Iberostar Selection Jardín del Sol Suites - Adults Only

Adults aged 16 and over get the run of a 82-room hotel set right beside the Mediterranean. The mood is better suited to couples and solo divers who would rather hear a glass being poured than a children's club in full flight. You have room to sit, a balcony for the sea view, and a choice of pool or spa when the day's salt and sun have done their work.

The attraction here is straightforward rather than theatrical. Your room is air-conditioned, the hotel has free WiFi throughout, and the day can move from a swim to a massage, then on to dinner without requiring a tactical plan. For a diving holiday, that matters: the useful luxuries are the ones that leave you fed, dry and ready for tomorrow.

You are in Santa Ponsa, Spain, on the beachfront and about 1 km from Playa Santa Ponsa Beach. Playa Cala Blanca is roughly 500 m away on foot, while Es Castellot Beach is about 450 m away by road. Monte de Oro Beach is around 900 m away on foot, giving you several alternatives when you fancy a change of shoreline.

Santa Ponsa centre is under 2 km away, with shops, restaurants and a golf course. A few nearby options are particularly easy to reach: Arkles is about 200 m away, Restaurante Miami roughly 300 m, and Il Vivo Italian Urban Style around 400 m. Palma de Mallorca Airport is about 16 miles away by road, and Palma itself is around 12 miles from the hotel.

You also have Jungle Park about 2 miles away by road, while Mon Magic is roughly 5 miles away. The location works well if you want the sea close at hand but still plan to explore beyond the hotel by hired car or taxi.

Every room is a suite-style space with a seating area, sofa, desk and balcony, so you are not confined to the bed once the wet kit is off and the legs have stopped negotiating. Sea-view accommodation runs through the room categories, with Junior Suites making the practical choice when three people are sharing and standard Suites suiting a couple or a solo guest.

Air conditioning will be welcome after a warm day outdoors, while the large bathroom adds a hydromassage bath to the recovery routine. There is also a shower, a hairdryer and complimentary toiletries. Satellite TV is available if the evening calls for something less energetic than conversation.

The Star Prestige categories are aimed at guests who want more than the room itself. They include access to a private adults-only area with a relaxation zone, drinks and snacks, a sun terrace with Balinese beds, a swimming pool with hammocks and a Jacuzzi. The Star Prestige pool is heated. For a couple, the sea-view suite with access to that quieter pool-and-terrace arrangement is the obvious way to make the hotel part of the holiday rather than merely somewhere to sleep.

Breakfast is served as a buffet, and it is included in the stay. That gives you the useful start to a diving day: coffee, food you can choose for yourself, and no need to make a separate expedition before heading towards the water.

La Calma handles lunch and dinner with Mediterranean cooking and views across Santa Ponsa Bay. Asiatico also serves lunch and dinner, this time with Japanese cuisine, so the evening need not default to the same plate every night. Two restaurants are enough to give a short stay some variety without turning dinner into a full-time occupation.

For the gaps between meals, Café del Sol serves drinks and daytime snacks. There is also a snack bar, an on-site coffee house, a bar and room service. A minibar is available on request and carries an additional charge. The dress rules are practical but worth remembering: buffet dining allows shorts, but not swimming costumes, sleeveless vests or beach flip-flops, and closed shoes are required; à la carte dining calls for long trousers and closed shoes.

Two heated pools cover the obvious post-dive decision: outdoor air and sea views, or warm water indoors when the weather is less cooperative. Sun loungers, umbrellas, a sun terrace and a garden give you several places to put your feet up, while pool and beach towels save you from raiding the bathroom for a dry one.

The spa brings together massages, a sauna and a Jacuzzi, with a relaxation lounge and spa facilities for the slower part of the day. There is also a fitness centre, plus fitness classes and yoga classes. You can use the facilities seriously, of course, but nobody will object if your version of wellness is a short walk followed by a long lie-down.

When you want to move without putting on a wetsuit, the hotel offers billiards, cycling and snorkelling, while a golf course lies within 3 km. Live music and evening entertainment take care of nights when you want a little atmosphere without going in search of it. The tour desk can organise trips, and car hire lets you reach Palma, the surrounding coast and sights such as the Miró Mallorca Foundation or Bellver Castle.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out is by 12:00. You will need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and the full reservation amount is paid then. A 24-hour front desk, express check-in and check-out, private check-in and check-out, luggage storage and concierge assistance keep the practical side reasonably well covered.

The hotel offers car hire, a tour desk, currency exchange, laundry and dry-cleaning services. Free WiFi is available throughout the property, and room service is available when the sensible answer to dinner is not leaving the room. The property is wheelchair accessible, with raised toilets, grab rails and tactile signs.

This is an adults-only hotel for guests aged 16 and over. Cots and extra beds are not available, and pets are not allowed. Star Prestige guests receive a welcome drink, bathrobes and slippers, access to the exclusive pool and relaxation area, and late check-out where available. Guests under 18 may check in only with a parent or official guardian.