Alia Palace Hotel

Adults-only and set up for a stay that can run at your own pace, this is a hotel for days divided between the water, the pool and the table. You can start with a buffet breakfast, spend the hotter hours between the pools and the spa, then move on to dinner without having to leave the property.

The practical point is the range of places to pause. There is a garden, a terrace, a library, a pool bar and a lounge bar, with the latter also offering a spot for a post-dinner drink when it is open. English, German and Russian are spoken by the hotel team, so everyday arrangements need not become a second job.

You are in Pefkohori, Greece, at the Alia Palace Hotel - Adults Only on Pefkohori Chalkidikis. The hotel sits close to the town centre, giving you access to the local streets while keeping the main facilities of the resort within reach.

The beach is nearby, and a free hotel transfer to the beach is available. For drivers, there is free on-site parking and an electric-vehicle charging station. The hotel also offers car hire, which gives you another way to explore the Halkidiki peninsula when the day's plan is not centred on the water.

For a straightforward couple's stay, the double rooms keep things simple, while the sea-view categories are the obvious choice if the outlook matters as much as the bed. Superior sea-view rooms add the useful details that make a longer stay easier: air conditioning, Wi-Fi, television, a safe, a minibar, tea and coffee facilities, bathrobes and slippers. Some also have a balcony, so you can take the first coffee outside rather than immediately heading for the breakfast room.

If you are travelling as three or four, look at the triple rooms or the two-bedroom Executive Suites rather than trying to make a compact double do a job it was not designed for. Connecting or adjacent rooms may also be available. The junior suites with private pools are aimed at couples who want their own patch of water beside the room; the larger panorama version adds a sea view.

Air conditioning is available in several categories, and some rooms include blackout blinds, which is handy when a full day outdoors has left you ready for sleep before the evening has properly started. Bathrooms are private throughout the room selection, with hairdryers, toiletries, towels, showers or baths depending on the category. The hotel also offers room service, a safe and non-smoking rooms.

Breakfast is served as a buffet at POSEIDON Restaurant, which also covers lunch and dinner. The menu brings together Greek and international dishes, with a weekly theme night to break up the repetition that can creep into a longer stay. It is the main dining room, so it suits the mornings when you want food before getting on with the day and the evenings when convenience wins.

At lunchtime, PANORAMA POOL Bistro keeps things lighter with snacks, salads and Greek plates beside the pool. For dinner, ALIA A LA CARTE moves outdoors, with Mediterranean and international dishes and a sea view that earns its place on the evening plan.

There are two bars. POOL BAR handles cocktails, coffee and drinks from early morning until late at night, while LOUNGE – COFFEE BAR is available at the beginning and end of the season for sunset drinks and a quieter stop after dinner. Meal arrangements vary according to the booking, so check what is included rather than assuming the buffet covers every meal.

The hotel gives you several ways to spend a non-diving day without turning it into a military operation. There are indoor and outdoor pools, pool and beach equipment, beach and pool towels, a sun terrace and a garden. The free beach transfer means you can change scenery without organising transport every time.

The spa covers the slower options: massages, facials, a hammam, sauna, jacuzzi, mud bath and body wrap. Spa treatments and massages should be arranged before arrival, which is worth sorting out if you already know that your post-dive recovery plan involves steam, heat and lying still for a while.

For something more active, there is a gym and fitness equipment, along with tennis, cycling and hiking facilities. A library gives you a quieter alternative, while karaoke exists for evenings when the group has decided that vocal accuracy is an optional extra.

The reception is open around the clock, with check-in from 15:00 and check-out by 11:00. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel, and the property has air conditioning, heating, luggage storage, concierge services, laundry and ironing. A medical service, first-aid kit and currency exchange are also available.

Airport transfers can be arranged through the hotel, in private or shared form depending on the service available for your booking. The hotel's service information specifically links this transfer to Executive Suite bookings, so confirm the arrangement when you book. Car hire and excursion assistance are available as well, while free on-site parking makes arrival by car less complicated.

The hotel accepts Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Visa Electron and Diners Club. Electricity is 230 volts with Type C and Type F sockets. Cash transactions are subject to the national limit, and pets, including assistance animals, are not accepted.