Hotel Maria

A straightforward base in Golfo Aranci for a diving holiday with the practical bits in the right places: air conditioning, soundproofed rooms, a balcony, a bar and somewhere to grab coffee or a snack. Hotel Maria suits you if you would rather spend your time by the coast than inside a large resort with a timetable for everything.

The atmosphere is easy-going and useful rather than theatrical. You can return from the water, cool down in your room, put something cold in the fridge and settle on the terrace or in the shared lounge. There is free WiFi throughout, a small on-site minimarket and a tour desk for arranging the next outing when your legs have recovered.

A lift serves the upper floors, and facilities for disabled guests are available. The hotel is non-smoking, with allergy-free rooms and daily housekeeping.

You are in Golfo Aranci, on the north-eastern coast of Sardinia. Prima Spiaggia Golfo Aranci is about 150 metres away and takes roughly two minutes to reach on foot. Seconda Spiaggia is around 300 metres away, while Third Golfo Aranci Beach and Spiaggia di Cala Spada are each about 500 metres away.

If you fancy changing your stretch of sand, Quarta Spiaggia is about 0.9 miles from the hotel. The setting also works for evenings when you want to eat without turning the night into an expedition: Pizzeria la Pecora Viziosa is around 50 metres away, Ristorante Giampippo about 250 metres away and Maki Cafè roughly 150 metres away.

Golfo Aranci railway station is about 0.8 miles away. Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport is approximately 13 miles from the hotel, with the journey by car taking around 21 minutes.

The room choice is simple to read in practical terms. For two of you, the Deluxe Double or Twin Room gives you a king-size bed, a balcony and a city view. For three or four, the Classic Triple and Classic Quadruple rooms add sofa-bed sleeping, leaving you less likely to perform the familiar post-dive ritual of negotiating floor space with bags, shoes and damp clothing.

Every room has air conditioning, soundproofing, a private bathroom, a desk, a wardrobe and a flat-screen TV. There is also a refrigerator, which matters more than it sounds when you return warm, thirsty and not in the mood to hunt down a shop. A socket beside the bed keeps charging straightforward, while the balcony gives you somewhere to stand outside without having to go fully public.

The bathrooms include a shower or bath, bidet, towels, toiletries and a hairdryer. Non-smoking rooms are available, and the soundproofing is a useful detail if your ideal night begins with sleep rather than a full account of the day’s adventures.

Breakfast covers the sensible bases: continental, Italian, vegetarian and gluten-free choices, served as a buffet. Breakfast to go is also available, which is handy when the day starts before your appetite has quite caught up with the alarm clock.

For the rest of the day, you have a coffee house, a snack bar and one bar on site. The hotel also serves fruit and wine or champagne. This is the sort of arrangement that works well for a diver who wants coffee first, something small after the sea and a drink later, without pretending that a snack bar is a restaurant with a chef hiding behind the curtains.

When you want a proper meal, the surrounding streets take over. A pizzeria is around 50 metres away, with further restaurants including Ristorante Giampippo and Maki Cafè within a short walk. You can therefore keep the hotel for breakfast, drinks and easy refuelling, then step outside when dinner deserves more than a packet of biscuits.

The coastline does most of the work here. You can walk to Prima Spiaggia, try snorkelling at an off-site location, or use the nearby beaches as a change of scenery between days in the water. Seconda Spiaggia, Third Golfo Aranci Beach and Cala Spada are all close enough to make that decision over coffee rather than during a planning meeting.

For a more active afternoon, hiking, cycling, canoeing and fishing are available in the surrounding area, with some activities and equipment arranged at an additional charge. Bicycle rental is available, and the tour desk can help with the practical side of exploring Sardinia. Car hire is also available if you want to reach beaches and sights beyond Golfo Aranci.

Back at the hotel, the terrace and shared lounge provide the places to sit down properly. There is no need to turn every non-diving hour into an excursion; sometimes the correct plan is a cold drink, a bit of shade and a television nobody is really watching.

Check-in runs from 17:00 to 20:00, and check-out is from 08:00 to 10:30. You need to tell the hotel your expected arrival time in advance, and you will need photo identification and a credit card at check-in. Cash is accepted for payment.

The hotel offers luggage storage, a wake-up service, daily housekeeping and a tour desk. Car hire is available, as is bicycle rental. WiFi is free throughout the property, and the lift reaches the upper floors. A small minimarket on site can save you a walk when all you need is a drink or a few provisions.

The airport is about 13 miles away, and the hotel is around 21 minutes from Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport by car. Children of all ages are welcome; cots and extra beds are available on request, depending on the room option. Pets are not allowed.