Hotel Antares

The staff and owners make this place feel warm and welcoming, and the service and food are truly five-star. The rooms are airy, spotless, quiet, and have a nice balcony. Prices are very reasonable, and the pool is great too. There are generous appetizer choices followed by three more courses. My family has been coming to Hotel Antares in Pinarella for 30 years, with grandparents, parents, children, and great-grandchildren meeting up depending on school holidays and schedules. I joined my thirteen-year-old granddaughter and five-year-old grandson this June, and they loved it just like the generations before them. They’re always relaxed and happy here. The warm sea and wide, soft sandy beach are lovely, and the pine forest between the hotel and beach is good for walking, jogging, or cycling. Hotel Antares lends bikes. It’s a pleasure to stay somewhere with such kind, gracious staff and enjoy a very Italian seaside holiday. Christian is incredibly helpful, and his father, grandfather Enzo, still sings every Friday at gala night with a friend on guitar. Don’t miss it. We’ll be back next year.

The food was a mixed bag for us. We liked the vegetable buffet, desserts, and a few risottos; the picnic evening and Romagna-style pasta were decent. But many dishes arrived cold, bland, or poorly cooked. Meal service also felt rushed. A few times, appetizers and main courses came together because we weren’t there exactly at 12:30 or 7:30. The advertised dining windows were 12:30-1:30 and 7:30-8:30, so the hurry to clear the room didn’t feel very relaxing on a holiday. We appreciated the packed lunches for day trips, with sandwiches, fruit, and water made on request. Breakfast outside in the front garden was pleasant, though simple. The room had a minibar and modern, quiet air conditioning. Daily cleaning was thorough, and the reception team and cleaners were consistently kind and helpful. The lobby was clean and well looked after. The hotel is very close to the sea, just across the pine forest. The room itself let us down. The bathroom was tiny and awkward for two people, with no window and only a fan. We could hear other rooms almost constantly, especially very young children, and had trouble sleeping. The pool was hard to enjoy because the water was always cold, and the whirlpool wasn’t working. From later reviews, it sounds like it may have been broken for a while. The parking area was narrow and hard to maneuver in, particularly beside bigger cars. For the price, we expected more space. The bikes also need maintenance: flat tires, wobbly seats, and no lights made them difficult and unsafe to ride. We had to leave early because of family issues, fortunately nothing serious, which was disappointing. This is meant as feedback to help improve things, not as a judgment.

We had a really enjoyable stay. The hotel is in an excellent spot and has been renovated and cared for throughout. Everyone on staff was efficient and courteous. Indoor parking needs to be reserved when you book, though there’s plenty of parking nearby. We’ll come back.

A good choice for a quiet beach break, a walk in Pinarella’s shady pine forest, or a bike ride on the cycle routes toward Cervia, the Po Delta Park, the Saline, and Cesenatico. The hotel is family run, with the owners welcoming guests since the 1960s. There’s a pool and a children’s area, and the beach service is included. Rooms are spacious and simply furnished, with thorough housekeeping. The service team is professional and friendly, the chef is skilled, and the pastry chef is excellent. Meals feature traditional Romagna and Italian cooking with a touch of class. Breakfast is served buffet style, self-service or with staff assistance. Parking can be reserved, though spaces are easy to get in low season.