Plaza Resort

Set on the coast near Anavissos, Plaza Resort is built for days divided between the sea, the pool and a proper meal rather than a hurried sandwich. You have a private beach area, an outdoor pool and rooms with balconies, so the practical business of getting back from the water is pleasantly simple: shower, change, find a lounger and decide whether the first drink should be by the pool or facing the Aegean.

The resort has 132 rooms and combines a large seaside setting with useful everyday comforts: air conditioning, free WiFi throughout the hotel, room service and private parking. English and Greek are available for the hotel's online information. For couples, the sea-view rooms make the most of the setting; for families, the larger room categories give you more workable sleeping arrangements than a standard double.

The address is in Palea Fokea, Anavissos, Greece, on the Athens–Sounion road. The resort is beachfront, with Anavissos Beach around 50 metres away, while the private beach area is part of the property itself. Agios Nikolaos Beach is about 1.9 miles away, Mavro Lithari Beach 2.3 miles, and the beaches around Saronida between 2.5 and 2.7 miles.

You are in a coastal village rather than central Athens. Nearby options include Fishtavern Vasilis, about 0.4 miles away and roughly a seven-minute walk, plus Galini at around 0.6 miles. Stavento café is also about 0.4 miles away. When you want history rather than another hour on a sun lounger, the Temple of Poseidon is about 6 miles away.

The rooms open onto balconies, with wooden and leather furniture, air conditioning, a minibar and a flat-screen television. That combination earns its keep after a long day in warm water: cold drinks can wait in the room, the air conditioning can take the edge off, and the balcony gives you somewhere to sit without having to dress for the lobby. Free WiFi is available throughout the hotel as well as in the rooms.

For two people, the Comfort Double Room keeps things straightforward with a super-king-size bed, while an Exclusive Double Room with Sea View is the one to choose when the view matters as much as the bed. Solo divers have single-room options, including one with a sea view. The family and triple categories cover different priorities: the Comfort Triple Room has three single beds, while the Exclusive Triple Room with Sea View uses a super-king-size bed and a sofa bed. There are also family rooms with four sleeping places.

Bathrooms are private and include a shower, hairdryer, towels, slippers, bathrobe and complimentary toiletries. Soundproof rooms and soundproofing are available, which is useful when your ideal evening ends earlier than the rest of the resort's. Daily housekeeping keeps the practical side of the stay under control, and a wake-up service is available for mornings when the alarm clock has lost the argument.

Two restaurants keep meals on the premises. Blue works with Mediterranean cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, while Ivory also covers all three meals with a more refined setting and a range of savoury choices through the day. Breakfast is an American buffet, the sort of start that gives you a fighting chance of making it to the first boat without negotiating with a pastry drawer.

There are two bars. Au Bar is the lobby bar, with coffee, infusions, fresh fruit juices and cocktails, plus a sea view. Ocean Bar sits by the beach and pool, where the brief is simpler: a cold beer or a light meal without going far from the water.

A snack bar, minibar, breakfast in the room and room service add flexibility when your appetite follows its own timetable. Special-diet menus can be requested, and children's meals are available. The resort also has a coffee house on site, so you can keep the post-dive caffeine operation separate from dinner.

The sensible default is the freshwater outdoor pool, which is connected to the beach. Sun loungers and umbrellas are arranged both around the pool and on the private beach, with towels available, so you can choose between the sound of the water and the more controlled environment of a poolside chair. The beach itself has golden sand and a beach bar within easy reach.

If sitting still for an entire afternoon feels like wasted potential, there is a tennis court with equipment, along with canoeing, snorkelling and other water-sport facilities on site. Bicycle rental is also available. Some activities carry an additional charge, so the easygoing plan is to ask at the resort before committing to anything more ambitious than a swim.

A massage is available when your shoulders have had enough of carrying bags, kit and the consequences of poor streamlining. Families have a children's playground and babysitting or child services. Evening entertainment is also available, giving couples the option of staying on site after dinner rather than making a separate expedition of the evening.

Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport is about 13 miles away, with the drive taking around 35 minutes in the listed road-distance information. An airport transfer can be arranged through Plaza Resort. Car hire is available, and the resort has free private parking on site, including a parking garage, with no reservation needed. That makes the location easier to manage if you plan to explore the coast towards Sounion as well as stay by the beach.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out is by 11:00. The resort asks you to provide your expected arrival time. A 24-hour front desk, express check-in and check-out, luggage storage, concierge service and a tour desk cover the awkward edges of travel days, particularly when flights and room access refuse to line up neatly.

Free WiFi covers the hotel, and the rooms have air conditioning, heating, a laptop safe and a private entrance. Laundry, dry cleaning and ironing services are available. Children of any age are welcome, cots can be requested for children aged two and under, and pets are not allowed.