Hôtel Le Porquerollais

Set on the island of Porquerolles, Hôtel Le Porquerollais keeps things pleasantly straightforward: six air-conditioned rooms above a restaurant built around local fishing. The address sits on Place d'Armes, where the village provides the backdrop rather than a manufactured resort atmosphere.

This is a sensible choice if you want your meals close at hand, your room within the village and the coast reachable on foot. Reception staff speak English, French and Italian, so you can deal with the practicalities without resorting to underwater hand signals at the desk.

You are in Porquerolles, France, on an island rather than on the mainland coast. The hotel stands on the village square, with several restaurants close by and Courtade beach roughly 0.2 miles away. Fort Sainte-Agathe is about a six-minute walk, giving you an easy land-based outing when the legs have had enough of fins.

Argent beach is around 0.9 miles away on foot, while Notre-Dame beach lies about 1.5 miles from the hotel. Le Phare is roughly 2.2 miles away. In other words, the location works well for a mixture of village life and island wandering, provided you are happy to get about under your own steam.

The room choice is uncomplicated: a double room for two, or a family room for up to three. The latter uses a king-size bed and a single bed, making it the practical option when a third person needs a proper sleeping place rather than a negotiation with the sofa. The six-room scale also keeps the property closer to a small island hotel than a large holiday complex.

Air conditioning matters here when you return warm, salty and ready to stop moving. Rooms also have parquet flooring, a private bathroom with a bath or shower, a television, wardrobe and dressing room. Soundproofing is included, which should help when the village is still awake and you are already thinking about tomorrow's first immersion.

The family rooms have a bath and face the courtyard, while the double rooms have a shower and views over the square. That gives you a useful choice: courtyard-facing accommodation for a quieter outlook, or a room looking onto the village action. Every room is non-smoking, and free WiFi is available throughout the property.

The restaurant serves lunch and dinner, with the menu firmly tied to the island rather than to generic holiday food. Local line- or net-caught fish takes centre stage, including lobster, red scorpionfish, red mullet, sea bream and dentex. After a day in the water, that is the sort of menu that does not need a paragraph explaining its credentials.

Breakfast is continental and included with the stay. There is also a coffee shop on site, a bar and a minimarket, so you can sort out a coffee, a small supply or a drink without turning the evening into an expedition. Wine and champagne are available, and children's meals can be arranged for an additional charge.

The sun terrace and terrace give you somewhere to sit when you want daylight without organising another outing. Courtade beach is close enough for a proper swim, a slow shore walk or the classic post-dive routine of sitting down and not immediately standing up again. The hotel also offers yoga classes, which may appeal if your back has spent the day carrying more equipment than dignity.

For quieter evenings, the hotel has board games and puzzles, useful when the weather turns or when conversation has run out before the wine has. The island itself supplies the larger programme: Fort Sainte-Agathe, several beaches and the lighthouse are all within reach, so you can fill a non-diving day without needing a timetable of organised entertainment.

Arrival is scheduled between 3 pm and 8 pm, with departure between 8 am and 11 am. Luggage storage is available, which is useful on an island arrival or departure when the boat and your room do not quite agree on timing. Payment is accepted in cash, Visa and Mastercard.

From Toulon-Hyères Airport, the hotel is about 5 miles away on the mainland side before the island crossing; an airport taxi can be arranged. From the TGV station, take bus 67 to La Tour Fondue, then continue by TLV shuttle boat. Seasonal TLV crossings also connect Porquerolles with Hyères, Le Lavandou and Toulon, so the final part of the journey is by boat rather than by road. The hotel also offers free WiFi, and children of all ages are welcome.