Boutique Beach House, Colina del Emperador

Boutique Beach House, Colina del Emperador is a small adults-only hotel in a renovated 1980s villa, with some of the original rustic Spanish character still in the design. The property has ten rooms and is built around a straightforward idea: personalised service, simple design and a beachfront setting rather than a large resort with a timetable for everything.

You can start the day with breakfast, walk straight towards the beach, then return to the garden or the salt-water pool when the sun has done enough for one day. The website is available in English, Spanish and Norwegian, which is useful when you are planning the stay; no staff language is specified. The atmosphere suits adults who prefer a small address with a bit of character, not a sprawling hotel complex where finding your room becomes a minor expedition.

You are in La Manga del Mar Menor, in Spain, on the strip that runs between the Mediterranean Sea and the Mar Menor lagoon. The hotel sits directly on the seafront, between two white sandy beaches, with access to the beach from the property. Playa Mistral is about 100 feet away, while Playa del Estacio is roughly 150 feet away; Playa de Matas Gordas is about 0.4 miles from the hotel.

The setting is out on the La Manga strip, around 12 kilometres from the southern entrance. Puerto Deportivo Tomas Maestre is less than 1 kilometre away, and you have a minimarket on site for the forgotten essentials. For a drink beyond the hotel, Mar de Copas is about 0.5 miles away. Cabo de Palos lighthouse is around 9 miles away, while Parque del Mar is about 6 miles away.

Sea view is the obvious choice if you want the landscape to do some of the evening entertainment. The Double Room with Sea View can accommodate up to five guests, making it the practical option for a larger group, while the Superior Suite with Sea View is the more spacious pick for two people who would rather have room to spread out than squeeze dive bags and clothing into a compact double room. For a couple who simply wants a king-size bed and a simpler base, the Standard Double Room keeps things uncomplicated.

All rooms have air conditioning, a private bathroom, towels, toiletries and a hairdryer. There is also heating, a fan and a mosquito net, so you have a few useful tools for managing warm nights rather than relying on one setting all year round. Daily housekeeping takes care of the reset while you are out, and the rooms include a wardrobe, clothes rack, television, flat-screen TV and streaming service. Free WiFi runs throughout the property, handy when you need to check tomorrow's plans without leaving the room.

Breakfast is included when you book directly through the hotel's website, with continental, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices. The breakfast is varied and can be adapted to your wishes, which matters when your morning appetite has been sharpened by a full day in the water rather than by a polite hotel croissant. Lunch or dinner can be arranged on request, and snacks and tapas are available for the awkward hour when it is too early for dinner and far too late to pretend you are not hungry.

The restaurant works across Greek, Mediterranean, Spanish and international cooking, with a setting described as traditional, modern and romantic. There is a bar and a snack bar on site. Wine and champagne, fruit, room service and packed lunches are also available, giving you options for a quieter evening in the property rather than making every meal a separate outing. The hotel also runs themed dinner nights, an extra reason to stay put when the legs have had enough of walking.

The outdoor salt-water swimming pool gives you another place to float when you have had enough of the sea but are not ready to sit indoors. Around it, you have a sun terrace, garden, outdoor furniture, sun loungers, beach chairs and umbrellas. The property has direct access to a sandy beach, so the choice is pleasantly narrow: pool, sand or a shaded corner with a drink.

For a little movement away from the water, there is a fitness room, bicycle rental and bike tours. Paddleboarding and water-sports facilities are available on site, with equipment rental, while cycling and hiking can be arranged away from the property. If your muscles have filed a formal complaint after several days of diving, massage treatments include full-body, back, neck, foot, head and hand massage. Beauty services, body treatments, manicures and pedicures are also available. Evening entertainment, themed dinners, a shared lounge and board games cover the less energetic part of the evening.

Check-in runs from 16:00 to 21:00 and check-out from 08:00 to 11:00. You need to show photographic identification and a credit card at arrival, and the hotel asks you to give your expected arrival time in advance. The minimum check-in age is 18, and the property is adults only. Cash is accepted, and pets are not allowed.

You can reach the hotel by car via Cabo de Palos and the southern entrance to the La Manga strip. A ferry from Santiago de la Ribera to La Manga, arriving at Puerto Tomas Maestre, is another route described for reaching the area. Airport shuttle and shuttle services are available to arrange with the hotel. Murcia–San Javier Airport is about 26 miles away, while Region de Murcia International Airport is around 39 miles away; Alicante Airport is also listed as an arrival option.

Free public parking is available on site without reservation, useful if you are bringing your own vehicle. WiFi is free throughout the property, and you also have luggage storage, concierge assistance, a tour desk, private and express check-in and check-out, a minimarket, vending drinks and daily housekeeping. A laundry service, ironing service, room service and packed lunches add a few practical options around the diving day.