Indismart Woodbourne Resort

You come here for a resort stay in South Goa, with enough space to make the evening feel different from the dive boat and the hotel corridor. The setting around Nuvem brings together red laterite ground and birdlife, including Asian Koels, Flame-throated Bulbuls, hornbills and kingfishers.

The hotel speaks English, which keeps the useful conversations simple when you are arranging a transfer, asking about the area or sorting out dinner. You also have Wi-Fi throughout the property, a garden and a concierge service for the practical bits of a stay.

There is a slightly old-fashioned spread of accommodation here: rooms, villas and cottages, including options for solo travellers, couples and families. You can choose whether the useful extra is a garden, city or pool view, rather than treating every night as if it were the same box with a different name.

You are in South Goa, at Gonvoloy, Nuvem, Salcete, Goa-403604. The resort is around 10 miles from the city centre, so this is a base for exploring rather than a city-centre address.

Majorda Beach, Colva Beach and Benaulim Beach are the nearby coastal names to keep in mind. A beach shuttle is available, and you can also arrange a car or book a taxi when you want to make the journey under your own steam.

The surroundings give you more than a place to sleep between outings. Cycling, hiking, wildlife observation and cultural excursions are all part of the wider menu, with Chorão Island, Divar Island, the River Mandovi, the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Sé Cathedral and Old Goa among the suggested destinations.

For a solo trip, the single deluxe room, single villa or single cottage keeps the choice straightforward. Couples can look towards a deluxe double room or double villa, while two divers who prefer separate beds have the superior twin room. Families and small groups have larger options, including a garden-view quadruple room.

The more fully equipped categories give you the useful after-dive basics: air conditioning, a ceiling fan, blackout blinds, a private bathroom with shower, towels and toiletries. There is also a television, Wi-Fi, a wardrobe, a desk and tea- and coffee-making facilities. In other words, you can cool down, shower, put the blinds to work and deal with the day's damp kit without turning the room into a campsite.

Some categories add a view over the garden, pool, city or water, so the choice is partly about what you want to see when you open the curtains. Several of the simpler room, villa and cottage options list only a private bathroom, which makes checking the exact category worthwhile before booking. Extra beds depend on the room category.

You have a restaurant, a bar and a snack bar on site, with breakfast also available. The named restaurant is Spice Junction. That gives you somewhere to sit down for a proper meal, plus a quicker option when you want food without turning the evening into an expedition.

A kitchen is also part of the facilities, although no particular cuisine or meal plan is described. The practical point is that breakfast, restaurant meals and snacks are all built into the resort's offering, while the bar covers the drink that usually becomes the first priority once shoes and dive gear have been abandoned.

The exact meals included depend on the room booking you choose, so check the board details attached to your dates. That is less glamorous than guessing, but considerably better than discovering the arrangement at breakfast.

The outdoor pool is described as private, and an indoor pool is also available. There is a children's pool as well, so you can choose between a proper swim, a lazy spell in the water or a quieter hour while someone else handles the younger members of the party.

If sitting still is not your natural state, the fitness facilities offer circuit training, cardio, weights and yoga classes with in-house trainers. Cycling and hiking give you a way to stretch your legs without making the day another piece of hard work.

The resort can also point you towards wildlife and cultural excursions. Chorão and Divar Islands, the River Mandovi, the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Sé Cathedral and Old Goa provide distinct alternatives to another afternoon beside the pool. There is a garden and a picnic area too, which are useful when your idea of recreation is simply moving to a different chair.

You can reach the resort with an airport transfer or a transfer from the railway station. Car hire and taxi booking are available, and free parking makes the property workable if you are driving. The hotel also offers free Wi-Fi, a concierge, currency exchange, luggage storage, laundry and dry-cleaning services.

Check-in is listed from 13:00 to 20:00, with check-out at 11:00. Express check-in and check-out are available. If your flight, train or dive plans sit outside those hours, sort out the arrival details before setting off rather than hoping the timetable will develop a sense of humour.

Visa and Mastercard are accepted. The electrical supply is 230 volts at 50 hertz, with type C, D and M sockets, so check your adaptor before leaving home. A doctor, business facilities, a conference room and event facilities are also available, giving the resort some practical range beyond holidays built around the pool.