Hotel Port-Bo

Set in Calella de Palafrugell, Hotel Port-Bo suits divers who want a straightforward base by the coast rather than a resort built around endless entertainment. You have a garden, a pool and a quiet fishing-village setting, while the sea remains within easy walking distance. That is a useful combination when the day's main ambition is food, a drink and not having to organise much else.

The hotel works particularly well for couples and families who want room to spread out. A balcony gives you somewhere to sit with the day's last light, and air conditioning helps take the edge off warm coastal nights. Free WiFi covers all areas, so you can deal with messages, weather checks or the occasional necessary bit of real life without hunting for a signal.

You are in Calella de Palafrugell, Spain, in a quiet part of the coastal village. Platja Port Bo is about 0.2 miles away, with Platja d'en Calau, Port de la Malaespina and La Platgeta de Calella at roughly the same walking distance. Platja Canadell is also close, at about 0.3 miles. In practical terms, several beaches are available without turning a swim into an expedition.

The immediate area keeps you near useful places rather than leaving you marooned behind hotel gates. Sa Perola is about 0.1 miles away, while El Sali, Xabec and L'Enxaneta Gelats D'Altura are all around 0.1 miles from the hotel. For a longer outing, Casa Natal Josep Pla, the Josep Pla Foundation and the Can Mario Museum are about 2.2 miles away, while the Museu de la Pesca in Palamós is about 4.3 miles away.

Girona-Costa Brava Airport is about 33 miles by road. The village location is the main point here: you can walk to the coast and nearby restaurants, while a car gives you more freedom to explore the wider Costa Brava.

For two, the Double Room keeps things simple: twin beds, a private bathroom and a balcony. It is the sensible choice if you are travelling as a pair and would rather spend the budget on the coast than on surplus floor space. The balcony adds somewhere to sit without turning the room into a full evening programme, which is probably no bad thing.

The apartments and Family Room make more sense when four or more people are sharing. The larger apartment is designed for groups of up to six, while the Family Room has four single beds, so you can avoid the usual holiday arithmetic involving sofa cushions and improvised sleeping arrangements. The apartments also bring a refrigerator and tumble dryer, useful when several people are unpacking wet clothes and nobody wants to live out of a suitcase.

Every room has air conditioning, a fan, a wardrobe, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a bath or shower, towels, toiletries and a hairdryer. A minibar is available, and room service means you can keep the evening indoors when the legs have had enough. Daily housekeeping takes care of the reset while you get on with the important business of recovering.

Breakfast is continental and served buffet-style, giving you the practical start a diving day needs: choose what you want, eat at your own pace and get on with it. The restaurant also serves buffet meals, so you have an on-site option when returning hungry is more appealing than going back out into the village.

There is no need to build the hotel around a long list of bars to understand its food offer. The useful details are the buffet format, the restaurant and the nearby choice beyond the property. El Sali and Xabec are around 0.1 miles away, while Rebost is about 0.2 miles away. A short walk gives you alternatives if you fancy changing the scenery after dinner.

Room service, vending machines for snacks and drinks, and a minibar cover the less ceremonial moments. That matters when you need something cold without getting dressed for a second outing, or when the gap between a late return and the next proper meal needs filling.

The pool and garden give you the obvious post-dive option: sit down, cool off and let the day become less ambitious. There is also a children's pool and a sun terrace, while pool and beach towels are available. The setting is more about easy downtime than organised animation, which leaves you free to choose your own level of exertion.

For a slower afternoon, the shared lounge and board games offer somewhere to settle when the sun has done enough. A public bath is also available. None of this demands a timetable, and that is the point: you can take a swim, sit outside, or simply allow the afternoon to disappear without having to book an activity.

If you want to leave the hotel, Sa Perola is close by, and the Casa Natal Josep Pla, the Josep Pla Foundation and Can Mario Museum provide nearby cultural stops. Cala Estrecha is about 1.8 miles away, while Costa Brava Parc Aventura is about 6 miles away for a more active change of pace.

Check-in starts from 15:00 and check-out runs until 12:00, giving you a reasonably useful departure window after an early start or a slow breakfast. The front desk is open around the clock, with concierge service, a tour desk and luggage storage available when your room and your travel plans do not line up neatly.

Parking is available in the hotel's parking garage, with reservation required. The building has a lift and upper floors are accessible by elevator. Free WiFi is available throughout the property, and laundry and ironing services are available for the practical aftermath of a coastal holiday.

Children of any age are welcome, but children aged three and above are charged as adults. Cots and extra beds are not available, so the sleeping arrangement on the booking needs to match the people travelling. There is no minimum age for check-in; cash is accepted, while American Express is not.