Park Hotel San Jorge & Spa by Escampa Hotels

Sea views are the main reason to look this way, but the practical appeal is just as clear: Park Hotel San Jorge & Spa puts you beside the coves of Belladona and Cap Roig, with a pool above the Mediterranean and a spa for the days when your legs have had enough of fins. It suits couples particularly well, while family rooms and a choice of room layouts make it workable for small groups too.

You will be understood without linguistic gymnastics. The hotel team speaks English, Spanish, French and German, and the hotel website also serves Catalan-speaking guests. Add direct access to the beach, a terrace for drinks, and restaurants on site, and the shape of the stay is easy to picture: sea first, food afterwards, then somewhere warm and quiet to sit down.

The hotel stands on the seafront in Platja d’Aro, on the Costa Brava, overlooking the Cap Roig headland. You have direct access to the sandy Belladona and Cap Roig coves, with sun loungers and parasols by the beach. Platja de Sant Jordi is about 200 feet away, while Cala Belladona is about 300 feet from the hotel; the coastline gives you several small beaches within roughly half a mile.

Platja d’Aro’s bars and restaurants are about a 15-minute walk away, so you can leave the hotel for dinner without turning the evening into a logistical exercise. Nearby restaurant choices include Xaco, about 600 feet away, and Aurum Restaurant, about 1,350 feet away. Parc dels Estanys is around 1.5 miles away, and Girona-Costa Brava Airport is about 17 miles from the hotel.

The room choice is mainly about how much of the Mediterranean you want in the evening. A standard Comfort Double Room keeps things straightforward for two, while the sea-view rooms add a balcony and give you somewhere to sit with the doors open to the view. The Superior Double Room with Sea View and Balcony is the natural couple’s choice if a proper double bed matters more than separate beds.

Travelling as three? The Triple Room with Sea View uses three single beds, which avoids the usual argument over who gets the sofa bed. The sea-view Comfort room can also accommodate two people with separate beds and a sofa bed. Room sizes and capacities are shown on the room cards, so the useful distinction here is not another list of numbers but the arrangement: compact rooms for a simple base, balconies for the view, and the triple layout for friends or family.

All rooms have air conditioning, plenty of natural light, a safe, LCD satellite television and a minibar. That minibar earns its keep when you return hot, thirsty and no longer interested in making conversation. A wardrobe, towels, toiletries and a hairdryer cover the ordinary practicalities, while free WiFi runs throughout the hotel.

Breakfast is served as a continental buffet, giving you a sensible start before heading out for the day. Lunch and dinner are covered by two on-site restaurants, so you can keep the evening simple when wet kit, sun and sea air have taken their toll.

Restaurant La Mar works from a terrace with sea views and serves lunch and dinner, with local cooking at the centre of the menu. Brasa takes a Mediterranean route, using nearby seasonal produce and putting the grill at the heart of the offering. Its stated service times are 1pm to 4pm and 7.30pm to 10pm, useful information when you are trying to line up dinner with a late return.

For something lighter, Brava Tapas Bar serves tapas, snacks and drinks from a terrace overlooking the sea and pool. There is also a seasonal Pool Bar with cocktails, smoothies, drinks and snacks beside the pool. That gives you two different answers to the post-dive question: sit down properly at La Mar or Brasa, or stay in your chair and order something that requires less commitment.

The outdoor pool is built above the Mediterranean, with the sea doing most of the visual work. Beach access is direct, and the sandy coves come with sun loungers and parasols, so a non-diving day can be kept deliberately short on organisation. Move from the pool to the shore, then back to the terrace. Not every day needs an itinerary.

When your shoulders want something more useful than another swim, the spa has a hot tub, sauna, hammam, shower circuit and treatment rooms, alongside massages, facials and body wraps. There is a relaxation area, spa packages and a fitness centre. Spa access and treatments are arranged in advance, and spa services are not available to children aged 15 and under.

For a day with a little more movement, the hotel offers hiking, cycling, golf and water-based activities including kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, jet-skiing, fishing and boat trips. Cultural excursions are also available, with outings that can include islands, waterfalls and markets. You can also book a packed lunch when a walk or boat trip is likely to run beyond the next meal.

Girona-Costa Brava Airport is about 17 miles away. Private parking is available on site, including an electric vehicle charging station. Car hire is available at the hotel, while the tour desk can help with local outings. Free WiFi covers the hotel, and luggage storage is available if your arrival and departure do not line up neatly with the room.

Check-in starts at 3pm and check-out is by midday. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and the hotel does not accept cash. The minimum age for check-in is 18. Children of any age are welcome; cots and extra beds can be requested, subject to the selected room and availability.

Pets are accepted on request. Room service, a 24-hour front desk, express check-in and check-out, a concierge service and a lift keep the stay fairly easy to manage, particularly when you arrive with luggage, dive bags or the general debris of a week beside the sea. The hotel is non-smoking throughout.