Albergo Posta

Albergo Posta gives you a historic city base rather than a resort routine. You stay in central Genoa, close to the waterfront and the city's grand old buildings, with a practical room, air conditioning and a private bathroom waiting when your day is done.

The mood is straightforward and urban. You can return from a dive, cool down, connect to the free Wi-Fi and decide whether the evening calls for the hotel's bar or a short walk into the surrounding streets. The shared lounge and TV area give you somewhere to sit without having to retreat immediately to your room.

This suits you if Genoa itself matters as much as the water. The hotel works particularly well for a couple wanting a central base, while family rooms and a room with an extra bed give larger groups a workable arrangement.

You are in Genova, Italy, beside Palazzo Reale and close to the harbour. The Aquarium of Genoa is about 300 metres away, while Galata Museo del Mare is about 400 metres from the hotel. D'Albertis Castle is roughly 300 metres away, and Spianata Castelletto is about 800 metres from your door.

Genova Piazza Principe railway station is about 350 metres away, with Principe metro station at roughly the same distance. Darsena metro station is about 350 metres away as well. That gives you useful links around the city without turning every outing into a transport exercise.

The sea for swimming is not directly outside the hotel. Punta Vagno Beach is about 1.9 miles away, San Nazaro Beach about 2.2 miles, and Boccadasse Beach about 3 miles. Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport is about 3.1 miles away.

The rooms are basic and functional, with the useful things covered: a private shower room, air conditioning, heating, a wardrobe, an alarm clock and a flat-screen television. You also have a desk, telephone and city views. After warm, salty hours by the water, the air conditioning matters more than decorative fuss.

For two people, the Double Room gives you a large king-size bed, while the Twin Room keeps sleeping arrangements separate with two single beds. The Economy Double Room is the compact choice, suited to you if the room is mainly for sleeping and changing rather than lingering. The accommodation cards below give you the exact dimensions and occupancy for each option, so you can judge how much room your bags will have.

If you are travelling as three, the Double Room with Extra Bed adds a single bed to the large bed. For four, the Quadruple Room uses a large bed and bunk beds, making it the practical family or group arrangement rather than a romantic hideaway. Cots and extra beds are not available beyond the room configurations shown.

Breakfast follows the Italian template: pastries, croissants and coffee, cappuccino or tea, served as a buffet. It is the sort of start that gets you out towards the day's plans without requiring a lengthy ceremony, which is usually a virtue when a boat or a city walk is waiting.

The hotel has one bar, open seven days a week. It gives you an in-house place for a drink when you would rather not go straight back out, although dinner is part of Genoa's street life rather than the hotel's stated dining offer.

You can reach La Focacceria di Teobaldo and Osteria di Vico Tana di Alberto Criaco in about 50 metres, with I truogoli di Santa Brigida about 100 metres away. That is close enough for a post-dive meal without requiring a heroic march in damp clothes.

The shared lounge and TV area are the hotel's answer to the quiet part of the evening. You can sit down, cool off and let your legs recover without making the bedroom carry every job. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout, useful for checking tomorrow's plans or simply ignoring them for a while.

Once you are ready to move again, Genoa gives you plenty to do within walking distance. You can visit the Aquarium, Galata Museo del Mare or D'Albertis Castle, then make your way towards the palaces and squares of the historic centre. Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Ducale are each about 1 mile away.

For a slower city outing, Spianata Castelletto is roughly 800 metres away, while San Lorenzo Square is about 0.6 miles away. The concierge service can help you organise your time in town, leaving you to choose between culture, a drink and the radical luxury of doing absolutely nothing.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to midnight, and check-out is by 11:00. A 24-hour front desk, wake-up service and express check-in and check-out make the arrival and departure routine fairly manageable, including for early travel days. A lift serves the upper floors, while some upper floors can also be reached by stairs.

You can pay by card, as cash is not accepted. Pets are welcome on request. Children of any age can stay, with children aged four and over treated as adults for the property's occupancy rules.

The railway station and metro are both close enough to make public transport a sensible part of your arrival plan. Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport is about 3.1 miles away, and the hotel provides a 24-hour reception for arrivals within the stated check-in window.