MedPlaya Hotel Alba Beach

You come here for a straightforward coastal hotel with the beach close by, a private balcony in every room and enough going on around the property to keep the non-diving hours occupied. MedPlaya Hotel Alba Beach sits in the Benalmádena Costa area, with two outdoor pools, sun loungers and a garden when you prefer not to put sand in everything you own.

The atmosphere is lively rather than hushed. Daily entertainment caters for adults and children, while the games room brings darts, table tennis and billiards into play. There is also a kids' club, a children's pool and evening entertainment, so couples looking for a quiet, adults-only address should look elsewhere; divers travelling with family may find the mix more useful.

The hotel is in Benalmádena, Spain, at Calle Albatros on the Costa del Sol. Torrequebrada Beach is 50 metres away, with direct beach access, loungers and parasols. Santa Ana Beach is around 150 metres away, while Bil Bil Beach is about 400 metres on foot. The coastline is doing much of the local transport work here.

You can reach Parque de la Paloma in roughly 650 metres on foot, and Benalmádena-Arroyo de la Miel railway station is around 1.5 km away. Restaurants sit very close to the hotel, including La Terrazza Tapas Bar, Merendero Los Cangrejo and Restaurante Pizzeria Sabatini. Torrequebrada Golf Course is next door, and Benalmádena Casino is about a 10-minute walk away.

The rooms are outward-facing, with tiled floors, air conditioning, a television, a safety deposit box and a private balcony. That balcony matters when the day has left you warm, salty and in need of somewhere to sit with a drink before dinner. Free WiFi is available throughout the hotel as well.

For two people, the Double or Twin Room keeps things simple with two single beds; a sea-view version gives you the more obvious reason to spend time outside on the balcony, while the pool-view option keeps the hotel facilities in sight. The sleeping arrangements remain practical rather than romantic: separate beds are the recurring theme.

Travelling as three adults calls for the Triple Room with three single beds. The Triple Room for two adults and one child is the more suitable choice for a small family, and children of any age are welcome. Cots can be requested for children aged up to two, while extra beds are not available, so the selected room category matters before you book.

The main food offer is built around a buffet restaurant serving Mediterranean and international dishes, with lunch and dinner covered across the named dining venues. Ondina combines local and international flavours, while Al Fresco takes the meal outdoors and adds show cooking. After a long day, that gives you a choice between getting fed efficiently and making dinner part of the evening.

Italian food has its own corner of the operation. Il Castello serves pizza, and Vistamare prepares artisan pizzas with fresh ingredients from June to September. La Costa focuses on Mediterranean cooking, while Agir Springs Diner stretches from breakfasts and gourmet burgers to bowls, dips, sweets and ice cream.

There are two bars, plus a poolside snack bar and an on-site coffee house. Special-diet menus are available on request, and full board does not include drinks, a small detail worth knowing before you assume the buffet has taken care of everything.

Two outdoor pools provide the obvious post-beach alternative, with loungers, parasols and a sun terrace for the important work of recovering from doing very little. A children's pool sits alongside the family facilities, while the garden and outdoor furniture give you somewhere else to sit when the pool area has become a little too sociable.

If you still have energy in the legs, there is a tennis court, with tennis equipment available, and Torrequebrada Golf Course next door. The games room offers darts, table tennis and billiards. Some activities carry an additional charge, so check the arrangements before turning a relaxed afternoon into an unexpectedly competitive one.

The hotel also runs aerobics, fitness classes, bingo, themed dinner nights, live music or performances and evening entertainment. A tour desk can help with local plans, and the hotel offers tours or classes about local culture. For families, the kids' club, children's pool, board games and puzzles provide a useful escape route when the adults have had enough of the same conversation.

Malaga Airport is around 9 km away, with a shuttle service available through the hotel. Private parking is available on site and is chargeable; spaces cannot be reserved. Car hire is also available, although the nearby beach, restaurants and railway station mean you can manage some of the stay without a car.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 23:30, and check-out from 09:00 to 12:00. A 24-hour reception, express check-in and check-out, luggage storage, a concierge service and a tour desk make the practical edges of the stay fairly easy to handle, especially if your travel times do not line up neatly with the room.

The property has a lift, wheelchair-accessible facilities and non-smoking rooms. Daily housekeeping is provided, while laundry and ironing services are available. Children aged 13 and over are treated as adults, cots can be requested for younger children and pets are not allowed.

The hotel is certified by Travelife. That gives the property a named sustainability framework rather than a vague promise, although the certification itself is the useful fact to keep in mind when comparing addresses.