Hotel La Tripergola

Hotel La Tripergola is a three-star base on the Gulf of Pozzuoli, with the sea close enough to set the tone before you have even unpacked your dive bag. The outlook reaches towards Capri and Baia Castle, while the panoramic terrace gives you somewhere to sit with a drink, a book or the day's modest collection of underwater stories.

The feel is practical rather than showy. Air conditioning, heating, free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and room service cover the essentials when you return warm, salty and hungry. A lift reaches the upper floors, and the 24-hour front desk keeps the useful end of the day from becoming a logistical exercise.

You are in Arco Felice, within the Campi Flegrei area of Pozzuoli, Italy, on the Gulf of Pozzuoli and directly by the waterfront. Marena Lido is roughly 0.05 miles away, while Libera Lucrino Beach is about 0.1 miles away. This is a genuine seaside position, not a hotel that has borrowed the word from a distant viewpoint.

Arco Felice railway station is about 0.5 miles away, with Lucrino station at a similar distance. For eating outside the hotel, Knots is roughly 0.03 miles away, Trattoria Rita about 0.1 miles, and Da Biagio around 0.2 miles. Pozzuoli's Flavius Amphitheatre is about 2 miles away, while Naples and its museums, castles and historic centre are roughly 8 miles away. Pompeii, Herculaneum, Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi are also within reach, as are boat connections from the port to Capri, Ischia and Procida.

For a couple, the Double Room with Sea View is the obvious choice when the view matters as much as the bed. The family rooms give you more useful floor space for three or four people, making them the sensible option when dive bags, clothes and human beings all need to occupy the same room without negotiating every square inch. Solo divers have a single-room option, while the standard double keeps things straightforward for two.

Every room has a private bathroom with a shower or bath, towels, slippers, toiletries and a hairdryer. Air conditioning helps after a hot day by the water, while heating covers cooler evenings. You also have a fridge, wardrobe, desk, flat-screen TV with satellite channels and a socket beside the bed. Daily housekeeping is included, and room service means you can keep the evening firmly indoors when your legs have had enough of stairs, fins and Italian pavement.

The hotel has its own restaurant, bar, snack bar and coffee house, so you have several ways to deal with the post-dive combination of thirst and appetite. Room service is available, and breakfast can be brought to your room when heading downstairs feels unnecessarily ambitious. Packed lunches are also available for days spent away from the hotel.

Special-diet menus can be arranged, while fruit and wine or champagne are available as additional food-and-drink options. The detail that matters here is flexibility rather than a grand culinary claim: you can eat in the restaurant, take something lighter from the snack bar, or stay in your room and let the food come to you. The panoramic terrace then handles the final course: sea air and a view towards Capri.

The beach is right outside, and the sun terrace and panoramic terrace give you somewhere to dry out in a more civilised manner than standing around in a car park. Full-body, back, neck, foot, head and hand massages are available, along with a solarium and personal trainer. That is a useful menu for a day when your shoulders have had enough of carrying cylinders but are not ready for complete inactivity.

If you still have energy in reserve, bicycles can be hired and bike tours are available. Cycling is also offered, while temporary art galleries provide a quieter alternative for a non-diving afternoon. Water sports are available on site, and canoeing, windsurfing, horse riding, hiking, fishing and snorkelling can be arranged away from the property. The hotel also has a shared lounge with a TV, plus board games, books, DVDs and music for children.

Naples International Airport is about 13 miles away by road. An airport shuttle and a general shuttle service are available, with the airport transfer to be arranged with the hotel. If you are driving, private parking is available on site without reservation, and there is a charging station for electric vehicles.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 23:30, and check-out from 07:00 to 11:30. The 24-hour reception also handles express and private check-in or check-out, luggage storage, concierge assistance and a tour desk. Upper floors are accessible by lift. Children over three are welcome, with cots and extra beds available on request subject to the selected room and availability; pets are also allowed. Payment is accepted by ATM card or cash.