Hotel Bon Sol Resort & Spa

You come here for a proper resort stay by the water, with the useful bits close at hand and enough going on to fill a non-diving day without turning it into an endurance event. Hotel Bon Sol Resort & Spa sits among palms and pines, with a heated waterfall lagoon pool, a sandy cove and a spa for the days when your legs have had enough of fins.

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside German and Spanish, so you can deal with the practicalities without resorting to underwater hand signals. The atmosphere moves from piano notes and table service in the evening to cocktails beside the pool, with gardens, terraces and sea views doing much of the heavy lifting.

The hotel is in Cas Catala, on Mallorca’s coast, directly beside the sea and set on a cliff above Palma Bay. A small sandy cove sits below, with clear water, sun loungers and parasols. This is not a hotel that asks you to cross a main road for your swim.

Cas Catala’s centre is a short walk away, while Palma is about 5 miles from the hotel. Cala Brogit, Es Genetó and Caleta de Bendinat are nearby places to explore, giving you alternatives to simply claiming a lounger and refusing to move until dinner.

Palma de Mallorca Airport is about 5 miles away. The location works well if you want coastal surroundings without being cut off from the city or the airport.

The room choice is mainly about how you want to sleep, rather than how many clever extras you can collect. A classic double works for a straightforward stay, while the junior suite or double suite gives you a more generous-feeling base for a longer visit. Twin beds are available if sharing a room does not mean sharing a mattress.

Air conditioning matters here after a warm day outdoors, and the rooms also have heating for cooler periods. A minibar, television, wardrobe, hairdryer, bath or shower, toiletries, towels and a private bathroom cover the useful territory. Bathrobes and slippers add a little comfort when you are heading towards the spa rather than dressing for dinner.

The hotel has 94 rooms across six floors, with lift access. Family rooms are available, and connecting or adjoining rooms can be requested. A safe and telephone are available in selected room categories, so check the individual room description before treating every extra as standard issue.

Breakfast is a full English buffet served in the Winter-garden restaurant, whose terrace looks over the heated pool area. The same restaurant also serves lunch, giving you somewhere practical for the middle of the day when a long sit-down meal is more appealing than another excursion.

For dinner, Las Antorchas brings table service, international cooking and live piano. Its two daily menu options are included with the half-board and full-board arrangements. The setting is indoors and air-conditioned, with waiters in bow ties: a little formal, perhaps, but at least the dress code is visible from across the room. Vegetarian dishes are available.

Cala Brugit serves breakfast, lunch and dinner beside the beach, with the sea providing the soundtrack. There are two bars: the Piano Bar by reception, with cocktails, a sunny terrace and evening entertainment, and the Pool Bar beside the waterfall lagoon pool, serving cocktails, refreshments and snacks. A café and snack bar cover the less ceremonial moments.

The heated outdoor waterfall lagoon pool is the obvious place to spend a non-diving afternoon. It is for adults, with a sundeck and a pool bar close enough to remove any heroic effort from ordering a drink. The private sandy cove adds a second option when you want the sea rather than a pool, with loungers and parasols ready for a slow start or a quiet afternoon.

Nirvana SPA offers massage, facials, a hammam, sauna and jacuzzi. Yoga is also available, which may appeal more after a day of travel than after a demanding dive day; either way, the option is there. Spa treatments and massages are bookable through the hotel.

For something more active, the resort has tennis, mini-golf, table tennis, billiards, darts, fitness facilities and yoga. A library, garden and terraces give you quieter alternatives, while the evening programme can bring flamenco, jazz, Cuban music or disco. The hotel can also arrange excursions, and bicycles are available for exploring beyond the cove.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 18:00, and check-out is by 12:00. Reception is open around the clock, with express arrival and departure available. The hotel has lift access, wheelchair-accessible facilities, free Wi-Fi throughout and luggage storage, which is useful if your flight and room do not line up neatly.

Airport transfers are available and should be arranged with the hotel. Paid parking, a garage and an electric-vehicle charging station cover guests arriving by car, while car hire is also available. Pets are welcome. Laundry, dry cleaning, ironing, concierge assistance, a safe and wake-up service are among the other practical services on offer.

The hotel accepts cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB and Diners Club. Electrical supply is 230 volts, with Type C and Type F sockets. If you are travelling with children, the resort has a children’s pool, play area, playroom, kids’ club and babysitting service.

The hotel holds EMAS and Travelife certifications. It also uses solar energy, putting a formal environmental framework behind a resort that sits directly on the coast.