Elysian Beach Resort

There is a useful simplicity to Elysian Beach Resort: you get a resort setting, a beach close by, and rooms arranged for more than just sleeping. Family rooms, balconies and kitchenettes make it a practical base for divers travelling as a couple, with friends or with children of any age.

The mood is easy-going rather than formal. You can cool down in air conditioning, make tea or coffee without staging a small expedition, and use the outdoor pool or hot tub when the day's salt and sun have done their work. Free WiFi is available in the rooms and across the property, so you can deal with the essentials before returning to the important business of dinner.

Set in St Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, the resort sits a few steps from Cowpet Bay Beach. That puts the shoreline within easy reach of your room, while the location keeps several other beaches and eating places close enough for a change of scene rather than a full day's logistics.

Sapphire Beach is about 1.2 miles away and Pelican Beach about 1.3 miles. Coki Beach is around 2.6 miles from the resort. For food beyond the resort, Caribbean Fish Market and Sangrias Beachside Bistro are nearby, with Sails also within a short distance; Café Bonjour and Sapphire Beach Bar give you further options around Sapphire Beach.

Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base is about 6 miles away, while Cyril E. King Airport is around 7 miles from the property. The Virgin Islands National Park and the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument are roughly 3.5 miles away, giving you a practical starting point for exploring St Thomas beyond the beach.

The room setup suits a diving holiday because it gives you more than a bed and four walls. Every accommodation has a kitchenette with a refrigerator, microwave, kitchenware, coffee machine and dining table. That means cold water when you return tired, somewhere to sort out a quick bite, and no need to turn every snack into a restaurant booking.

For a couple, the Standard Studio offers a super-king-size bed, while the larger studio option gives you more elbow room if you prefer not to live out of one small suitcase. Studios sleeping up to four are available for family groups or friends travelling together. Balconies add an outdoor spot for your first coffee or a quiet drink, without requiring you to leave the room.

Air conditioning and a fan cover the warmer part of the night, and the rooms also have a private bathroom, shower, towels, toiletries and a hairdryer. A wardrobe or closet, clothes rack, flat-screen television and free WiFi keep the practical side reasonably straightforward. The accommodation is non-smoking, and the balcony gives you somewhere to sit while the room cools down.

You have a restaurant on site serving American cuisine, plus a bar for the part of the evening when dinner is over but going straight to bed feels premature. That is the complete hotel dining picture: useful, uncomplicated and close at hand when you have spent the day in the water.

The kitchenettes give you another option for breakfast ingredients, drinks or a simple meal in the room. With a refrigerator, microwave, coffee machine, kitchenware and dining table, you can keep the day flexible rather than arranging every mouthful around a formal service.

If you want to eat elsewhere, Caribbean Fish Market and Sangrias Beachside Bistro are both nearby, while Sails is also within walking distance by the resort's surroundings. Café Bonjour is around 0.7 miles away, and Sapphire Beach Bar around 1.2 miles away for a change of venue.

The outdoor swimming pool is the obvious place for a low-effort afternoon when your legs have had enough of fins. The hot tub offers a warmer alternative, and the resort's fitness centre is there if you still feel the need to exercise after a day already involving tanks, ladders and gravity.

Cowpet Bay Beach is close enough to make a short walk worthwhile when you want sand and sea without planning another outing. For a different beach day, Sapphire Beach, Pelican Beach and Coki Beach are all within reach by car.

The surrounding area also gives you choices beyond sitting by the pool. The Virgin Islands National Park and the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument are around 3.5 miles away, while Blackbeard's Castle is about 5 miles from the resort. Cabrita Hill is around 0.8 miles away if you want a nearby landmark rather than another horizontal hour.

Check-in runs from 16:00 to 22:00, and check-out is from 06:00 to 10:00. You need photo identification and a credit card when you arrive, and the minimum age for check-in is 21. Cards are accepted; cash is not.

Free public parking is available on site without a reservation, which is useful if your St Thomas plans include several beaches or the nearby restaurants. WiFi is free in the rooms and throughout the property. A daily energy charge is applied on site, and a refundable damage deposit is collected by credit card on arrival and returned after the accommodation has been inspected.

Children of any age are welcome, but cots and extra beds are not available. Pets are not allowed. Cancellation and prepayment conditions vary with the accommodation you choose, so the room's individual terms matter here rather more than a general rule.