Hotel Nou Estrelles

This is a small, family-run Mediterranean hotel with a modern, minimalist style: white walls, pale colours and a straightforward approach to a stay in Cadaqués. You are choosing a practical base rather than a resort built around its own entertainment, which suits you if the day's main event is underwater and the evening calls for a shower, food and a walk through town.

The downstairs café serves breakfast, while an outdoor patio and a reading area give you somewhere to sit without having to leave immediately after getting back. The website is available in Catalan, Spanish, French, English and German, so English-speaking guests can plan their stay in English before arriving.

You are in Cadaqués, Spain, with the hotel in the town centre and roughly 100 metres from the bus stop. The old town and the main square are about five minutes away on foot, while Platja Gran and Platja Port d'Alguer are roughly 0.2 miles away. Platja Es Poal is around 0.4 miles away if you fancy a little further along the waterfront.

The location works well for a car-based diving trip too, thanks to free private parking nearby. Girona-Costa Brava Airport is about 50 miles away by road, and Perpignan–Rivesaltes Airport about 57 miles. Cadaqués is surrounded by the Cap de Creus Nature Reserve, so walks and coastal outings are part of the local geography rather than a long excursion from it.

Salvador Dalí's House is around 0.8 miles away on foot. That puts a substantial piece of Cadaqués' cultural story within reach, along with several restaurants and cafés around the centre.

The rooms are simple and compact, with the practical things you need for a short diving stay: a private bathroom, bath, hairdryer, toiletries, telephone and flat-screen television. Air conditioning and central heating cover the two seasons when a room can otherwise become an unnecessary part of the day's workload.

For couples who prefer separate beds, the twin arrangements keep that option clear, and the Twin Room with Terrace adds private outdoor space for a coffee or a bit of air after getting ready. If you prefer one larger bed, the Double Room is the more obvious choice. These are rooms for two, so the layout is best suited to a couple or a pair of divers who do not mind keeping their kit and luggage organised.

Free WiFi is available throughout the hotel, and a lift makes the return from the waterfront less of a negotiation with your knees. After a day in the water, air conditioning, a bath and a proper private bathroom matter more than a long list of decorative extras.

Breakfast is a continental buffet served in the ground-floor cafeteria. The hotel's own description gives it a local angle with products from nearby producers, which is a useful way to start a diving day without turning breakfast into a complicated production.

There is no hotel restaurant for dinner in the supplied details, so the evening naturally leads you into Cadaqués. Sa Cadaquesenca is around 500 feet away, with Es Grec and Ca Pepa also close by. For a drink or coffee, Bar Marina, Es Cantó and Café Tropical are all within roughly 0.2 to 0.4 miles.

The cafeteria also provides snacks and drinks during the day. That gives you an easy landing place when you return hungry, even if the main meal belongs to the town rather than the hotel.

The useful luxury here is being able to change pace without getting back in the car. You can sit in the outdoor patio, settle into the reading area or use the reception's tourist information service to work out what to do around Cadaqués. It is a sensible arrangement for a couple when one person wants a quiet hour and the other still has plans.

Hiking and cultural excursions are part of the local offer, with Cala Jóncols, Far de Cala Nans, Cap de Creus, Port Lligat and Port de la Selva among the places listed. Kayaking and equipment rental are also available as local water-based activities. The Cap de Creus area gives you plenty of reason to keep one day on the surface, while Salvador Dalí's House is close enough for a cultural detour rather than a full expedition.

There is also windsurfing and fishing among the listed activities. In other words, you can keep the day active, or simply take the patio and reading room route. Both are legitimate post-dive planning.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 21:00, and you need to give the hotel your expected arrival time. Entry to the property is closed between 21:00 and 08:00, so late-night arrivals are not part of the plan. Check-out runs from 08:00 to 12:00, giving you a useful window if you want breakfast before setting off.

The minimum age for check-in is 21, children are not allowed, and cots or extra beds are not available. Pets are not allowed. Payment can be made in cash, Visa or Mastercard. Free private parking is available nearby and does not require a reservation.

The bus station is about a two-minute walk away, while the nearest railway station is in Llançà, roughly 12 miles away by road. Girona-Costa Brava and Perpignan–Rivesaltes are both around an hour's drive, so a transfer or hire car needs planning rather than a last-minute decision. The tour desk can help you organise your time around Cadaqués and the surrounding area.