Hostal de la Gavina GL - The Leading Hotels of the World

Opened in 1932, Hostal de la Gavina is a 5-star hotel and resort with 74 rooms spread across four floors. It is the sort of address that suits you when the holiday needs to work on land as well as at sea: a proper restaurant, several bars, a spa, pools, a private beach and enough space to disappear with a book when the day has been busy.

The hotel team speaks English, Spanish, French and German, so you can sort out the practicalities without resorting to underwater hand signals at reception. Free Wi-Fi runs throughout the hotel, and the concierge can help with excursions and local arrangements.

You can come here as a couple, with family, or simply because a dive trip occasionally needs a little more civilisation than a plastic chair and a fan. The mood is polished rather than noisy, with gardens, terraces, a library and the sea doing most of the visual work.

The hotel sits in Castell-Platja d'Aro, in S'Agaró on the Costa Brava, directly beside the sea. Sant Pol beach and Sa Conca are right by the property, with golden sand, sun loungers and parasols available for beach time that requires no transport and very little planning.

Castell-Platja d'Aro town centre is around 2 miles away. That keeps the hotel connected to shops and town life without putting you in the middle of it. The surrounding area also gives you the Camino de Ronda coastal route, Cala Pedrosa and the beaches around Sant Feliu de Guíxols to explore when the surface interval needs scenery rather than another screen.

Barcelona Airport is about 75 miles away, while Girona–Costa Brava Airport is about 19 miles away. The hotel is near Barcelona in the broad regional sense, but Girona is the shorter airport transfer in practical terms.

For two people who want the simplest set-up, the standard double or twin rooms keep the arrangement straightforward. The twin option is useful when you and your dive partner prefer separate beds; the double rooms suit couples who would rather not spend the night negotiating the middle of the mattress.

If the room is part of the holiday rather than merely the place where the wetsuit bag is dumped, look at the terrace and sea-view categories. A terrace double room gives you somewhere to sit outside, while the superior terrace double adds a view over the sea. That is the sensible choice when morning coffee with the bay matters more than squeezing every last minute out of sleep.

The more fully equipped rooms bring the details that make a tired evening easier: air conditioning, heating in selected categories, a minibar, safe, television, Wi-Fi, bathrobes, slippers and blackout blinds. Some rooms have a bath, while others list a shower; equipment varies by category, so choose from the room card rather than assuming every room comes with the full kit. Families have a dedicated family room, and larger parties can look towards the three-bedroom villa. Suites and junior suites are there for a more spacious, less functional kind of stay.

Breakfast comes included, with both buffet and à la carte options. That gives you the choice between getting fuel on board efficiently or taking the slower route when the morning is not ruled by a departure time. Breakfast can also be served in your room, which is useful when the bed wins the first argument of the day.

The dining line-up includes Candlelight, which serves dinner as a gastronomic restaurant, alongside Garbí, La Taverna del Mar, Terraza Gavina and El Barco. The hotel does not reduce eating to one room and one timetable, so you have several named places to investigate over a longer stay. Romain Fornell, a chef with two Michelin stars, oversees the gastronomic direction.

There are three bars: Bar El Barco by the beach, Bar Piscina beside the pool and Vila D'Este. A snack bar and pool bar are also available, while bottled water and coffee cover the less ambitious moments. The meal plan is breakfast included; the exact arrangement for any other meals belongs to the room booking.

The main post-dive decision may be whether to use the salt-water Garbí pool, walk straight to the beach, or claim a lounger and make no further decisions. The pool looks over Sant Pol bay, and the hotel has direct access to the beach at Sant Pol and Sa Conca. Beach towels and pool facilities are available, so the transition from sea to sunbed is mercifully uncomplicated.

For the recovery-minded, Spa Valmont offers massage, facials, a hammam, sauna and jacuzzi. There is also a fitness room, plus yoga and Pilates for anyone who prefers stretching with an actual plan. The spa is the obvious place for the non-diving partner to spend an afternoon, though there is nothing stopping you from joining in once your legs have remembered how stairs work.

On dry land, the hotel offers tennis, golf, cycling and table tennis. On the water, kayaking, paddleboarding and boat excursions provide alternatives to another dive without pretending that every holiday moment needs to be productive. The concierge can arrange excursions including medieval villages, Barcelona and Girona, while the library, garden and terraces cover the quieter option.

Check-in runs from 15:00 to midnight, and check-out is at 12:00. Reception operates around the clock, with a lift, luggage storage, concierge service and assistance with excursions and tickets. Laundry, dry cleaning and ironing services are available, and room service is offered.

Airport transfers can be arranged on request, including transfers to and from Barcelona or Girona airports. Car parking and a garage are available, with parking charged separately. An electric-vehicle charging station is also on site. Car hire is available, which is useful if you want to combine the hotel with Girona, Barcelona or the smaller coastal towns rather than rely entirely on organised excursions.

The hotel is non-smoking, has accessible facilities and offers family rooms. Children are welcome, with extra beds available for very young children. Payment can be made by cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal or bank transfer. Spanish electrical sockets are type C and F, with a 230-volt supply.