Solemare

Some hotels are chosen for a beach; this one is chosen for the view and the address. Solemare sits in the heart of medieval Bonifacio, looking across the Old Port towards the citadel, with the marina providing the main visual feature from the hotel and the rooms.

That makes it a sensible base if your ideal evening involves a shower, a swim, a cocktail and a short walk into town rather than a resort timetable. The atmosphere is urban and maritime rather than secluded. You have a terrace, a lounge bar and a heated outdoor pool, with the practical comfort of air conditioning, a lift and soundproofed rooms when the day's salt, sun and boat noise have caught up with you.

The hotel website is available in English and French, which is useful when you are checking the details of a stay. The hotel has 37 rooms, keeping the scale manageable without turning the place into a large holiday complex.

You are in Bonifacio, Corsica, on the waterfront at Nouvelle Marine. The hotel looks over the Old Port, while the town's citadel is around a 20-minute walk away. This is a proper town location: restaurants are close, with L'Albatros, Da Passano and Cote Fruits all roughly 450 feet away on foot.

The nearest beach is not directly outside the hotel. Arinella Beach is about 0.9 miles away on foot, while St Antoine Beach is around 2 miles away by road. Fazzio Beach and Paraguano Beach are both about 3 miles away by road, and Cala Sciumara Beach is around 3 miles away as well. A car is useful if beach-hopping is part of the plan.

Figari-Sud Corse Airport is around 12 miles from the hotel by road, with a driving time of about 20 minutes. Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport is a much longer alternative, at around 50 miles by road and roughly two hours and 24 minutes away. Private parking is available on site, which takes some of the sting out of arriving with luggage and dive bags.

Every room faces the Old Port, so the view is not reserved for one particular category. You can look out towards the marina and the citadel from a room designed in a modern style, then close the door on the day with air conditioning, heating and soundproofing. After a long day in warm water, that combination matters more than another decorative cushion ever will.

For two people, the Double or Twin Room keeps things straightforward, while the Standard Twin Room suits divers who prefer separate beds rather than negotiating for the middle of the mattress. The Junior Suite is the more natural choice if you want extra breathing room as a couple. Travelling as three or four, the Triple and Quadruple Rooms make more practical sense than trying to live around two small beds and a pile of wet-weather clothing.

Rooms have a private bathroom with shower, towels, toiletries and a hairdryer, plus a wardrobe, clothes rack, desk, television and telephone. A lift reaches the upper floors, and accessible rooms are available. There is also free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, so you can deal with the mundane business of checking tomorrow's plans without having to stage an expedition to reception.

Breakfast is a buffet, served each morning from 7.00 to 10.45. You can take it on the terrace, where the port does the scenery work, or request breakfast in your room when an early start has made conversation an optional extra. A continental option is also available.

The hotel has one bar: a terrace bar and lounge where cocktails are the main speciality. It also serves platters built around Corsican flavours, giving you something more substantial than a drink while you watch the marina change colour. This is the useful post-dive arrangement: no need to dress for a formal dinner just to find a seat and a cold glass.

There is no stated half-board or all-inclusive formula, and no continuous snack service is listed. For dinner, you are within a short walk of several restaurants, including L'Albatros, Da Passano and Cote Fruits. The choice is therefore town-based rather than built around an in-house restaurant.

The heated outdoor pool is the obvious place to spend the gap between returning to the hotel and deciding whether you have the energy to go out again. It is open from 8.30 to 20.30, with pool towels, loungers and sun umbrellas available. One pool is enough here: the point is to cool down, stretch out and let the day's dive leave your shoulders alone for a while.

The sun terrace and outdoor furniture give you somewhere to sit without committing to a full afternoon at the beach. If your travelling companion is not diving, the arrangement is reasonably easy to share: the pool, terrace and marina view provide a low-effort day while you are out on the water. There is also a shared lounge and television area for weather that has turned less cooperative.

When staying on land is not the plan, the hotel offers boat excursions, golf and cultural excursions. Temporary art galleries and live sports broadcasts add two more possible diversions, though the stronger reason to choose this address remains its position in Bonifacio rather than a long list of resort entertainment.

Check-in runs from 15.00 to midnight, and check-out is from 7.00 to 11.30. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and the hotel asks you to share your expected arrival time. Early check-in and late check-out are available on request, subject to arrangements with the hotel.

Reception is open around the clock, with luggage storage, wake-up service and a drinks vending machine available. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, and private parking is free on site without a reservation. That is particularly handy if you are travelling around southern Corsica by car, where the ability to unload and leave the vehicle in one place can simplify the day.

Children of any age are welcome. Cots for children up to two years old can be requested, while extra beds are not available; children aged three and above are treated as adults for the accommodation arrangements. The minimum age for check-in is 18, and pets are not allowed. Cash is accepted for payment.