Hôtel Demeure Castel Brando

We came for a couple of days to unwind, and it was perfect for that. The village of Erbalunga has the same charm as the hotel: the buildings, gardens, rooms, reception staff, pool areas, and courtyard restaurant all felt charming.

The garden is wonderful, and the hotel is lovely in this small village. There are free yoga classes on Thursdays and jazz concerts. The nearby beaches are within walking distance and are okay.

We stayed here for one night recently, in the cheapest room, and had an extremely pleasant visit. We were here 21 years ago, when the establishment was much smaller. The service staff were all endearingly pleasant, and the lovely courtyard is where you dine in good weather. The restaurant has an excellent GaultMilau rating and serves mostly terrific food with quality ingredients and good bread. Breakfast was superb, with plenty of fresh fruit, juice, and other choices. In the room, our only minor issues were the lack of grab bars in the bath and shower water that was difficult to control.

The restaurant food was good and breakfast was good too, but the evening menu was short and fixed, with only the daily special adding variety. That seems geared toward short visits, not longer stays. The property felt overcrowded with rooms, while the shared spaces weren't sized to match. It seemed set up for guests to stay two or three days and use the hotel as a base. When we went to the small gym later in the morning, hotel staff were using it too, which I'd never experienced before. Our room was dated and dark. It was clean, but not a relaxing place to read, and the small common areas weren't comfortably furnished. Luckily we could get out and about. I wouldn't have been happy if we'd chosen this as a place to relax, and wouldn't plan to stay more than a night or two.