Hotel Riviera

We came for the Ironman race, and they arranged an early breakfast before it, which was really helpful. The hotel is in an exceptional location and the staff were great. When we had a small AC problem, they dealt with it straight away and went above and beyond. They also waived the parking fees because of the inconvenience.

The best things about our 12-night August stay were the location, right on the beach, the fairly modern and clean rooms, the decent-sized shower with good water pressure, and the friendly staff. Beyond that, I found the hotel disappointing for the price and for a place sold as 4-star. We’ve stayed at many 4-star hotels in Italy, and this one didn’t meet the hospitality standard. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t worth what we paid. We booked a “Deluxe King Room with front sea view,” one of the most expensive options. It was almost the same as a standard room, except it had an extra single bed we neither asked for nor needed. We’d called beforehand and were told it wasn’t set up for three people, but that’s what we got. We ended up paying around 1k extra for nothing. The bed was small for a Deluxe King Room, 160/180cm. There were ants in the room for a few days, and paint was peeling in one area of the walls because of water getting in near the window. There was no soundproofing, so we heard everything from the hallway and the neighboring bathroom. Although we’d chosen this hotel over others for the frontal sea view, our room was on the first floor and beach buildings blocked most of the view. We asked to move higher. Staff said they’d let us know if a room became available, but we never heard back. There were no welcoming extras in the room: no complimentary water, no coffee or tea facilities, and the safe didn’t work. The TV was the cheapest kind, with no smart or streaming features and no way to connect devices. The only amenity was a beach bag printed with the hotel’s name and 3 stars, which says a lot. In the bathroom there was just a bottle of cheap, watery shower gel with a strange smell, no shampoo, conditioner, or lotion. Breakfast was one of the biggest letdowns. It was minimal and repetitive, mostly sweets. The pastries were dry and overbaked. Scrambled eggs sat under heat lamps until they turned green, and the fried bacon was cold and oily. Cold cuts were very limited, just one type each of ham, salami, and cheese. There were no vegetables at all, little fresh fruit, one type of white bread, and two types of toast. Yogurt came from a large tub, and the milk wasn’t labelled, so anyone needing lactose-free or oat milk was out of luck. One morning the eggs had run out, so we asked for an omelet and were charged €10 for it at checkout. The “garden breakfast” was on a terrace that was far too sunny and hot in the morning. Inside, we couldn’t use a table set for lunch, and most tables seemed permanently reserved for full-board guests. The staff stayed friendly, but management seemed disorganized and unwilling to deal with problems. Once we realized how underwhelming the stay was for the cost, we asked about leaving early. We offered to stay for the 4 nights covered by our 30% deposit, but were told we’d be charged for the entire stay anyway. When we complained, we were told the manager would be asked what options were available. No answer came. We didn’t want to spend our holiday on irritation and arguments, so we stopped pushing. We’ve stayed in many Italian 4-star hotels, and all of them were far better. This might be decent as a 3-star hotel at the right price, but as a 4-star at this price, absolutely not. It didn’t deliver the quality or comfort we expected. It feels like an overpriced, well-located 3-star with basic amenities, poor management, and a misleading “Deluxe” label. I can’t understand how it got four stars. I hope this helps others avoid the disappointment we had.

The rooms were nice, the food was amazing, and both the staff and other guests were extremely friendly. Highly recommend it. See you again next year!

A lovely place for a holiday, with nice people and an excellent location.