Grand Hotel Resort Ma&Ma - Adults Only

The food and service were poor. The beach itself is pretty, but it’s on the island’s windward side, so the water is rougher. You have to cross a highway from the hotel to reach the private beach area. The ocean view from rooms is mostly a glimpse between apartment buildings. A nice view is only available from a small part of the property. I also found the hotel photos misleading, since management seems to have added many promotional shots to the travelers’ photo sections on review sites, crowding out guest pictures.

The room was comfortable and clean, and the staff were friendly, but I expected more after reading the reviews. It didn’t feel like a five-star stay, especially with charges for so many extras. Even the coffee in the room cost more, which made the place feel closer to a budget hotel. Only one spa visit was included, and using the spa and sauna otherwise cost extra. The pool and gym were rather small, and sunbeds at the beach area, which was more rocky than sandy, were also charged separately.

The staff really made the stay for us. Everyone, from the front desk and cleaning crew to the spa team and waiters, was so friendly and professional. Francesco, the assistant maître, deserves a special mention for all his hard work and warm manner. He made our experience perfect.

The service was a real bright spot. Reception, housekeeping, and the breakfast staff were all very friendly and helpful. I did ask the cleaners to keep my towels, and even wrote it in Italian to avoid confusion, but they replaced them anyway. I spent a week here. The room was clean, but several details fell short of what I’d expect from a five-star hotel: the air conditioning was very loud and its fan speed couldn’t be changed; the shower drain was loose and smelled constantly; and the shower walls weren’t sealed properly, leaving the bathroom flooded after each shower. I’d seen the same issue mentioned in other reviews, so it may affect the whole hotel. The safe needed staff adjustment when we arrived, the balcony door was difficult to open, and the awkwardly placed shower gel ran down the wall when used. Breakfast was good, but didn’t feel five-star. The room was crowded, loud, and uncomfortable. Outside, wasps bothered people trying to eat, and many went back indoors. I wouldn’t have been so disappointed at a four-star place, but I expected more from a European hotel with such high standards of its own. It was admittedly the only nice hotel we found on La Maddalena.