Hotel Danila

Hotel Danila puts you on the seafront of Portoferraio, with a large garden, a panoramic terrace and the Gulf of Biodola in front of you. This is the sort of base that suits divers who want the sea close at hand but still expect a proper meal, a comfortable room and somewhere to sit when the day’s salt has finally dried off.

You will be understood in English, Italian and German by the hotel team. That matters when you are arranging a meal, asking about a car or trying to explain that the room key has taken an unexpected holiday of its own. The atmosphere is relaxed rather than formal, with a shared lounge, a bar and outdoor space doing most of the work once you are back on dry land.

The hotel is in Portoferraio, Italy, in the Biodola Gulf area and directly by the sea. Spiaggia di Scaglieri is about 50 metres away, La Biodola Beach about 150 metres away, and Spiaggia del Forno about 350 metres away. The beaches are sandy, with sun loungers and parasols available, and the water is described as clear. Three beaches close by is useful when wind, swell or simple curiosity makes you change your plan.

You are about 1 km from the town centre, while the Parco Nazionale Arcipelago Toscano is roughly 1 km away. Villa San Martino and the Villa di Napoleone are around 2 km from the hotel, and Portoferraio’s historic sights, including the Medici fortifications and Villa dei Mulini, are about 5 km away. Marina di Campo Airport is approximately 5 miles away, making the arrival less of an expedition than the ferry timetable may suggest.

A few restaurants are close enough to give you an alternative to the hotel table: Pizzeria di Pini is about 50 metres away, Maitù about 300 metres, and Il Retrogusto about 1.5 miles. For further exploring, you can arrange car hire through the hotel.

The room choice is less about collecting categories and more about deciding how much space you want around the bed. The Economy Double Room is the compact option for two, while a Double Room with Balcony or a Double Room with Sea View gives a couple either outdoor space or a view towards the water. If the view is part of the holiday rather than a nice extra, the sea-view rooms are the obvious direction.

For three guests, the Superior Double Room combines a king-size bed with a single bed. The Superior Triple Room with Sea View follows the same practical arrangement while adding the outlook. Families can choose between a bunk bed with a king-size bed in a Family Room or the sea-view version. The Junior Suite gives you the most generous layout for a group of up to four, which is helpful when wet bags, clothes and the rest of the day’s equipment are competing for floor space.

Air conditioning is available in the rooms, along with a fan, heating and a wardrobe. That gives you options when you return warm from the beach or tired from a day outdoors. Some rooms open onto a balcony or sea view, while others are reached directly from the garden through a full-height window and private entrance. Daily housekeeping, towels, a hairdryer and a private bathroom with shower are included; selected family and deluxe categories have different bathroom arrangements, so check the room card before booking rather than trusting the word “family” to do all the work.

Ristorante Danila serves breakfast, lunch and dinner on the terrace, with Mediterranean cooking and fresh local ingredients. The breakfast is a buffet with Italian, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices. For a diver, that means the day can start with something more substantial than a lonely coffee and end with food that belongs to the island rather than another generic plate assembled by committee.

Half-board is available, and breakfast can also be served in your room. The restaurant Profumo della Luna is associated with dishes based on zero-kilometre ingredients, the Mediterranean diet and macrobiotic cooking, using seasonal ingredients and their natural colours and flavours. Special-diet menus can be arranged on request, while children have their own meal options.

There is one bar: Bar Danila, a lobby bar serving cocktails, wines and spirits. It is the place for a drink before dinner or a slower conversation afterwards, while the dress code at the restaurant is casual. Room service operates during limited hours, and packed lunches are available, which may prove more useful than a second aperitivo when you have an early day away from the hotel.

The outdoor pool is surrounded by sun loungers and gives you a second place to spend the afternoon when you have had enough of the sea, but not enough of sitting down. The garden and panoramic terrace add room to spread out with a book, a drink or the familiar post-dive expression that says conversation can wait five minutes.

For a quieter reset, the hotel offers yoga and massages, including full-body, couples, back, neck, head, hand and foot treatments. A couples massage is the useful detail here: it lets you both recover at the same time rather than taking turns while the other person guards the room and the biscuits.

Away from the water, you can use the table-tennis area, hire bicycles, join walking tours or go hiking and cycling around the island. Cultural excursions are also available, with Villa San Martino, the Villa di Napoleone and Portoferraio’s historic centre within reach. On selected evenings, live music and themed dinners add a little structure to the night without requiring you to dress as if you are attending an awards ceremony.

You can arrive by car and use the hotel’s private parking, which is free and does not require a reservation. WiFi is free throughout the hotel, and the concierge and tour desk can help organise the practical parts of an island stay. Car hire is available through the hotel, while luggage storage, a safe at reception, laundry and pressing services cover the less glamorous details that become important when beach clothes multiply.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 19:30. Check-out is scheduled in the late morning, between 10:00 and 12:00 depending on the selected arrangement, so you should check the precise departure time attached to your booking. The hotel accepts cash, Visa and Mastercard. Children of any age are welcome, cots can be requested for children aged up to two, and extra beds or cots depend on the room selected.

Pets are allowed on request. Airport transfers are available as a paid hotel service, in private or shared form, and should be arranged with the hotel. The nearby airport is Marina di Campo, approximately 5 miles away. Upper floors are accessible by stairs only, a small detail worth keeping in mind if your knees have already logged enough metres for the day.