Albacore Apartments

If you like your diving holidays with room to spread out, cook something sensible and keep your own hours, Albacore Apartments is built along those lines. You get self-contained accommodation in Merimbula, with air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, Smart TVs and private balconies on the one- and two-bedroom apartments.

The mood is more practical than theatrical. You can make tea, sit down properly, and let the day come to a halt without having to negotiate a buffet, a dress code or a poolside soundtrack. Couples can keep things simple; families and small groups have larger apartments and shared spaces that make several nights easier to manage.

There is also a lift to all floors, covered secure parking and facilities for disabled guests. Useful details, especially when your legs have already done enough for one day.

Market Street puts you centrally in Merimbula, on Australia's New South Wales coast, with the lake and the beach both part of the local geography. Merimbula town centre is a five-minute walk away, so shops and places to eat are within reach without turning every evening into a driving exercise.

Merimbula Beach is about 1 km away, with access on foot in around five minutes, and Short Point Beach is roughly 1.7 miles away by car. Pambula Beach is about 5 miles away. You are not staying directly on the sand, but you are close enough to reach it without making a project of it.

Merimbula Airport is particularly close: about 1 km from the apartments, around one minute by car or eight minutes on foot. The address suits a trip where the town, the lake and several beaches all need to remain within easy reach.

The useful distinction here is not a long list of room names but how you plan to use the space. A studio on the ground floor works for a small group wanting a single, uncomplicated base, while the one-bedroom apartments suit a couple who would rather have a separate living area and a private balcony overlooking Merimbula Lake. For families or friends, the two-bedroom apartments give you more room to divide the evening and the sleeping arrangements.

The apartments are fully self-contained. Kitchenettes or full kitchens include an oven, hob, microwave, refrigerator, kettle, toaster, cookware and a dining table, so you can keep breakfast and post-dive meals under your own control. A fridge is particularly welcome when you come back hot, thirsty and not in the mood to admire somebody else's tasting menu. Most apartments also have a spa bath.

Air conditioning, heating, a fan, electric blankets and private bathrooms cover the less glamorous but more important part of the stay. There is a sofa and seating area for properly sitting down, a desk, wardrobe space and a drying rack for clothes. The private balcony and lake outlook belong to the one- and two-bedroom apartments, giving couples a reason to choose those layouts rather than simply taking the first available bed.

There is no need to make every meal a formal expedition when your apartment has a kitchen, dining table, refrigerator and microwave. You can sort out an early start, bring food back from town or put together something simple when the appetite arrives late. The BBQ area and outdoor dining space add another option, with the sun terrace making the sensible Australian choice of eating outside when the weather allows.

For evenings when cooking is the last thing you want to do, The Merimbula Lakeview Hotel is about a two-minute walk away. Bunga Raya Satay House is roughly three minutes on foot, while Duci's Italian Restaurant is around four minutes away. That gives you a choice of nearby addresses without pretending the apartment itself is a restaurant.

The format is self-catering rather than a fixed meal plan. It suits you particularly well if dive times, beach time and hunger refuse to keep the same timetable.

The outdoor solar-heated pool is the obvious place to spend a non-diving afternoon, with sun loungers and beach chairs nearby. You can swim, dry off and move on to the terrace or garden without having to leave the property. Pool toys are available as well, which gives families a practical diversion rather than another decorative promise.

Merimbula Beach is available for a straightforward change of scenery, while kayaking, fishing and canoeing are activities in the surrounding area. The property also offers access to outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, wildlife observation and boat excursions, giving you options when you want to stay active but do not fancy another day in neoprene.

Golf is available within 3 km. Mini golf and bowling are also available on site, with the latter two carrying an additional charge. For a quieter evening, the apartment's sofa, balcony and Smart TV are perfectly adequate equipment; not every hour needs an organised activity attached to it.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 21:00 and check-out from 00:00 to 09:30. You need to show photo identification and a credit card on arrival, and you should give the property your expected arrival time in advance. Express and private check-in and check-out are available.

Free private parking is available in a covered garage on site, with no reservation needed. The lift serves all floors, Wi-Fi is free throughout the property and the apartments are non-smoking. Children of any age are welcome, with cots and extra beds available on request according to the accommodation selected. Pets are not allowed, and the property operates a strict no-party policy.

Read the stay conditions carefully when choosing an apartment: some options carry minimum stays of two, three, five or seven nights. Bedding preferences can be requested, although the final configuration depends on availability. That is the sort of small detail worth settling before your flights are booked, rather than discovering it with a suitcase in the car park.