dinner. The wider dining offer also includes Italian, Mexican and local dishes, so the evening does not have to become a repeat performance of the same plate. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options are available, with special-diet menus handled on request.

There is a bar, a snack bar and an on-site coffee house, along with wine and champagne service. Room service is available too. Themed dinner nights, a barbecue area and kids' meals add options for families, while the restaurant and snack bar mean you can stay close to the resort rather than go searching for food after a long day outside.

Three pools give the afternoon a little more structure than simply watching your towel dry. The resort has an infinity pool, a plunge pool and a children's pool, together with a water park and water slide. Add the beachfront sun loungers, parasols and gardens, and you have several places to park yourself while the surface interval takes care of itself.

The spa is the more convincing alternative to another hour in the sun. Treatments include massage, facial treatments, hammam, sauna, jacuzzi, mud baths, body wraps, body scrubs, manicures and pedicures. Couples can book a couples massage, while the spa lounge and relaxation area provide somewhere to sit quietly before dinner.

A fitness centre, fitness classes and yoga are available for anyone determined to keep moving. Table tennis, a games room, live sports broadcasts and board games cover the less strenuous moments, while the kids' club, indoor play area, playground and babysitting give families their own timetable. Snorkelling, windsurfing and fishing are available off site, with the resort also offering access to the beach for the simpler version of an afternoon: chair, shade, book.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out runs until 12:00. The front desk operates around the clock, with private check-in and check-out, luggage storage, a tour desk and currency exchange available. A concierge service is also part of the reception set-up, useful when you want to organise the next piece of the holiday without turning it into a research project.

An airport shuttle is available and can be arranged with the hotel. Car hire is also available. WiFi is free throughout the property, and the resort has a minimarket for the small things that always manage to become urgent. Laundry, dry cleaning and ironing services are available, alongside a safety deposit box and daily housekeeping.

American Express, Mastercard and Visa are accepted; cash is not accepted. Children of all ages are welcome, but cots and extra beds are not available. Pets are not allowed. The property has lifts, wheelchair-accessible facilities and accessible bathrooms with grab rails.