Riva del Sole

The staff really made our stay, always smiling, friendly, helpful, and considerate. The hotel has lovely views of the sea and hills, including a lighthouse, and sits beside a small beach set apart from the main large one. Its two thermal or mineral pools were a welcome change from the usual plain hotel pool. Getting down to the beach means several fairly steep flights of stairs, so it could be difficult if stairs are a problem. A few things could be improved: the garden’s water wheel fountain runs all day, and at night on the balcony we heard it splashing instead of the sea. The bright white garden lights shine up at the balconies and can be blinding when you sit outside. Yellow bulbs or shades would help. The stainless steel handrail on the beach stairs also gets extremely hot in the sun, enough to burn your hands when you hold it.

The thing I appreciated most at Hotel Riva del Sole was the staff. They were consistently professional, pleasant, and helpful, and made the stay easy for me and my baby. The room was a little small, but clean, and housekeeping did a great job. The paper cups in the bathroom and dining room are the one thing I’d change. The hotel is right by Citara beach, a few minutes from a bus stop and about a 20-minute walk to Forio center. There’s a lovely garden, two mineral pools, and a hot tub. I’d definitely return.

The hotel was clean and simple, and since I wasn’t expecting much, it was fine. We ate all the food they served because it tasted really good. The ordering system, though, was frustrating. We had to choose from a list, and our choices never seemed good enough. The waiters even crossed things off for us. One evening, a braided-haired waitress came to help, but overstepped and was rude because we didn’t eat what we’d marked. I was relieved she wasn’t serving us the other nights, since her presence would have put me off my food. I’ve never had a waiter be rude to me like that when I hadn’t done anything wrong. That incident is the reason I’m taking stars off. The beach is small and poorly maintained, shared with nearby rental apartments. When seaweed washed up, it was left there, with just a little cleanup after a day. We spent most of our time at the public beach a short walk away. Our room had a little terrace over the pool. Air conditioning cost extra, but we didn’t need it because the room was in a shaded spot. Bring mosquito repellent. Poseidon Gardens, which is a paradise and well worth visiting, is close by, and the bus stop is right next to the hotel. I do recommend it for the cleanliness and good food.

The management speaks German, Italian, and English, so guests from different countries should feel welcome. The bus stop right beside the hotel is handy, and Poseidon is only a five-minute walk away. I looked through the nearby hotel options, including places charging 100 euro or more for rooms, and many seemed to offer less. Locals recommend this popular hotel, and guests appear very happy with it. If you find an available room, I’d book it. The management and staff go out of their way to make a stay memorable, and it’s excellent value for money.