Be. Fremantle

Set on Challenger Harbour, Be. Fremantle is an aparthotel for divers who prefer room to spread out, a kitchen for the practical business of eating, and a balcony where the day can wind down over the water. You are staying on Fremantle's working waterfront, with Fishing Boat Harbour and Challenger Harbour as the immediate backdrop.

The self-contained format suits a couple who wants more than a standard hotel room, but it also works for families and groups sharing a longer stay. Air conditioning, laundry facilities, a dining area and a fully equipped kitchen mean you can rinse off, put the kettle on and deal with wet clothes without turning the bedroom into a storage cupboard.

English is the language of the hotel's website, so you can organise the stay and read the practical information in English before travelling. The property also has a concierge and a 24-hour reception and concierge desk for the useful bits around arrival and departure.

You are in Fremantle, Western Australia, directly by Challenger Harbour. Bathers Beach is about 350 metres away, roughly a four-minute walk, while the waterfront restaurants of Fishing Boat Harbour are close enough to make a post-dive dinner a walking decision rather than a transport problem.

The centre of Fremantle is within a ten-minute walk, with the Fremantle Markets and Cappuccino Strip in the mix. The Fremantle train station is about 0.7 miles away, and Fremantle Port is a ten-minute walk, useful if Rottnest Island is part of the plan.

For wider excursions, Cottesloe Beach is about 1.5 miles away by car, Perth CBD is around 30 minutes away, and Perth Airport is about 14 miles from the property. Fishing Boat Harbour also carries a small piece of America's Cup history: challenger yachts from the 1986/87 defence were housed here.

The useful distinction here is not a long list of room names; it is how much living space you want around the diving day. A studio keeps things simple for two, while the one-bedroom apartments add room to separate sleeping and sitting. Choose a harbour or sea view if looking out over the water matters to you; the larger two- and three-bedroom apartments are the sensible choice when four or six people need to share without conducting their entire holiday from the sofa.

Every one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment has air conditioning, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen with dishwasher and private laundry facilities. There is also a living room with a flat-screen TV, satellite channels and an iPod docking station. Some apartments have a spa bath, and the executive two-bedroom layouts add a second bathroom — a small detail that becomes rather less small when several people are returning from the coast at once.

The studio is the only category with a specified king-size bed. The apartments are designed for families as well as couples, and cots can be requested for children aged two and under; extra beds are not available. Most apartments have bedrooms and bathrooms reached by stairs, so check the layout carefully if stairs are an issue.

There is no need to build the evening around an in-house dining room when Fishing Boat Harbour is on the doorstep. Cicerello's serves lunch and dinner, with fish and chips alongside local seafood such as prawns, crayfish and crabs. It has been part of the harbour for more than a century, which is a useful amount of time to learn what to do with a fish.

Char Char Restaurant & Bar is a short walk away, overlooking Fishing Boat Harbour from its terrace and serving lunch and dinner with an international menu. The third nearby option, Bathers Beach House, puts modern Australian food directly by the beach, with indoor and alfresco seating and the chance to eat or drink on its licensed beach lounges.

For nights when walking to dinner has lost its appeal, the apartments give you a proper kitchen and dining area, while 24-hour room service is available. An on-site kiosk, snack bar, grocery deliveries and BBQ facilities cover the less ceremonial moments when you want food without another outing.

The waterfront does most of the work here. Bathers Beach is a short walk away, and boat excursions can take you out on the water or towards an island. Snorkelling is included among the excursion options, alongside markets and waterfalls, so a non-diving day does not have to mean sitting indoors and studying the minibar.

Fremantle is particularly workable on foot. You can wander to the Fremantle Markets, the Shipwreck Galleries, the Western Australian Maritime Museum, the Round House or Fremantle Prison, with the historic centre providing enough context to keep a surface interval occupied. The local walking trails also follow the America's Cup story around the harbour.

Bicycles are available to hire, wildlife observation and cultural excursions are offered, and a golf course lies within about 2 miles. Back at the property, a garden, BBQ facilities and a private balcony provide quieter ways to spend the afternoon. There is no spa to factor into the recovery plan, so the relaxation here is the straightforward kind: space, fresh air and a harbour view.

Check-in starts from 14:00 and check-out is by 10:00. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and the property needs to know your expected arrival time. Check-in is for guests aged 18 and over; children of any age are welcome, with cots available for younger children and no extra beds.

Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. A 24-hour reception and concierge, luggage storage, a safe at reception, laundry and dry-cleaning services make the practical side of a longer stay easier. Airport transfers are available on request, while Perth Airport is about 14 miles away and Jandakot Airport about 9 miles away.

On-site parking is limited and subject to availability, with alternative parking nearby. Cash is not accepted, smoking and parties are not allowed, and quiet hours run from 22:00 to 07:00. The property is close enough to Fremantle station, the harbour and the port that you can manage much of the stay without a car, although a vehicle remains useful for beaches and wider trips.