Cliento Resort Velia

The cottage was spacious and looked after, although the property seemed better cared for outside than in. The food was the real letdown: it wasn't about the range of dishes or reusing food, since I'm usually pretty adaptable, but about the quality. Some items smelled off, including the hamburger, and the service staff couldn't make it enjoyable despite trying hard. We still had a lovely time, mainly thanks to the fantastic entertainment crew. Simone (aka Elvis), Francesco, Danilo, and Maria made the days and evenings special. The restaurant team and entertainers were all wonderful, and spending time with them helped us forget the problems. I'd return just to see them again. Thank you.

The outdoor areas were spacious and well kept, the one real bright spot for us. Our room was clean, roomy, and better than we'd expected, with retro-style furnishings. The beach was tiny, with just three rows of umbrellas and the front row almost in the water. When we asked which umbrella was ours, the response made it feel like they were doing us a favor. At the restaurant, the food was very basic, although there was a wide choice and some dishes from the day before could be served again. The contract promised a children's menu, but there wasn't one. They just reheated pasta and put sauce on top, which would have been rough for a whole week. The stay started badly, with barely any welcome at all. The atmosphere was cold, and the people we dealt with came across as arrogant, making us want to leave. Nobody explained the stay, the schedule, or anything about the beach. Instead, they asked for a €50 deposit for a run-down place and wanted us out of our rooms early on checkout. Good thing we were only there for the weekend. I'd choose somewhere else.

Summer 2025. Our check-in was a disaster: I waited five hours for the room on a rainy day, with a baby and no safe place to wait. I went back to reception every hour. They kept saying there were no cleaners and that the room would be ready in half an hour, but the hours dragged on. A day I won't forget. The food was awful, it was crowded and people were complaining, and the entertainment was poor apart from the evening show. The grounds are clean and well looked after, but the rooms aren't. I wouldn't recommend it for a relaxing family holiday.

The bar prices were the main thing that bothered us: €6 for a granita and a coffee, and €1.50 for a small bottle of water. They should reconsider those prices. One day our towels were missed, but reception brought them up in under five minutes once we asked. Before we arrived, I was nervous because I'd seen lots of negative reviews, some pretty harsh, and I was traveling with two small kids. We'd booked already, so I came without expectations. To my surprise, we're having a really good time. The resort is well kept and green, close to the sea and the town promenade, with the pool and beach right nearby and all the basic amenities. The cottages work well for two or three people. With two or three children it can feel a bit tight, which is understandable. The food is more than decent, with two or three first courses, two mains, plenty of vegetables, and various appetizers each day. For Cannavacciuolo-level cooking, you'll have to head to Villa Crespi. The young entertainment team is still finding its feet, but the head entertainer puts in a lot of effort. It isn't as disastrous as some reviews make out. The lower prices compared with other resorts, sometimes by €300-400, do seem to attract all sorts of guests, including the infamous "vrenzole" (women), rude and vulgar, with fake faces and big glasses, and a doormat carrying bags beside them. They complain about everything and act like it's all about them. For the price, the location is hard to beat, and the atmosphere is pleasant. Come with sensible expectations and you can have a peaceful holiday without surprises. To me, the bad reviews were exaggerated, or maybe something has changed since they were written.