Relais Villa Margherita

The garden and lake views are lovely, and the room is nice in a classic Italian way. Just don’t expect luxury. Still, there are better places nearby with the same views, better food, and no hidden charges. We found out that breakfast wasn’t included after all, because Booking.com had made an error. When I asked about the bill, the receptionist started shouting. We were also told to check in before 8pm, or pay an extra fee that wasn’t shown on the booking. Apparently the hotel informs Booking.com about it only after the cancellation deadline. Since they had to open the door for us, the staff were rude throughout the stay, which felt like retaliation. The charge seemed like a rip-off and ruined the experience. For a three-star hotel, reception service fell well short of the mark. The receptionist may yell at or insult you, so I don’t understand the hype.

The manager and team made us feel so welcome. We were there as a family, two adults and two children, and the Villa was beautiful, with immaculate bedding and a really comfortable bed. The property and setting were stunning, and everything was kept in spotless condition. And the restaurant was just beautiful too, such a treat. We’re really looking forward to coming back.

We had a great view of Rimini and San Marino from a very modern room, and the room was exceptional value. Dinner was the real highlight, though. The food was carefully prepared and surprisingly filling, and both the amuse bouche and pre-dessert were lovely unexpected touches. Service was amazing, the kind of service we rarely see in America.

The views from Relais Villa Margherita are spectacular, the breakfast was delicious, and the staff were friendly. Even so, our three-night stay left us feeling taken advantage of, and we wish we’d booked the Aemilia Hotel in Bologna instead. It was cheaper there, and we had a proper double room where watching TV didn’t make us feel like we needed a neck brace. This room made our holiday feel like a letdown, and in my opinion the hotel doesn’t offer good value or live up to its promises of luxury and elegance. We were excited to leave Bologna after eight days and spend time in the Italian countryside somewhere that looked as beautiful and luxurious as the website suggested. After checking in, we were shown the “Mirto” room. We’d booked a Double Room, but it seemed more like a Single Room with a big bed squeezed in. There was no desk, chair, or luggage rack, and the bed was the only place to sit. The bathroom even had more seating, with a small seat beside the toilet. There wasn’t space to unpack our normal-sized suitcase between the two of us, so we had to live out of it by the bed. The mini fridge was shoved inside the closet, and the kettle was plugged into an outlet in there too. Using it made the closet steamy, an odd design choice. The TV sat high in the upper right corner near the ceiling, above the door, so watching it was uncomfortable. It made the room feel like a hospital waiting room. The digital thermostat screen and the closet lights stayed on all the time, bathing the room in fluorescent light and making it hard to sleep well. After that first night we told the manager we were unhappy. He admitted “Mirto” was smaller than the other double rooms and said he’d look into “upgrading” us. We weren’t asking for an upgrade, just not to be downgraded. Later we were told the hotel was fully booked, so we’d have to stay in that room. The hotel's own website shows “Mirto” with a single bed and describes it as an ideal option for friends or younger guests. In my opinion, calling it a Double Room by squeezing in a double bed is a way to maximize occupancy and profit. At nearly €200 a night, it wasn’t an appropriate size for two adults. If you book here, make sure you don’t end up in “Mirto” under a Double Room booking.