Grand Hotel Baia Verde

The first night was a letdown: our first-floor room was very dated, and the old, stinky carpet ruined it. We asked to switch rooms and had to wait until the next day, but we were grateful they could move us. The replacement was small and very basic, though at least it had laminate flooring instead of that carpet. Breakfast was bad, mostly store-bought pastries with one cheap cheese and one kind of cold cut. We tried dinner once and found it below average. At the end, we asked for tea and got cups of literally cold water with tea bags. We stayed five nights, and the hotel is also far from Catania. A taxi there costs €30-50 each way.

The pool is large and there are lots of sunbeds. Stairs lead down to the sea, and since the hotel is on a cliff, they've built a bathing pier with ladders to make it easier to get in and swim. The rocks were coated with soft sea moss or algae, which helped protect you from getting hurt. There are also loungers on the cliff. The ones by the sea cost 15.00 €/bed, but I thought they were worth it. It's a lovely place to swim and relax with great views, though not ideal if you want good food or easy access to the city center. We had room 220, which was clean and spacious, with a garden view and fluffy pillows. There were no bedside outlets, the bathroom amenities were lacking, and the shower had just one combined shampoo and bath foam. Its screen didn't close properly, so water got onto the rest of the bathroom floor. Our safe didn't work. The breakfast room is beautiful and overlooks the sea, but gets noisy when crowded. There was bread, cheese, ham, vegetables, scrambled and hard-boiled eggs, bacon, yogurt toppings, fruit, pastries, coffee, and juice. Half the choices were sweet baked goods like pies, muffins, and pound cakes. It felt like the food had been chosen by someone who doesn't eat breakfast. The bread selection wasn't great, the ham and cheese tasted cheap, and the scrambled eggs were dry. The hard-boiled eggs were so overcooked they were dry too, and the coffee had little flavor. The fruit was the one really good item, and the juice was pretty good. Breakfast at 8 a.m. was pleasant and quiet, but by 9 it was chaotic and food had run out. There were no spoons, so we had to eat yogurt with a fork, and they offered disposable plastic cups because there weren't proper glasses. There aren't many cafes or restaurants nearby. The train and bus stations are close, but services aren't very frequent.

The pool and bar were a real pleasure, with a relaxing feel and very good drinks and snacks. The best thing about the hotel, though, is its position right by the sea, with direct beach access whenever you want to enjoy the water. There isn't much to see or do around the area, so bear that in mind if you want to explore. For a 4-star place, I expected some basic things that weren't available. They couldn't provide even an iron or a lighter when we asked. Our room felt dated, and parts of the bathroom need repairs or updating. Breakfast was okay, but the hot food, including eggs, was always cold. And watch your plate at the outdoor tables, birds swoop in fast.

Our room was freezing, and nobody told us the heating system was damaged. They moved us, but then the bathtub water wouldn't run. On our last night, the spare blanket we planned to use was covered in stains. We contacted reception and did manage to get it changed. I hope the hotel takes these comments on board and improves.