Hotel Stella Del Mare

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside French, German and Italian, so you can sort out the practical details without resorting to underwater hand signals. Hotel Stella Del Mare is a family-run address in the centre of Chiavari, with the sea close enough to shape the day without turning the hotel into an isolated beach compound.

You can choose between a proper restaurant, a terrace, a lobby bar and a pool, then retreat to an air-conditioned room with free WiFi when the day's salt, sun and travel have finally caught up with you. Couples get the town-and-seafront combination; families have roomier options, outdoor space and services aimed at travelling with children.

The hotel stands on Via Vittorio Veneto in Chiavari, Italy, around 200 metres from the seafront promenade and about 300 metres from Chiavari railway station. That puts you in a real town rather than a resort pocket: cafés, bars and restaurants are within a short walk, with Enoteca Bisson about 150 metres away and Vassilissa roughly 150 metres from the door.

Chiavari beach is about 250 metres away on foot, while Libera Beach is around 1.2 kilometres away. Lavagna Beach is about 2.5 kilometres away, and Cavi di Lavagna Beach lies around 4 kilometres from the hotel. The hotel also offers direct access to a 150-metre golden-sand beach with loungers, parasols and a beach bar, giving you a choice between the town promenade and a more organised patch of shore.

Chiavari station links you with Genoa and the Cinque Terre, which is useful when you want a day away from the water without taking the car. Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport is about 30 minutes by car, or roughly 30 miles by road.

For two, the Camera Superior, Camera Liberty or King Room keeps things straightforward with a king-size bed, air conditioning and a private bathroom with a shower, bidet, hairdryer and toiletries. The room also gives you a wardrobe, a safe, satellite television and a minibar: not thrilling, perhaps, but useful when you return tired, thirsty and unwilling to go back out immediately.

If a balcony matters, the Camera Superior con Balcone and the Junior Suite with Balcony give you outdoor space, while the Family Room with Balcony is the obvious choice for a larger group. It accommodates up to five people, so you can keep the family together without trying to make a normal double room perform circus tricks. There are also single rooms for solo travellers who would rather not pay for space they will not use.

Soundproof rooms, heating and air conditioning cover the less glamorous but more important part of the night. The hotel lists city views, while its wider description also refers to views over the Ligurian Sea; room outlooks therefore depend on the option you book. Lift access reaches the upper floors, and private check-in and check-out, luggage storage and room service make awkward arrival or departure days easier to manage.

Ristorante Stella handles breakfast, lunch and dinner in an air-conditioned interior, working in a Mediterranean style with fresh local ingredients. Breakfast is a buffet from 07:30, with continental, Italian, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices, so you can build something substantial before heading out rather than treating coffee as a food group. Half-board is available.

La Terrazza covers lunch and dinner on an outdoor terrace with sea views and a more relaxed dress code. Its cooking is local, while Ristorante Stella keeps things smart casual. The practical detail is that both restaurants serve dinner from 19:30 to 22:00; after a full day in the water, that gives you a proper meal rather than a hurried snack.

There is one bar: Bar Stella, in the lobby, with cocktails, wines and spirits. A coffee house is also on site, and room service operates with limited hours. Special-diet menus can be arranged, while wine and champagne are available for an additional charge.

The main outdoor pool is made for an unhurried swim or a horizontal afternoon, with the beach close by when you prefer sand to pool tiles. Direct beach access comes with loungers, parasols and a beach bar, so you can move from the water to shade without making a project of it.

For a more deliberate recovery session, the 100-square-metre Wellness Center has massages, facials, a sauna and a jacuzzi. The hotel also has a gym and offers yoga classes. That is enough to stretch out properly or keep the legs moving, without turning the place into a boot camp with beds.

You can hire bicycles, go cycling or hiking, and arrange kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling and boat excursions. Cultural trips include Portofino and the Cinque Terre. Back at the hotel, billiards, table tennis and live sport broadcasts give you something to do when the weather or your energy levels have both voted for staying put; live music and entertainment take place several times a week.

The address is Via Vittorio Veneto, 11, 16043 Chiavari GE, Italy. A lift serves the upper floors, WiFi is free throughout the hotel, and the front desk operates around the clock. You can leave luggage in storage, use the tour desk, arrange car hire or request an airport shuttle. The shuttle is available on request, and parking is available in a nearby underground garage.

Check-in runs from 14:00. Check-out is listed from 10:30, while the hotel's policy information also gives 12:00, so confirm the applicable departure time for your booking. Early check-in and late check-out are available on request. Children of all ages are welcome; cots can be requested for children aged up to one year, and there are no extra beds.

The hotel is non-smoking and does not allow pets. Babysitting and children's meals are available, with an indoor play area, children's playground and games room for family stays. Cash, Visa, Mastercard and American Express are accepted.