Secret Garden

The pool and its view of Vesuvius were stunning, and the sun beds were comfortable. The missing bathtub shown in the booking pictures didn’t bother us in the end. We had the secret junior and secret suite rooms, both modern, spacious, and beautifully decorated in black marble. Desire at reception gave us a very friendly welcome and five star service. Anna made us great cappuccinos each morning, and Aniello made lots of pizzas for us in the pizza oven. The hotel worked well as a base for Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Vesuvius. There’s also a karting circuit next door, where you can race for about 35 euros for 25 minutes. It’s a bit in the middle of nowhere, though, and finding a good restaurant or a town center nearby takes some effort. I can recommend Bistro Rei in San Gennaro Vesuviano.

I barely slept, and spent part of the evening sitting in the car to get some fresh air. The basement “spa / wellness room” smelled damp and moldy, and the air was so humid and nasty that I coughed all night. The garden has no bench or anywhere to sit. Most of the equipment was broken. The whirlpool jets only partly worked, the hamam didn’t work at all, and neither did the TV or even the toilet flush. The shower floor was a wobbly plastic cover. With that smell, I didn’t dare lift it to see what was underneath. The wooden pool surrounds were warped by water, with visible black mold and gaps where water must be dripping below and causing more mold. The sauna was the only wellness feature that worked. There was no drawer for clothes, minibar or coffee machine as advertised, bedside lamps, cup for a drink of water despite the room having a sauna, or hand soap. There was a curtain in front of the toilet. Stay away if you’re hoping for a nice wellness evening. The place was dirty, the wood was moldy, and it stank. And no, Google, this wasn’t a “fraudulent interaction”. They really ruined a day of our vacation. I attached a screenshot of the booking receipt.

The staff are incredibly helpful and do everything they can for you. I just couldn’t figure out how to use the heating system.

Terrible experience. They confirmed our booking, then told us there was no availability while still keeping the booking.