Hotel Cutimare

We paid 140 Euros a night, which may be less than some other four-star hotels, but it still felt overpriced for this location and what we got. I wouldn’t stay at Cuti Mare again, since I think there are other Lipari options at this price. The hotel should be more transparent and stop overselling itself. With adjusted rates, it could work as a good three-star place for families looking for a quiet area. Acquacalda is about 20 minutes from Lipari town center. There are only two or three restaurants and a “beach” that’s really just a long, narrow strip. We were disappointed by how little there was nearby, and didn’t feel the hotel made the area worth staying in. The website is polished and gave us the impression of a professionally run hotel, but our arrival was a letdown. We asked the receptionist to arrange a taxi and were told to call 30 minutes before reaching the port. When we tried from the ferry at that point, the hotel phone line wasn’t available. Online, the hotel looks fresh and new, but the photos don’t show the front, where parts are unrenovated and clearly still belong to the hotel. Our room was okay for three nights when we didn’t plan to spend much time there. It was only so-so clean, below what I’d expect from a four-star place, and the shower edges, sink, and toilet were old and dirty with buildup. The room itself was basic. I did like the large balcony, which was bigger than the room, and the view from the rooftop terrace. They also offer an aperitivo at sunset. Breakfast was noisy and chaotic. Because of the corona restrictions, guests couldn’t touch the buffet, so one staff member served everyone. The food was basic: fruit, pastries, cold cuts, and similar things. The website says you can have breakfast in your room. When we asked, the staff seemed overwhelmed and unsure how to arrange it, so we picked food from the buffet and carried it up ourselves. That wasn’t a problem by itself, but I expected more from a four-star hotel. I felt the staff were trying, but most seemed untrained or not permanent employees. One worker told me they worked at the hotel during their stay in Lipari to earn money.

The beach is right across from the hotel, and there’s a bus stop there too. Our room was spotless and the beds were comfortable. The staff were friendly and helped with everything we needed. Breakfast was the cherry on top, really yummy. We had a perfect stay and I’ll definitely be back. 😍

Right by the sea and the beach, and street parking was easy in early September. We had to head out at 5:45 this morning, before breakfast service began, and the staff kindly prepared takeaway breakfast and coffee for us. Hotel guests can use the parasols and loungers on the beach. It’s a very decent hotel. The only pity was that there were jellyfish in the water yesterday.

That rooftop terrace is absolutely stunning. We stayed two nights with our family of four, including two teenagers. The hotel was good, though it’s a bit out of 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 8pm. We left our rental car in Milazzo because the travel information about bringing it over was inconsistent. We thought you had to stay seven nights in high season, and only later found out that August counted as high season. Still, Lipari was fun to experience!