Villa Rosa Marina

Rosamarina covers around 130 hectares, including some Mediterranean scrub, and has roughly 2,000 homes. Only a small share are let to tourists. The rentals differ in size, facilities, and how close they are to the sea.

The breakfast and beach lunch buffet were good, and the room staff were friendly and well organized. Those were the bright spots in a stay that left me frustrated. I came to Rosa Marina resort in Ostuni for a short break and to see whether it might work for next summer. Instead, it felt like one of those empty, neglected places that can give Italian hospitality a bad name. The room itself had been renovated, but the building is a huge concrete block, more like barracks than a pearl in nature. The long, hospital-like corridors and stairs took nearly five minutes to reach our room. You start worrying about forgetting anything, because each return trip feels like a marathon. From inside, it felt rural, with no sense of the sea and no view of it. Parking cost money, apparently because of how far from the room you had to leave the car, rather than for a garage. The farthest lot had no gravel, so it turned to awful mud after rain. One night, although our room was meant to be near the parking area, access was blocked and we had to walk all the way around through reception. The route from the lot was dark, narrow, and crossed by cars going fast. Drivers seemed to notice people only at the last moment. Is it some kind of natural selection game? Reception was basic and unfriendly. When we asked for a map, we were told to follow the signs on the walls. But the corridors need prints, murals, or something in every direction so guests aren’t on a treasure hunt every time they head back. We also asked to speak with the manager because reception hadn’t dealt with our requests. He was busy, we left a message, and nobody came to see us. If a guest asks for the manager, someone should get back to them quickly, even if it’s a secretary or PR person. The number of guests doesn’t excuse poor service. In the morning the little train was out of order, and in August I wondered when it would run again. We couldn’t tell where the shuttle departed from or what its schedule and rules were, so we walked again. At the beach there was a reserved area, but the umbrellas were spaced farther apart than felt acceptable, especially with so many children and distracted parents. The platforms gave us a chance to relax. There were no beach toilets, either. You had to cross the whole restaurant hall to use its facilities. Day visitors also share the beach and understandably use the space. Towels had to be collected from reception and taken back there every day or at checkout. The parking could be organized with assigned spaces, and charged for if they choose, with some shade provided. Guests also need more attention and initiative. On the beach, hotel guests should have room to enjoy the sea and relax. It doesn’t make sense that people using the public beach have more space than hotel guests. A four-star hotel should also provide basic things like a tissue box and a bathroom towel.

For what you get, it feels overpriced. The streets could use a good refresh and a proper cleanup too, especially to get rid of the large, long-established rat colony.

Exceptionally tidy and full of greenery. It’s a villa complex by the sea in Ostuni (Br), with security and controlled entry, plus supermarkets, bars, and a few restaurants.