Strand Lungomare Apartment

The staff and atmosphere were exceptional, and it was a joy to stay here and ride. The rooms were well kept and the location was good. If you expect Europe to feel just like your hotel experience back home in North America, this place may not suit you. But if you enjoy warm, engaging people and nice rides, you'll have a wonderful stay here.

The owners' family was very nice. All my bad experiences were with the guide, Ole. I had a really bad stay, and I wouldn't recommend this place to solo female travelers. The hotel advertises six guided rides a day for different ability levels, but doesn't mention that rides are capped at four hours or that the options are sorted by speed. You can't do a challenging ride unless you can average at least 27 km/h. For a beautiful long ride at a slower pace, you have to book a private guide. At around 23-24 km/h, you're limited to flat routes in the industrial area near the hotel. That doesn't match what I'd expect from a cycling holiday. The guide couldn't handle differences in pace within a group and encouraged a competitive atmosphere that didn't fit the cycling holiday the hotel was selling. In the group labeled 24-27 km/h, he told riders going 24 that they didn't belong, and let others criticize the slower riders. Once he even stopped the group to kick someone out without talking it through with her. I've taken part in many other cycling trips, and I know it's possible to support advanced riders without insulting anyone who is struggling. I also felt singled out and harassed by one of the guides. I told the hotel, but they said they couldn't do anything because it was a 'he said she said' situation. Cesenatico itself isn't the best cycling area either, in my view. Somewhere closer to the mountains would have fewer cars and better scenery.

The owners were around keeping an eye on things, and they were genuinely lovely when we met them. We had a good time overall, even though one staff member was rude and arrogant more than once. We bit our tongues so it wouldn't spoil our stay or anyone else's. We spent a week between the top floor room 416 and first floor unit 140, which had a large balcony and jacuzzi. The rooms had been renovated nicely, but working in construction, I kept spotting corners that seemed to have been cut. Those details probably wouldn't bother most people, though it was hard for me to give the place five stars.

The hotel, its staff, the food, and the facilities made for a lovely vacation. Our rooms were clean and well equipped, and we enjoyed the pool, spa, massage therapist, and the beach nearby. The difficult part was the cycling, which was one reason my friend and I chose the hotel, since it specializes in guided biking. My friend wasn't fitted properly, and the guide didn't listen closely enough to prevent an injury. She couldn't cycle for the rest of our stay, and I feel we shouldn't have been charged for the cycling days she missed.