Iberostar Waves Pinos Park

Set beside Font de Sa Cala Beach, this is a sizeable seaside hotel with pine forest around it, outdoor pools in the grounds and enough going on to keep a non-diving companion occupied. You can spend the morning in the water, return to air conditioning and a furnished balcony, then decide whether the evening calls for dinner, a drink or one of the summer shows.

Iberostar Waves Pinos Park suits you if you want the sea at the end of the property rather than a shuttle ride away. It also works for families, with family rooms, a children's play area, a kids' club, a children's pool and a water slide. The hotel's website is available in English and Spanish, which is useful when you are checking the practical details before travelling.

You are in Font de Sa Cala, on the east coast of Mallorca, with the hotel directly on Font de Sa Cala Beach. Cala N'Aladern Beach is about 450 metres away, while Cala n'Aguait is roughly 1.1 miles away. If you fancy a different stretch of sand, Son Moll Beach is about 1.7 miles away by road and La Ferradura Beach about 2.2 miles away.

Capdepera is around 2 miles from the hotel, and Cala Rajada about 2.5 miles. That puts cafés, bars and restaurants within reach, but this is still a cove-based stay rather than a town-centre address. You can find the Malibu bar about 1.2 miles away, with Bar es Siurell and Cafè S'Ànima farther towards the local towns. Banys Àrabs is about 8 miles away by road for a change of scenery and a dose of history.

The rooms follow a Mediterranean style and all have a furnished balcony or terrace, so you get somewhere to sit with a drink rather than balancing it on the bathroom sink. Air conditioning matters here: after a warm day outdoors, you can shut the door, cool down and let the room do the quiet work of getting you ready for tomorrow. Soundproof rooms are also available.

For two people, the sea-view double room is the obvious choice if the view matters more than garden greenery. The garden-view double room keeps things simpler, while the single-use options avoid making you sleep diagonally across a room designed for two. If you are travelling with family, the family rooms give you separate sleeping arrangements with two single beds and a sofa bed, and the sea-view or side-sea-view versions add something to look at from the terrace.

Every room has a private bathroom with a shower, towels, toiletries and a hairdryer. You also have a wardrobe, flat-screen television with satellite channels and a desk. Daily housekeeping keeps the practical side under control, and the private balcony or terrace gives you somewhere to sit while your legs remember the day's activities.

The main restaurant looks towards the sea, which is a useful improvement on staring at a corridor while deciding whether you have room for pudding. Breakfast is served as a buffet, giving you the freedom to build a proper pre-activity meal or keep things lighter when an early start has won the argument.

When you return hungry and slightly salty, the poolside snack bar is the practical stop. There is also a bar for drinks, while the restaurant covers the main meals. Special-diet menus can be arranged on request, and children's meals and a child-friendly buffet are available for family groups.

The dress code is worth packing for. Shorts are allowed in the buffet restaurant, but not swimwear, tank tops or beach flip-flops, and closed shoes are required. For an à la carte restaurant, long trousers and closed shoes are required. In summer, evening shows take place on the large terrace, so dinner need not be the final item on the day's logbook.

The outdoor pools, sun terrace, loungers and umbrellas give you several ways to spend the hours when you are not in the sea, at the table or holding a bar stool. You can also retreat to the gardens, use the solarium or take advantage of the fitness centre and fitness classes. Pool and beach towels are available, which saves one more item from the already crowded holiday bag.

If you still have energy in reserve, the hotel offers tennis courts and equipment, mini golf, darts, table tennis and bicycle rental. A water slide adds a more energetic option, particularly for families. For a slower evening, the shared lounge, board games and puzzles provide a roof over your head without demanding a full entertainment programme.

Children have a play area, outdoor play equipment, a kids' club and a children's pool, with parents accompanying them in the play area. The hotel also organises evening entertainment in summer. You can therefore choose between a quiet drink in the garden and a livelier terrace; both are legitimate post-dive decisions.

Palma de Mallorca Airport is roughly 42 miles away by road. Free public parking is available nearby, with no reservation required, and car hire can be arranged through the hotel. A 24-hour reception, concierge service, tour desk, currency exchange and luggage storage cover the useful arrival and departure jobs without much ceremony.

Check-in starts at 3 pm and check-out is by noon. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in. Children of any age are welcome; a cot is available for children aged two and under on request, while extra beds are not available. Pets are not allowed, and under-18s must check in with a parent or official guardian.

WiFi is free throughout the property, with premium high-speed WiFi available as an additional option. The hotel also offers wheelchair-accessible facilities and a raised toilet. If you are staying in a group of more than five rooms, different booking conditions may apply, so it is worth checking the arrangement before committing.