Gran Muthu Almirante Beach Hotel

Set metres from the sand in Guardalavaca, the Gran Muthu Almirante Beach Hotel opens straight onto the coast that gives this stretch of Holguín Province its name. The beach runs close enough that a kayak or waterski line reaches the water in a few strides, and kiteboarders work the same shoreline through the day. Rooms are air-conditioned and fitted with Wi-Fi, satellite TV and a mini-fridge; none is far from the sound of the sea. It is a hotel built around choice at the table. Six restaurants operate on site, ranging from open buffet service to a smaller Japanese dining room, so no two nights need look the same. Beyond the beach, the grounds hold a spa, a gym, a nightclub and a theatre, covering most of a day without a car ever leaving the car park. You can move from a morning on the water to an evening show without crossing the road. The province of Holguín sits on Cuba's northern coast, and Guardalavaca has grown around exactly this kind of beach stay, with the shoreline doing most of the work. Facilities lean toward the practical rather than the precious: air-conditioning, satellite TV, a fridge stocked for the heat. It suits travellers who want the sea within reach and dinner sorted without leaving the property.