Grand Hotel Quisisana

We were visiting from Sorrento and stayed one night in a beautifully restored, well-equipped room. The robes, slippers, and other amenities were lovely, and the coffee and breakfast delivered to us were superb. I’d come back just to spend another night in that room. Everything else, including the service and concierge, impressed us too. The one exception was the pool: it was sublet, and the people there weren’t very nice.

At these high rates, the poor quality and value are hard to accept. The hotel feels stuck in the past and badly needs modernization and investment. There are too few restaurants, the food offering is weak, and the prices are shamefully high. Breakfast was limited, and there wasn’t even a coffee maker in the room. If it charged less, some of this might be understandable. But if the owners want luxury hotel prices, they need to provide that level of service. It seems to be relying on past glory and its regular elderly guests. If nothing changes, I worry it’ll struggle when that clientele is gone.

The setting is spectacular, and the property has enormous potential, but the Quisisana feels like a relic. The lobby lights are off during the day, apparently to save money, and the hotel no longer has a restaurant. Furniture and fittings are falling apart. Even the wall-mounted hairdryer in the bathroom looks like it belongs in an old gym locker room. At €3,000 a night for an average room, I didn’t want to touch much in the bathroom. It feels as though decades have passed without investment. The owners seem to hide stinginess behind talk of tradition and authenticity. Belmond Caruso and Le Sirenuse show how history can be respected while still offering modern luxury. In its current state, the Quisisana is a depressing use of prime Capri real estate, kept going by loyal guests whose average age seems to be 75. Unless someone with hospitality knowledge steps in, I think the hotel will fade away with them. For now, it’s dusty chandeliers, broken fixtures, and a reputation trading on Capri’s name.

I repeatedly tried to speak with the manager, Mr Antonio D’Alisa, and followed up several times, but never got a reply. The ladies in reservations were rude and unprofessional, which is no way to treat a returning guest or what I expect from a five-star hotel. The style is dated and a little tacky, and I don’t think this place meets the standard of other Leading Hotels of the World. If you expect top-level service, avoid it. I’ll be sending my feedback directly to Leading Hotels of the World as well. Not being allowed the chance to speak with the manager falls far short of basic hospitality.