Hotel Diplomatic

The room was large, had a balcony, and allowed pets. The location was convenient too, close to both the sea and Igea Marina center. But we stayed three days and two nights, and the room was never cleaned. The toilet paper had been left by previous guests, the bathroom light didn’t work apart from the one at the mirror, and there was no hairdryer, mini-fridge, or bathroom toiletries. The walls did nothing to block sound, so we could hear the TV next door all night. The staff weren’t welcoming and didn’t explain the basics, like which floor our room was on or when and where breakfast was served. The free parking listed for our Booking.com reservation wasn’t available. We were told we couldn’t move the car in the evening, so we parked somewhere else.

The location is excellent, and getting to the beach is easy, but our two-week stay in August was disappointing. We booked because the property advertised itself as pet-friendly, yet there was no pet service or attention at all. I asked a receptionist for a water bowl and was told they didn’t have one. I expected at least bowls and a little care, and would have booked somewhere else if I’d known. Check-in was barely a welcome, just time to take our details and hand over the keys. Our room was reasonably habitable, but the shower was tiny and got water everywhere. There was no hairdryer or glass for toothbrushes and toothpaste. Meals were repetitive, and if we weren’t there right at the 12:30 lunch or 7:30 dinner opening, we risked finding nothing left. Some dishes weren’t very good. Breakfast was okay, though choices were limited, and the cakes were nice. The beach arrangement was also unclear. When I booked, they said they would reserve it, but no reservation had been made by the time we arrived. They also said we could use the beach pool without mentioning the extra charge. The website should be updated with accurate details, and guests should be better looked after. I do want to thank Elisa and Salvatore, the only two waiters, for doing what they could. Serving around 90-100 people between them can’t be easy, especially when they had to face all the complaints, though none of that was their fault. Our experience wasn’t a good one.

We hadn’t taken a family holiday in six years, so we hoped Hotel Diplomatic/Touring would have what its website promised: a family-friendly stay, fresh local food with variety, and cool rooms. We didn’t find what we expected. We were told on arrival to have lunch at the Diplomatic and sleep at the Touring, another hotel belonging to the same owner just across the road. I don’t understand why. The room was sweltering, with no air conditioning, just a 1518 fan. The dining room was unbearably hot too, at lunch and dinner, and it seemed like they were trying to save money. The food was the worst part. The children only had plain pasta. My son ate only when we left the hotel for personal trips during that week. The appetizer buffet was the same side dishes in different forms all week, and if you arrived five minutes late, all that was left was carrots, lettuce, and tomatoes. The first and second courses were served at the table, but the pasta seemed precooked and then dressed to order. The fish and burgers were frozen. Gioacchino, the young Neapolitan chef, really needs to change jobs. My husband is a cook, and I waited tables for years, so I know what I’m talking about. Gluten-free meals were a mess. There was nothing suitable, so the celiacs got by on salad and snacks and croissants they bought themselves. There were only two waiters for the whole dining room, including Mr. Salvatore, who was incredibly kind, big-hearted, always polite, and ready to help even though he wasn’t a professional. The woman in charge of the dining room was a little nice, but had too many years behind her and seemed to have little wish to smile. With working conditions like those, though, it’s hard to smile. At the end of the stay, we asked for at least a discount for the missing air conditioning. They deducted only €35. We won’t even consider this hotel next year.

The dining room staff were especially helpful, including Francesca and another man whose name I can’t remember. Still, we came home less than satisfied, and this is the only hotel in Emilia we won’t return to after eleven years of holidays here. The view and location were excellent, and the rooms felt welcoming, but the hotel didn’t make the most of its potential. We paid for a sea-view room and got a street view instead. There was air conditioning, but it didn’t work, so we needed a fan. The restaurant was also uncomfortably warm, with just two small fans running on low. The food was average, repetitive over our two weeks, and not really typical of the Riviera Romagnola. At the beach, they asked us to pay despite our all-inclusive package. There seemed to be no communication between the hotel and the beach, and we still don’t know why we were charged.