Hotiday Room Collection - Tirrenia

The beach view from the top of the hotel was absolutely beautiful, and the staff were very nice and helpful with everything. The sheets smelled strongly of vinegar, as if no fabric softener had been used. The pillow and blanket fillings were yellowed and looked unclean. The toilet was very old and brownish inside around the seat. It was clean, but the age and wear made it look discoloured and in need of replacement. There were lots of mosquitoes outside, so sitting outdoors was uncomfortable. Breakfast had a limited choice of cooked, freshly made food, though there was a nice selection of bread and croissants. You need a card and towel from reception to sit on the beach, but this isn't shown anywhere. You only find out once you're already on the beach and have to go back and ask around. Please make it clear for future guests, since it's unpleasant to discover it that way.

The location was fantastic and the room was okay, though we've stayed in better. Reception and breakfast staff didn't impress, and breakfast was poor. How can you get a bad cup of coffee in Italy? But the food staff on the fourth floor were brilliant, and the location there was great too, with stunning sunsets and an infinity pool. What a strange place.

The actual hotel is the “Toscana Charme Resort” from the Uappala chain; Hotiday is a website that sells rooms at various hotels, sometimes for less than the official price. The property itself is splendid, if you like the austere exterior of a former children's holiday camp and minimalist architecture and furnishings with white everywhere. Some things could be improved. Especially out of season, you can sometimes find unmissable deals at very attractive prices, including breakfast.

The room was nicely furnished, though a little small, and the AC and bathroom ventilation kept malfunctioning intermittently. A friendly technician fixed them quickly. Restaurant staff were very friendly, though one receptionist was a bit reserved. Breakfast had a wide selection, and there are lots of restaurants nearby. There's also a parent station with a microwave and milk warmer, plus a bistro by the upper pool that has live music some evenings. The upstairs pool had a nice view, but was small and shallow, with far too few loungers. The downstairs pool was bigger and had plenty of loungers, though it was very shallow too. You can reach the beach from that lower pool; umbrellas and loungers start at €20 per day. The gym was disastrous, basically just three treadmills in a white, windowless basement room. We booked through Booking.com/Holiday, even though the resort is called Toscana Charme Resort, and HOTIDAY bombarded us with WhatsApp messages for days, which was very annoying. When we arrived, even stopping at the entrance to unload seemed unwelcome. Parking cost €15 per night; street parking was available but full. All in all, it was okay, but perhaps not quite worth the price.