Lydia Mare

English comes first here: the hotel team also speaks German and Greek, so you can deal with the practicalities of your stay without resorting to semaphore. The management speaks English as well. That matters when you are arranging arrival, asking about the day ahead or simply trying to explain that your legs have had enough of stairs for one afternoon.

Lydia Mare is an aparthotel built around the useful parts of a seaside stay: direct access to the beach, sea views, a terrace, and accommodation with enough independence to suit guests who do not want every meal dictated by a timetable. You have air conditioning, a kitchenette and a dining area in your apartment, along with free WiFi throughout the property.

The setting suits couples particularly well, but families are welcome too. Babysitting can be arranged on request, and the restaurant offers a children's menu. This is a place for a beach-led stay with the option of doing as much or as little as the day allows.

You are in Agios Kirykos, on Ikaria, Greece, with the property directly on the coast. Therma Beach is only about 20 metres away, so reaching the sand is a matter of minutes rather than a logistical exercise. The beach is golden sand, around 100 metres long, with sun loungers, parasols and a beach bar.

Prioni Beach is about 300 metres away, while Agios Kirykos Beach is roughly 1.4 km from the property. Agios Kirykos itself is about 2 km away by the road distance given for the accommodation, and a café, Taza Cafe Bar, is around 1.5 km away. You are not marooned on a resort island within the island, even if the immediate foreground is mostly sea.

For a change from the water, the Kastro of Ikaria is about 900 metres away, with the Statue of Icarus around 1.4 km away. The nearest airport is Ikaria Island National Airport Ikaros, roughly 7 km away; the hotel's access information allows about an hour by car, so check the transfer arrangements rather than judging the journey from the map alone.

The accommodation is apartment-style rather than a standard hotel room. That gives you a private bathroom, air conditioning, a fully equipped kitchenette and a dining area, which is handy when you return hungry, sandy and not remotely interested in dressing for dinner. A television and free WiFi cover the quieter part of the evening.

Sea views are part of the offer, and the property has terraces and balconies where you can sit outside with a drink or let the day cool down around you. The direct beach position also means the sea is part of the room's outlook rather than something you need to go looking for.

For a couple, the apartment layout gives you more breathing room than a basic room with one chair and a kettle. Families can stay too, although cots and extra beds are not available, so check that the sleeping arrangement shown for your chosen apartment works for everyone travelling. Air conditioning is the useful detail in warm weather: returning from a hot, salty day to a properly cooled room is not a luxury when you are trying to sleep.

Mare Restaurant handles the main meals, serving Mediterranean food for breakfast, lunch and dinner on a terrace with sea views. Breakfast is a buffet, beginning at 07:00, while lunch runs from 12:00 to 15:00 and dinner from 19:00 to 22:00. The dress code is casual, which is welcome news when your smartest item of clothing is still recovering from salt water.

The kitchen works with fresh local ingredients, and vegetarian dishes are available. Half-board is the stated meal plan, while room service runs on limited hours from 11:00 to 22:00. A packed meal is also available, useful for a long day away from the property, although breakfast is not specifically arranged around divers' early departures.

There is one bar: Wave Bar, a beach bar specialising in cocktails. With the sand directly outside, it is the obvious place for a drink without turning the evening into an expedition. Continuous snacking is not part of the setup, so plan around the restaurant times or use the kitchenette when your appetite refuses to read the timetable.

The main pool is outdoors and has a swim-up bar, giving you an alternative to the sea when you want water without waves, sand or carrying your belongings quite so carefully. The beach itself has loungers and parasols, while the beach bar keeps the transition from swimming to sitting pleasingly short.

On the water, you can go snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding or join a boat excursion. Equipment rental is available. These are practical choices for a surface interval or a non-diving day, especially if one of you wants to be active while the other has already perfected the art of occupying a lounger.

Lydia Spa covers the slower end of the scale, with massage and facial treatments. There is also a gym and yoga sessions. Away from the property, activities include cycling, hiking, wildlife observation and cultural excursions, with island tours and hikes to Mount Atheras among the organised options. Evenings can bring live music and traditional Greek nights, giving you something to do once dinner is over without requiring another journey into town.

The nearest airport is Ikaria Island National Airport Ikaros. You can take a taxi or hire a car there, and the hotel offers an airport transfer service, either privately or by shared shuttle, to arrange directly with the property. Car hire is also available at the hotel. Free public parking is available nearby, with no reservation required, and WiFi is free throughout the property.

Check-in starts at 14:00 and runs until midnight; you need to let the property know your arrival time in advance. Check-out timings differ between the booking conditions, with 11:00 and 12:00 both given, so confirm the time attached to your accommodation. Early check-in and late check-out can be requested.

A concierge, luggage storage, laundry and dry-cleaning services are available. A safe is held at reception, a doctor can be requested, and payment is accepted in cash, Visa and Mastercard. The property uses 220V electricity. Parties are not allowed, and pets are not accepted.

Solar energy is part of the hotel's operation through solar panels, and waste is recycled. There is no named environmental certification attached to the property, but these two measures are concrete parts of its stated approach.

For you, the practical side is straightforward: a beachfront stay that keeps the sea at the centre of the experience while making use of on-site solar power and waste recycling. No sermon required; just the useful facts.