Cove Resort Palau

Cove Resort Palau is built for a stay where the practical parts are close at hand: a swimming pool, a restaurant, a bar, a fitness centre and a 24-hour front desk. The setting suits divers who want somewhere to eat, shower, cool down and sit comfortably without turning every evening into an expedition.

There is also enough here for a family trip or a couple who do not plan to spend every waking hour underwater. The resort combines garden and pool views, outdoor seating, live music and a tour desk, with free WiFi throughout the property. It is a straightforward base in Koror, with a few useful comforts doing the heavy lifting.

You are in Koror, Palau, rather than at an isolated island hideaway. That matters when the dive day is over and you want access to places beyond the resort: Drop Off Bar & Grill is about 700 feet away by road, while Carp Restaurant and Kramers Cafe are each about 1,050 feet away.

Palau International Airport is about 7 miles away by road, with a drive of around 11 minutes. Rois Ketund, a 35-metre peak, is about 3 miles away by road. Free on-site public parking makes the resort workable if you are using a car, and car hire is available.

The standard room layout is generous enough for a proper post-dive reset, with air conditioning, a private bathroom, a desk, a seating area, a dining area and free WiFi. A minibar and refrigerator give you somewhere to keep drinks cold, while the kettle and tea and coffee maker cover the first cup before anyone is ready for conversation. There is room service too, which is useful when the legs have had enough for one day.

For two, a king room keeps things simple, with a super-king-size bed; sea-view versions add the view without changing the basic format. If three people are travelling together, choose a twin arrangement with a single bed and a super-king-size bed. The Superior Family Room gives four guests considerably more room, with two single beds and a super-king-size bed. It is the sensible choice when dive bags, dry clothes and human beings all need to occupy the same space.

Soundproofing is listed for the rooms and the property, and rooms have a private entrance, fan and air conditioning. A drying rack is available for clothing, not diving equipment. Upper floors are reached by stairs only, so ground-floor access matters if you prefer to keep the knees and shoulders on speaking terms after a full day.

The family-friendly restaurant covers Japanese, Mexican and international cooking, giving you more than one direction to take dinner when you return hungry and slightly over-salted. A child-friendly buffet and children’s meals are available, while breakfast can be brought to your room. The restaurant is on site, so the evening does not require a second journey through Koror.

There are two places to drink: a bar and a pool bar. Happy hour and live music add a little evening life, without requiring you to turn the night into a separate activity. A minibar, refrigerator and tea and coffee maker in the room also give you a useful fallback between meals, particularly when an early start has made lunch an optimistic concept.

The swimming pool has a view, with sun loungers and umbrellas around it. The lush garden, picnic area and outdoor furniture give you somewhere to sit when you want air and daylight but not another organised undertaking. Pool toys are available as well, which keeps the family side of the resort in view.

For a more deliberate recovery session, the fitness centre and aerobics are available. Massage options include full-body, couples, back, neck, head, hand and foot massage. Canoeing, fishing and hiking are available as off-site activities, with the tour desk and concierge on hand for the practical arrangements. Live sport broadcasts and live music cover the evenings when the weather or tiredness wins.

Check-in starts from 15:00 and check-out runs until 12:00. The front desk operates around the clock, with concierge service, luggage storage and a tour desk available for the parts of the trip that do not fit neatly into a dive schedule. WiFi is free throughout the property, and on-site public parking is free without reservation.

An airport shuttle is available as a paid service, either privately or as a shared transfer arranged with the resort. Car hire, packed lunches, daily housekeeping and laundry are also available. Children of any age are welcome; children aged two and over are treated as adults for booking purposes, cots for children aged up to two can be requested, and extra beds are not available. The minimum age for check-in is 18, and cash is accepted for payment.