Locanda da Toto

If you want your diving break to come with a proper city attached, Locanda da Toto puts you in the middle of Genoa rather than in a self-contained seaside resort. This is an inn for a couple, a small group or a family looking for a base with character, balconies and the city close at hand. You can finish the day with a shower, a cold drink from the minibar and a short walk into the old centre instead of another evening confined to the hotel grounds.

The practical comforts are well chosen for a diver's routine. Air conditioning helps you recover when the Ligurian heat has done its work, while a private bathroom, free WiFi, a refrigerator and tea- and coffee-making facilities keep the room useful rather than merely decorative. There is also room service for the nights when your legs have voted against going back outside.

A terrace, garden and outdoor seating give you somewhere to sit with your coffee or review the next day's plans. The inn is non-smoking, and rooms are available with city, landmark or garden views, depending on the accommodation you choose.

You are in Genova, Italy, in a central urban setting close to Genoa's harbour and historic sights. Darsena Metro Station is about 300 metres away on foot, while Genova Piazza Principe station is roughly 0.6 miles away. That makes the inn workable for a rail arrival and gives you a straightforward way to move around the city without turning every outing into a taxi calculation.

The Aquarium of Genoa is about 600 feet away, and Galata Museo del Mare is around 0.7 miles from the door. Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Doria Tursi are both about 1.6 miles away, with San Lorenzo Square around 1.5 miles away. You can build a non-diving day around museums, palaces and viewpoints without needing a grand expedition.

For swimming by the sea, Punta Vagno Beach is about 2.2 miles on foot, or roughly 3.2 miles by road. San Nazaro Beach is around 2.5 miles on foot. Boccadasse Beach is farther out, at about 3.4 miles walking, so this is a city base with access to the coast, not a hotel where you step straight from your room onto a beach towel.

The room choice matters here because the views and sleeping arrangements change the feel of the stay. For two of you, the double room with balcony and sea view gives you the obvious couple's set-up: a super-king bed, outdoor space and a view to wake up to rather than a wall across a narrow street. It is the one to favour when the room is part of the holiday, not just somewhere to leave your bag.

If three people are sharing, the same sea-view arrangement can be configured with a single bed alongside the super-king. The garden-view triple room follows the same basic sleeping pattern and suits you if quiet outdoor outlook matters more than seeing the water. Family rooms are available, although children are not permitted under the property's policy, so the practical audience is adults travelling together rather than parents bringing younger divers.

Every room has air conditioning, heating, a balcony, a desk and free WiFi. The refrigerator and minibar are useful when you return warm, salty and hungry for something that does not require a restaurant decision. A wardrobe, flat-screen television and streaming service cover the slower part of the evening, while the private bathroom includes a shower, bidet, towels, slippers, toiletries and a hairdryer.

The rooms are non-smoking and have wooden or parquet flooring. Breakfast can be brought to your room, which is worth considering when an early start makes a leisurely table feel like an elaborate punishment. The inn also provides a wake-up service, so you can protect the morning schedule without relying entirely on the alarm you set while half asleep.

Breakfast is served in continental or Italian style, with local specialities, fresh pastries, cheese, fruit and juice. That is a sensible start before a boat day: enough choice to build a proper plate, with something lighter available if your appetite has not yet caught up with your plans. You can also take breakfast in the room when the morning needs to be efficient rather than sociable.

The house restaurant, Ristorante da Toto, serves lunch and dinner indoors. Its cooking is local, using fresh seasonal produce, so your evening meal can stay connected to Liguria rather than defaulting to anonymous holiday food. The setting is described as warm and convivial, but the useful detail is the timing of the offer: lunch and dinner, not a vague promise of food whenever you happen to wander in.

There is room service for a quieter meal in your room, and the outdoor dining area and terrace give you another place to sit when you want air with your food. No bar is listed on the property, so plan your evening around the restaurant, your room facilities or the nearby city bars rather than expecting a resort-style drinks circuit.

The strongest off-duty activity is Genoa itself. The Aquarium is close enough for an easy visit, and Galata Museo del Mare gives you a particularly apt way to spend time ashore when your interest in the sea has not quite switched off. Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Doria Tursi, Palazzo Ducale and the Royal Palace all sit within the wider central area, so you can choose culture according to how much energy remains in your legs.

You can also book walking tours or a tour or class about local culture. Those options suit a couple who would rather have the city explained than simply follow a line on a map, and they provide a useful surface interval between dives. Spianata Castelletto is about 2.3 miles away by road and offers a city viewpoint when you want Genoa spread out below you.

Back at the inn, the terrace, garden and outdoor furniture are enough for a pause without dressing it up as a wellness programme. You can sit outside with a coffee, read, or let the day's plans become tomorrow's problem. There is no pool or spa to organise your afternoon around; here, the appeal is the city, the room and the ability to do very little once you return.

Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport is about 3 miles away as the crow flies and roughly 5 miles by road, with a driving journey of about 13 minutes in the stated conditions. Private parking is available nearby in a parking garage, and you need to reserve it. The inn also offers luggage storage, which helps if your arrival or departure does not line up neatly with the room.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 17:00. You need to show photo identification and a credit card, and you need to tell the property your expected arrival time in advance. Check-out is from 08:00 to 10:30, so the early end is worth factoring into a morning departure or a long transfer to the airport.

The minimum age for check-in is 18, children are not allowed, cots and extra beds are unavailable, and pets are not allowed. WiFi is free throughout the inn. You can also use the safety deposit box, wake-up service and room service, while the entire unit is located on the ground floor.