Hotel Marina

We sat downstairs each evening after dinner and chatted with the host, whose English was excellent. Everyone was so friendly and helpful, and nothing was too much trouble. The buffet breakfast had lots of choice, including lovely fresh cakes and pastries made by the owner's wife. Our room was very clean, with lovely fluffy white towels. We've already booked for next year.

The people at Hotel Marina made us feel welcome and safe the whole time, treating us like family. As a solo parent travelling with my nine year old son, that meant a lot. We stayed for a week after finding the hotel through the TUI/First Choice website, where we got a really good deal. Italy was my son's choice for a summer treat. Thanks to Hotel Marina for the kind hospitality. We'd been up since 2:30am for our flight to Verona, and the hotel prepared our room early so we could check in at no extra charge and catch up on sleep. It's a short trip from the airport. We had room 106 at the front of the hotel, with twin beds, wardrobe, side tables, desk and chair, plus an en suite bathroom with hairdryer. I brought my travel kettle. We spent hours sitting and watching Italian life go by. Most guests were couples, and everyone was respectful during our stay. Breakfast is buffet style from 8am to 10am, well attended to and quickly replenished. There's a large children's park next door and a supermarket about 400 metres up the road. The hotel is very close to the main bus and ferry stations. Bardolino shops are mostly clothes shops and restaurants. Getting to other places around the lake is easy and cheap. It gets more mountainous farther north. We also found it easy to take the bus to Movieland and Caneva.

The staff are friendly, and the town centre location means you're only about a five minute walk from the lake. Still, the rooms are small, and the toilet, shower and sink are basically in a wet room. The place feels quite dated, breakfast choices are limited, and parking is difficult with only about 10 spaces altogether. I'd recommend staying here if it's the cheapest option available.

The same family has owned this bed and breakfast hotel for 50 years, and they know the local area inside out. Rooms are clean and spacious, breakfast is good, and there's a small bar where you can relax in the evening. It's in Bardolino, a resort town on the Italian Lake Garda Riviera. Very good value, which helps take the sting out of the considerable cost of eating and drinking nearby.