Kiss From Cilento

It makes me sad to see the negative reviews for such a special place. To me, they suggest that some people don’t really understand what luxury can mean.

The Palazzo has a fascinating history, and I enjoyed the brief tour when we arrived. Walking through the beautiful original rooms was a real pleasure. Sadly, our stay was difficult in several ways, and I can’t give it a higher rating. We were in suite rosa. The room and bathroom need maintenance: the walls, fittings, furniture, and finishes felt simply old and worn, rather than antique. It was extremely hot on our first night. We knew there was no air conditioning, but the large old windows had neither mosquito nets nor even basic curtains. Leaving them open meant worrying about insects or larger animals getting in. We asked for fans, but were told none could be brought that night. They did arrive the next day. The explanation we got the following morning was that the person looking after us had been out, and asking someone else to fetch them would have been a hassle. That didn’t feel professional. I’d have preferred a straightforward answer over feeling like we were a low priority. With no fan, we had to leave the windows open. That let in every word from a large dinner group on a nearby terrace, apparently belonging to the restaurant, and the noise continued well past midnight. The group might not have known guests were staying above them, but we were left to put up with it. We also encountered a large San Bernardo twice within an hour while entering and leaving the Palazzo. It barked aggressively, as it had been trained to do. The host soon came over, apologized, and said we were lucky it had only barked because it was trained to guard the place. I don’t think a large guard dog should be free to roam where guests it doesn’t know are walking around. For three people, just under EUR 500 for two nights felt exorbitant given the conditions. The beds were very uncomfortable, the shower kept swinging between hot and cold, and some electrical outlets seemed faulty and didn’t feel safe. The floor was uneven and bumpy, with irregular tiles that could be hazardous. Furniture also needed repair, including the large chest by the entrance. There were no curtains, either. The remarkable atmosphere and decor don’t make up for such a poor room experience at that price. We felt robbed. We could have paid the same amount elsewhere for much better sleep and service, though without the Palazzo’s fascinating character. I’m sharing this because I hope the hosts will understand what guests expect at that price and make needed changes. The view and the beautiful rooms are worth seeing, but, based on our stay, I wouldn’t recommend spending the night.

Palazzo Mazziotti sits in a remote area, and getting there wasn’t easy. The roads reminded me of the Amalfi coast. The building is rustic, full of lovely objects and atmosphere, but don’t expect glamour. Our basic room had no air conditioning, though it was fine for a short stay, and breakfast was wonderful. The village itself felt completely deserted, with just one restaurant open and hardly anyone around, so there wasn’t a cozy village feel. We also visited the beach, about 20 minutes away. It was average and very crowded, so I wouldn’t bother unless you’re desperate. The real problem came from our booking. We’d reserved for two people, but were traveling with our two children, aged ten and six. At check-in, the host told us there’d be an extra charge, which we accepted. We had a three-bedroom apartment, so space wasn’t an issue. The host lived in the castle but preferred to communicate by text. We understood the fee to be an extra 30 euro per night and texted to confirm, but got no reply. After breakfast the next morning, we headed to the beach. As soon as we arrived, texts came through saying the host wanted 230 euro. A quick check on booking.com showed we could book a room for three adults that same night for 145 euro. After several texts and a long phone call, we cut our stay short by a day because the extra charge was unacceptable. We ended up paying 230 euro for one night in a basic room without air conditioning. It cost us a day, with lunch pushed to 4 pm and a new place to find by 5 pm. Whether this was greed or desperation, the saddest part was that the host knew we had two small children and that this approach would cause problems, yet didn’t try to settle things. I’ve traveled avidly for 40 years, and this was probably the worst hospitality experience of my life. That doesn’t bode well for Palazzo Mazziotti.

An exceptional place, and one of the best trips I’ve ever taken.