Residence Villa Marina

Alberta was always welcoming and so helpful. We love Villa Marina and will definitely return. 🩷

The villa is spacious, spotless, and fully equipped, with excellent showers and bathrooms. Its old Austrian Habsburg charm comes through, and there's no clutter from unnecessary decorations. The air conditioning works perfectly, and the windows and skylights have mosquito screens. It's right by the beach at the edge of the old town, with parking directly out front and car covers provided. Alberta, our very friendly hostess, took care of little issues straight away, like the safe needing batteries, and always had great tips.

The location is lovely, near the sea, Grado's old town, the center, and the harbor. Alberta is the warm, thoughtful heart of the house, very helpful and friendly, and speaks good German. The cleaning staff also do a great job when fresh towels are needed. Still, the villa doesn't feel worth the price. It's sparsely furnished and short on basic household items, though we did get a toaster and coffee maker when we asked. Bread basket, egg cups, cutting board, decent cutlery, frying pan, and enough dishes were missing. The mix of furnishings could be more stylish and suited to the villa. The apartments need more frequent renovation and someone checking defects; felt pads under the chairs would help too. A welcome bottle of water and a folder with local information and doctors' addresses would be nice. I mean this as constructive feedback, as I work in real estate and tourism. On my second visit in 2024, Alberta was again friendly and very helpful, but the growing number of problems seemed to be too much for her to manage. Many things look worn, even though the cooktops and fly screens had been replaced. Our toilet kept running and couldn't be fixed. There were only two German TV channels, and the showers looked very bad. Household supplies were still scarce for the villa and its prices. The interiors felt bare and unloved, the patio furniture was uncomfortable, and the house was noisy. It's child- and dog-friendly, but there wasn't much peace and quiet. We stayed 14 days, and the noise of chairs scraping across the tiles was still a nuisance. The coffee machine and toaster were brought after we asked. The parasol was broken, and the floor lamp was broken too, though it was repaired after we complained. It was unpleasant having to request so many things that should be standard. For the price, I expected more, and I'm not a complainer. A welcome bottle of water or wine would also be a nice gesture. The location and view make up for a lot, but not all the downsides, and we're sad we won't book a third stay. A big thank you to Alberta, whose commitment is a real bright spot for Villa Marina.

Grado is one of the highlights of our year, and we love Villa Marina. Alberta is thoughtful and really makes each visit special, she's the heart and soul of the place. The apartments are a little dated and could use some renovation and updates. Even so, that hasn't taken away from our enjoyment when we come each year with our three children, now 11, 7, and 5, and our dog.