VOI Colonna Village

The view and the cleaners were the only good parts of our stay. The food was cold and inedible every day, even when we went as serving began, so we ended up driving out for breakfast. Our hotel was completely empty, yet they tried to charge us 50 euros for one extra checkout hour. Receptionist Lorena first said we could stay, then changed her mind ten minutes later and shouted at reception while demanding the fee. Her behavior ruined the end of our holiday, and the staff were generally rude and awful with customers. For a 4-star hotel, the room lacked even basic things: no duvet, iron, body lotion, kettle, or other basic amenities. This is not a 4-star hotel.

The lunch boxes were one more example of the disorganization. I’d sent a clear list showing who was vegetarian and who ate meat, but the boxes weren’t labeled, leaving our group of 20 confused and frustrated. I’ve organized many group trips over the years and haven’t encountered hospitality this poor or behavior this unprofessional. Getting to the rooms was difficult too. The hotel is huge, and you need a golf cart to reach them, but staff wouldn’t help or even show us where to go when we arrived. The online photos show only the best newly renovated rooms, hiding the old, broken, poorly kept rooms that most guests seem to get. There was a strong, unpleasant smell in the rooms, often mold, and the beds were tiny and uncomfortable. Cleanliness was unacceptable, and there were no kettles or basic amenities. The dining room had bright white lights and no atmosphere, while staff were rude, dismissive, and unhelpful. This was a string of ongoing failures, and I won’t list every one. Nothing about the place justifies its 4-star rating. It certainly isn’t a resort, whatever impression it tries to give. We arrived as a group of 20, and the whole experience was a disaster. It’s embarrassing that the property rates itself 4 stars.

The food was really good, with local dishes and pasta, so we didn’t bother eating out. The beach was very nice too. The location is great, though a little removed from everything else. The hotel feels outdated and needs renovating. The rooms aren’t very convenient, and the air conditioning is old, but it works, sometimes a bit too hard.

The location is good on paper, but the resort is isolated, with no restaurants, village, or signs of life nearby. You’re stuck without a car, and walking to the next village isn’t really an option because the road is so busy. Their answer is to rent a car, at least €300 more than other providers. Prices add up fast. We paid €31 for two drinks and €26 for sunscreen at the bar and small shop. The room itself was €5,000, yet felt below hostel standards, and the food was worse than at a gas station. It felt like everyone was being scammed. There’s a two-class setup: deluxe suite guests can order from a menu and dine with a sea view. Everyone else gets a cafeteria-style cold buffet, even though the food is meant to be hot. Deluxe guests can sit by the beachfront too, while the rest of us are placed seven rows back. The photos are misleading, and “false advertising” sums the place up. Save your money and don’t make the mistake I did. Book a better hotel.