Cutimare

The rooftop terrace had a nice view, and our balcony was huge, even bigger than the room. We liked having an aperitivo there at sunset. But the rest of the stay at Hotel Cuti Mare was disappointing, especially for 140 Euros a night. Acquacalda is about 20 minutes from Lipari Town Center. There are only two or three restaurants nearby, and the “beach” is a long, narrow strip. We found the area too quiet, with little around, and didn’t think the hotel made the location worthwhile. For that price, I’d look at other options in Lipari. The website looks fresh and well organized, so we expected a more professional operation. It doesn’t show the unrenovated parts at the front, which look as though they don’t belong to the hotel, though they do. When we asked the receptionist to arrange a taxi, we were told to call 30 minutes before reaching the port. We did that from the ferry, but the hotel phone line wasn’t available. Our room was basic and its interior clearly wasn’t new. It was more or less clean, but not what I’d expect from a four-star hotel: the shower edges, sink and toilet were old and dirty, with chalky buildup. We stayed three nights and weren’t planning to spend much time in the room. Breakfast was noisy and chaotic. Because of the corona restrictions, guests couldn’t serve themselves, so one staff member handled the buffet. It had the basics, including fruit, pastries and cold cuts. The website said breakfast could be brought to the room, so we requested that. The staff seemed overwhelmed and unsure how to do it, and in the end we had to choose our food at the buffet and carry it upstairs ourselves. That wasn’t a big problem, but I expected more at this rating. I felt the staff were trying their best, though most didn’t seem trained or permanently employed. One worker told me that some worked at the hotel to earn money during their stay in Lipari. I wouldn’t stay at Cuti Mare again. It could be a decent three-star family hotel for people who want a quiet area, if the prices were adjusted and the hotel were more transparent instead of overselling itself.

Breakfast was really yummy, the cherry on top. The beach is right across from the hotel, and there’s a bus stop there too. Our room was very clean and the beds were comfortable. The staff were friendly and helped with everything we needed. Everything was great, and I’d definitely come back. 😍

We had to leave at 5:45 in the morning, before breakfast service began, and the staff kindly put together takeaway breakfast and coffee for us. Guests can also use the parasols and loungers on the beach. The hotel is right by the sea, and parking on the street was easy in early September. The only downside was the jellyfish in the water yesterday. A very decent hotel.

The rooftop terrace was absolutely stunning. We stayed two nights as a family of four with two teenagers. It was fun to experience Lipari, though the hotel was fairly far from the center and there were only two restaurants within walking distance. Buses ran regularly and cost just 1.55 euro for 10 km, but stopped around 8 pm. We left our rental car in milazzo because the travel information was inconsistent about needing to stay seven nights during high season to bring a rental car. We only found out later that August counted as high season.