Relais du Silence Tenuta delle Ripalte

The landscape, wine, pool, amenities, and kind people did a lot to make up for the apartment’s shortcomings. Elba itself is simply beautiful. The accommodation is solid enough and has a calming feel, but it was poorly stocked: not enough plates or cooking tools, and the kitchen bin was the most impractical one I’ve ever seen. Ants can get in easily because the apartment doors aren’t sealed along the bottom. In my view, that’s completely unacceptable.

The natural setting is stunning, ideal for sports fans or anyone looking for peace away from the crowds. The restaurant, though, was the worst part of our stay. The food was good and the setting fascinating, but it was badly organized. At our first dinner we waited 45 min just to order, and the waiters were arguing between the tables, so we decided not to eat there again. That wasn’t very convenient when you’re in the middle of nowhere. Breakfast was chaotic too. We could wait 30 min for a table to be set and cleared after the previous guests, and coffee orders sometimes took 20 min. Items on the buffet were often missing, like cups or milk that hadn’t been replaced. Service needs work more generally as well, from making reservations to helping guests.

Matteo, Kabiel, Luana, Carlo the lifeguard, Carlo the jeep tour guide, and the blonde who handles bike rentals made our stay feel magical. I’m sorry I can’t remember her name. The staff worked long days but always greeted us warmly with a smile, learned our names, and called out to us whenever they saw us. They went above and beyond, and the customer service was the best I’ve experienced. The villa was beautiful and had stunning ocean views. We loved the private beaches too, and the whole place felt like something from a fairytale. After 8 days at the resort, my family cried as we drove back to reality. We want to work out a way to return every year. We’ve traveled to lots of places around the world, and this one is top notch, the most magical place I’ve ever been. If you’re thinking about visiting, just book it and have the time of your life. Thanks for everything. We’ll miss you all terribly.

When we arrived for the horse riding we’d reserved for 2 people, they said they thought only 1 person wanted to ride and didn’t have another horse available. The place is very remote, with only dirt roads and no paved street leading there. Your car gets very dirty.