Amarilia Hotel

English, German and French are spoken by the hotel team, so you can discuss the practicalities of your stay without resorting to hand signals worthy of a bad surface interval. Amarilia Hotel suits divers who want the sea close by but also value a proper base for exploring Athens and the coast towards Sounio.

The setting is geared towards an easy seaside stay rather than a remote escape. You have a restaurant, bars, a pool, a spa and a sandy beach close at hand, while the 24-hour reception can help with car hire and travel arrangements. It is the sort of place where a day can finish with a drink by the water, a meal indoors or on the terrace, and no urgent reason to leave the grounds.

Amarilia Hotel is in Athens, Greece, on the seafront. Mikro Kavouri Beach is about 300 feet away on foot, while Paralia Apollonies Voulas B is roughly 300 yards away and Megalo Kavouri Beach about half a mile away. The hotel’s own beach is a 200-metre stretch of golden sand with sun loungers and parasols.

You are on the southern coastal side of Athens rather than in the centre of the capital. Athens city centre is about a 20-minute drive, and the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum are around 10 miles away. Lake Vouliagmeni is about 2 miles from the hotel, with seaside restaurants and bars such as Oak Cava and Coffee Island within reach when you fancy a change of scenery.

The airport is about 11 miles away, with a drive of around 30 minutes. Regular public buses connect the hotel with beaches and resorts along the coastal road between Athens and Sounio, although the nearest metro station, Elliniko, is about 5 miles away.

For two, a sea-view room gives you the right visual reward after the practical business of drying off and finding something clean to wear. Pool-view and side-sea-view rooms keep things simpler, while the larger family rooms and two-bedroom suites make more sense when you need separate sleeping areas or more elbow room than a standard double can offer.

Every room has air conditioning, a fridge, a balcony, satellite television and a private bathroom with a bath, slippers and a hairdryer. The fridge is useful for keeping water cold, while the air conditioning deals with the less charming combination of hot weather and salt still clinging to you. Extra-long beds, soundproofing and daily housekeeping help keep the night straightforward rather than theatrical.

Superior rooms and suites add 40-inch flat-screen televisions, and superior rooms also have a mini hi-fi system. Free Wi-Fi covers the hotel, so you can sort tomorrow’s plans from the balcony or simply leave the phone alone and listen to the Gulf doing its usual work.

The main restaurant handles breakfast, lunch and dinner in an air-conditioned indoor setting, with international dishes and a relaxed dress code. Breakfast is an American buffet served from 7:00 to 10:00, giving you a proper spread before heading out for the day rather than a lonely biscuit beside the kettle.

Dinner gives you another option on the terrace. The à la carte restaurant works with Mediterranean cuisine and sea views, with a smart-casual dress code. Half-board is available, so you can build the day around the hotel’s table without committing every meal to it.

There are two bars. The Pool Bar serves cocktails, drinks and snacks beside the outdoor pool, while the Lobby Bar keeps the cocktail business going indoors. Room service is available during limited hours, a useful fallback when a long day has left you hungry but not sociable.

The Main Pool is outdoors and includes a swim-up bar, which covers the important holiday equation: water, a place to sit, and a drink without a complicated expedition. The hotel’s direct sandy beach adds loungers and parasols, while the clear water is suited to a quieter dip or time with a mask and snorkel.

For a more deliberate recovery, Amarilia Spa offers massages, facials and a jacuzzi. The 150-square-metre spa is joined by a fitness centre and a yoga studio, so you can choose between stretching out properly and pretending that a few minutes on an exercise machine will undo the effects of a week’s eating.

The water-based options include kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling, boat excursions and equipment hire. On land, the hotel can arrange Athens tours and excursions to Delphi. Families also have a kids’ club for children aged 4 to 12, children’s entertainment, a children’s pool, children’s meals and babysitting.

The 24-hour reception provides luggage storage, currency exchange, a tour desk and help with car hire and travel arrangements. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel, and free public parking is available nearby. Laundry and dry-cleaning services are available, which is handy when a suitcase has started to resemble a damp equipment locker.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out is by 11:00 under the hotel’s booking policy. You need photo identification and the card used for the reservation at check-in, and the hotel asks you to share your expected arrival time in advance. The minimum age for check-in is 18.

Children of all ages are welcome, with cots available for babies aged 0 to 2 years; extra beds are not available. Pets are allowed in guest rooms under the hotel’s pet rules, with dogs and cats subject to conditions in public areas and food and drink venues. The hotel also accepts cash, Visa and Mastercard.