Hotel Marina di Lava

The apartments were basic, but clean. The resort sits in a fairly isolated part of the island, and its beach is broad and pleasant, with plenty of water activities. It isn’t the island’s prettiest beach, though. We found the reception staff rather uninterested, while the restaurant team were very friendly. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere and tasty drinks, but the food didn’t feel worth the price and often seemed to use ingredients that weren’t fresh. My €8 apple tart came straight from the fridge and was microwaved. A big letdown in France, with its great pastries.

The location is fantastic, and the room was newly furnished, clean, and very spacious. The woman at reception was also really friendly. Breakfast was frustrating: I ordered two fried eggs and an omelet. I was told the fried eggs would come, but the omelet was refused, and in the end nothing arrived. The restaurant is far too expensive for what you get, and the bar drinks were overpriced too.

The rooms are spacious, very clean, and have delightful views. We only got to stay one night, unfortunately. This is definitely one of the best hotels near Ajaccio. There’s a wide choice for dinner at the restaurant, but be sure to book a table. The portions are worth the price, and the pizzas are worth trying.

We first stayed here in 2016, then again in 2020 and 2021, and came back in 2023. It used to be a good place to unwind by the sea in peace. This year, though, it felt more like the cheapest hostel for students and young people. Loud music went on through the night, and the restaurant was very bad. It was only good the first time anyway, so we usually ate elsewhere. There are now charging stations for electric cars, which is good, but local idiots in non-electric cars keep blocking those spaces, probably to go to the discotheque. I regret choosing this hotel for a relaxing stay. I won’t make that mistake again.