Leonardo Royal Hotel Mallorca

If your ideal post-dive routine involves a swim, a lounger, a shower and dinner without having to organise the evening from scratch, Leonardo Royal Hotel Mallorca fits the brief. This is a large, four-star hotel with 298 rooms, built around a beachfront setting in Palmanova and geared towards holidays where families, couples and straightforward resort facilities matter more than boutique detail.

The mood is easy-going and sociable rather than secluded. An outdoor pool, terraces, a garden, evening entertainment and a bar give you somewhere to land once the kit is put away elsewhere. Families have a kids' club, children's activities, a games room and a playground; couples can simply claim a lounger, take in the Bay of Palma and let somebody else worry about the evening.

You are in Palmanova, on Carrer Torrenova, with direct access to the beach. Son Maties Beach is about 150 metres away, while Magaluf Beach is roughly 350 metres away and Palma Nova Beach about 850 metres away. That gives you several stretches of sand within easy reach, rather than one compulsory daily backdrop.

The surrounding area is lively and practical. Jjs Sports Lounge is about 0.1 mile away, with The Prince William Pub and Blue Moon Bar within roughly 0.2 mile; restaurants including Bristol II C.B. and El Salmón are also close by. Palma de Mallorca Airport is about 9 miles away, and Palma Intermodal Station is roughly 7 miles from the hotel.

The room choice is broad enough to match different versions of a diving holiday. Couples who want the room itself to do a little more of the talking can look towards the Deluxe Double Room with Sea View, while the Superior rooms with side sea views give you a more restrained version of the same idea. Family-labelled rooms and suites add sofa beds or separate sleeping arrangements, useful when the holiday includes children rather than just two adults and a suspicious amount of luggage.

Every room has air conditioning, a balcony, a private bathroom with shower, towels and toiletries, plus a wardrobe, flat-screen television and free WiFi. An electric kettle is handy when the day starts early or you want something warm before bed. The larger Deluxe options and the Junior Suites offer more room to spread out than the standard double rooms; choose with the view and layout in mind, not simply by collecting room names like certification cards.

The hotel is non-smoking, and heating is available for cooler nights. A lift, family rooms and facilities for disabled guests make the building easier to navigate, while the 24-hour front desk and luggage storage help if your arrival or departure does not line up neatly with the room.

Restaurante Panorama is the main table, serving international food at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast is buffet-style and starts from 06:30, which is the sort of timing divers can appreciate when the first useful part of the day begins before everyone else has found the coffee machine. The buffet includes vegetarian and gluten-free choices.

Lunch is served on Saturdays, while dinner runs from Monday to Thursday and on Saturday, with different evening timings on Friday. In other words, check the dining pattern before assuming every meal follows the same rhythm. There is also a lobby bar for light snacks and drinks, alongside the Lounge Bar for cocktails, a Beach Bar and a Suites Bar.

The outdoor dining area and terraces give you the option of eating in the open air. When you have had enough sun, the Lounge Bar is the obvious place for a drink without committing to a full evening out; the nearby bars and restaurants leave you plenty of alternatives within a short walk.

The outdoor pool is surrounded by sun loungers and umbrellas, with pool and beach towels available. The beach is directly accessible, so you can trade the pool for sand and sea without turning it into an expedition. A solarium, garden and sun terrace cover the less ambitious version of a day off: find a chair, open a book and move only when absolutely necessary.

For something more restorative, the 800-square-metre spa has massages, facials, a hammam, sauna, jacuzzi, mud bath and body wraps. There is also a fitness centre, although a gentle session may be more realistic than heroic training after several dives. A bicycle rental service, archery, darts, table tennis and billiards provide other options when you need to move but are not ready for a full sightseeing day.

Evening entertainment, live music and themed dinner nights keep the hotel active after dark. Families have a kids' club, children's playground, games room and water park, with daytime and evening activities for children. You can therefore choose between a quiet drink on the terrace and a livelier hotel evening without needing to leave the property.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out is by 10:30. You must be at least 18 to check in, and you will need photo identification and a credit card at arrival; the hotel also asks you to provide your expected arrival time. Luggage storage is available, which is useful when the travel day refuses to respect hotel hours.

A 24-hour reception is backed by concierge service, a tour desk, currency exchange and an ATM. Free WiFi covers the hotel, and car hire can be arranged through the property. Laundry is available, and a safety deposit box is available at reception. The hotel is pet-free, and cots for children aged two and under can be requested, subject to the selected accommodation option.