Hotel Spa Porta Maris by Melia

This is a waterfront resort in Alicante for a stay that keeps the beach, port and city within easy reach. Hotel Spa Porta Maris by Melia puts the emphasis on views, practical comfort and a proper range of ways to unwind once the day’s plans are over.

You can settle into an air-conditioned room, make use of the spa and indoor or outdoor swimming facilities, then head down for Mediterranean food with the sea in front of you. It is the sort of address that suits a couple wanting a comfortable base by the water, while connecting rooms and family facilities leave room for a broader crew.

The building dates from 2002 and was renovated in 2011. Its five floors hold 141 rooms, so this is a sizeable hotel rather than a small hideaway where everyone knows which sun lounger is yours.

The hotel stands at Plaza Puerta del Mar 3 in Alicante, Spain, directly by the city’s waterfront. Postiguet Beach is only a short walk away, making a quick swim or a stroll along the shore an easy part of the day rather than a separate excursion.

Alicante Port is about a seven-minute walk from the hotel. The bullring is around 1.1 miles away, while El Corte Inglés is roughly 1.3 miles away, giving you access to the city’s shops and landmarks without putting the hotel out in the suburbs.

The location is particularly useful if your non-diving companion wants a city break as much as a coastal one. Beach, harbour and urban facilities all sit within the same compact area, with no need to turn every outing into a taxi mission.

The room choice is mainly about how you want to look at Alicante and how you want to sleep. Double and twin layouts are available, with harbour-view and sea-view versions, while connecting rooms make more sense for families or two couples travelling together than trying to make everyone share one space and pretending it is character-building.

For two people, a sea-view double gives the room the strongest sense of place. A twin keeps things straightforward when you are travelling with a friend and prefer separate beds. The Loft, Studio and Townhouse categories offer more distinctive room formats, and the Studio option can include a hydrotherapy bathtub for a more restorative end to the day.

Rooms are air-conditioned and have a private bathroom, minibar, television, hairdryer, wardrobe and toiletries. A kettle is also available among the hotel’s room facilities. After a warm day outside, the useful combination is simple: cool air, a cold drink from the minibar and somewhere to sit down before deciding whether dinner is happening downstairs or by room service.

The hotel also offers free internet access, with free Wi-Fi throughout the property and wired internet listed for the rooms. Check the view category carefully when booking: harbour and sea are not interchangeable, particularly when the view is part of why you chose a waterfront hotel.

The main restaurant is Cor Restaurant & Lounge, working from breakfast through to lunch and dinner with Mediterranean cooking and views across the Mediterranean. It gives you a proper sit-down option when you want food rather than another snack grabbed between plans.

Sideral takes a looser approach, pairing the views with cocktails and snacks. There is also a pool bar serving cocktails and snacks, which is handy when leaving the pool for a full meal feels like an unnecessary administrative task.

Breakfast is served as a buffet each day from 7.30am to 11am. Room service is available, with limited hours, and the hotel also lists a snack bar, in-room breakfast, coffee and picnic lunches among its food services. The published meal arrangement is not a fixed all-inclusive or half-board programme, so the practical choice is to use the restaurants as needed and keep the evening flexible.

The spa is the main reason to stay put. Its treatments include massages, facials, hammam, sauna, jacuzzi, mud baths and body wraps, giving you several ways to turn a tired afternoon into a more deliberate recovery session. Massage appointments are available through the hotel before arrival, which is worth arranging if the treatment matters to your plans.

There is also a fitness room with modern digital equipment, plus a heated pool, indoor pool, outdoor pool, spa bath and pool or beach towels. The solarium and terrace offer simpler options when you want sun, a chair and absolutely no scheduled activity.

For something less serene, the hotel has billiards and table tennis, as well as a casino and nightclub. Golf is available around 1.9 miles away. Families have access to a playroom, children’s play area and babysitting, while the hotel also welcomes pets. In other words, the non-diving day can be as quiet or as socially energetic as your legs allow.

Check-in starts at 4pm and check-out is at midday. Reception operates around the clock, so an arrival outside the main check-in window can still be handled at the desk. The hotel has lifts, accessible facilities and wheelchair access, alongside luggage storage, concierge services and a wake-up service.

Airport transfers are available by paid shuttle, and car hire is also available. On-site parking is available as a paid service, with an electric-vehicle charging station on the property. If you are driving, it is worth arranging the parking side before arrival rather than leaving it to the final turn into the city centre.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. Laundry, dry-cleaning and ironing services are available, with some of these services charged separately. The hotel accepts cash and major card networks including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro, Visa Electron and Diners Club.

The building is non-smoking and air-conditioned, with heating for cooler periods. A cash machine and currency exchange are available, and ticket assistance can help with outings beyond the waterfront.

The hotel is certified by Ecostars®, giving its environmental approach a named framework rather than leaving it as a vague promise. No further operational detail is attached to the certification here, but the accreditation is part of the hotel’s stated sustainability profile.