Resort Marina di Castello Golf & SPA

This hotel is old, and the plumbing shows it. The mixer tap was broken, and my room had no refrigerator even though the description said it should. The rooms were more or less clean, but there were no disposable slippers, and they don't provide water in the rooms. Breakfast was meager and poor, with the same food all four days: eggs, scrambled eggs, one kind of sausage and cheese, a croissant, and yogurt. Dinner was just as disappointing.

The restaurant only opens on weekends, which can be awkward because other restaurants are 10-15 minutes away on foot or five minutes by car. The nearby beaches are paid, and the free ones are really disgusting and messy, but that's not the hotel's fault. The hotel itself is calm and good for people who don't like noisy places. Rooms are clean and have everything needed, the two outdoor pools are clean and open until dark, and the staff are professional, friendly, and ready to help. Five stars.

The sea view from my room was relaxing, and the room was spacious. The gym was decent, breakfast okay, and my server was very kind and helpful. But the hotel is past its prime and the location isn't good. The front desk wasn't very kind or helpful, and despite asking several times, I never got an iron. I had to switch rooms because the phone didn't work and the AC buzzed. There was no WiFi in the rooms, only by reception and the restaurant. At first glance the room looked clean, but it's very old and things need replacing. The ceiling was cracking, the phone was grimy and didn't work anyway, and the shower head badly needed replacement. Colleagues who ate dinner there said the food was poor and the service even worse. We walked a long way into town and ate for a fraction of the price, and enjoyed the meal.

We arrived during a major convention, but there was only one person at reception and no luggage service. It felt like nobody cared. The restaurant offered just two menu choices, both greasy, overcooked, and inedible, with very unprofessional staff. That's especially disappointing in one of Italy's best regions for food. The iron they had seemed to be broken, the WiFi was bad, there was a spider in the room, and the shower gel was as cheap as you can imagine. If I were here on holiday, I'd leave on the spot.