Castello di Rocca Cilento

The staff made the biggest impression during our three days here. Everyone we met was cheerful and professional, and went out of their way to make us comfortable, even with the challenges of traveling with an 8 month baby. The meals, especially at the Bistro, were memorable, with refined cooking, mostly local ingredients and a superb wine selection. From the rooftop and pools there are exceptional views over the mountains and down to the sea, a lovely spot for a sunset cocktail. The castle sits above a picturesque mountain village in beautiful Cilento. Its renovation is tastefully done, showing off the brick and woodwork while adding modern touches. First class place and people. Book it.

This was our second visit, and we tried both the outdoor drinks and snacks and the indoor restaurant. Both were amazing. Book a table either way. The road up is slow and winding, and it gets cool after sunset, but what a place to visit! The castle must be around 300m above sea level, with stunning views across most of Cilento. It was packed last night, so service was pretty slow, but once the drinks and food came, everyone was happy. Food and drink prices are very reasonable for a spot like this. Don't miss it.

The grounds and surrounding area are beautiful, and we stayed in the “Royal Suite” this week. Inside the castle, though, the service and room quality let us down. Our room wasn't ready until 3:30pm, half an hour after check-in, because staff said there had been an event the night before. We were also told the main pool, the one shown on IG, was unavailable for the same reason. After I complained, we could use it around 5pm, just two hours before our planned dinner. The next day a modeling shoot was happening at that pool, so couples like us couldn't use it. The front of house staff seemed not to care. They cater to big events and weddings, and as guests staying during the week we felt like an inconvenience, as if we were bothering them. We work with hotels often and have never seen so little care for people staying there. Our highest-level suite was dirty, with missing paint and huge water stains on the ceiling that look like they may hold mold. The water pressure was virtually nonexistent, and when it rained, water leaked everywhere. The grounds are lovely for a wedding, but if we'd had a dollar for every time we heard “sorry you can’t because we have an event,” we'd have been rich. This should be an event venue, not call itself a hotel. As ordinary guests, we were dissatisfied.

We had a lovely wine tasting at Castello Rocca Cilento. The castle is beautiful, the views are spectacular, and it makes a romantic setting for an evening. It's an adults-only venue, so the mood feels quiet and intimate, a nice place for couples to unwind together. The wine selection was impressive and the tasting was thoughtfully put together. It was fairly quick, but still relaxing, picturesque and memorable. I'd recommend it for a peaceful escape with good wine. The place is tucked into the mountains, with a view to enjoy over an excellent glass.