Tonicello Resort

The apartments are spacious and comfortable, though they have a renovated 80s feel and could use more decoration. The room fridge is far too small, maybe because they want you eating at the restaurant. The balcony’s night lighting is much too strong and spoils the atmosphere. The pool stays open late, so don’t miss it. Breakfast was great and served later than at many hotels. There’s a free station shuttle, but it can be unreliable because the staff seem overworked and too busy. The bar, on the other hand, closes early: 22h45 was already too late for the bartender. The owner also offers a very nice boat trip for an extra cost. Great location and nice apartments for the price.

The hotel, rooms, and grounds were decent, and being close to the beach was a real advantage. But there’s very little nearby, with the closest shop or restaurant 1.5 km away. Despite the decent setting, the service and management’s attitude made the stay unpleasant, and I can’t recommend the place. We arrived around 1:00 AM with small children and found the reception and hotel closed, although the listing said check-in was available 24 hours. We waited 40 minutes for a woman who turned out to be the manager. Our rooms also weren’t set up according to the correct guest and bed details we’d given in the booking, including our request for two separate beds instead of one double. Sorting this out took another hour, and the staff didn’t seem to feel any urgency. Communication was very difficult because most staff didn’t speak English, so arrangements were nearly impossible without Italian. Breakfast was included, but after 9:00 AM there was hardly anything left, not even bread, tomatoes, or cheese. Restocking took as long as 10 minutes. The coffee machines often broke down, and staff seemed unconcerned until asked to fix them. We also asked the manager to arrange lunch packages from the kitchen because we couldn’t have breakfast the next day. She agreed and told us to collect them at 10:00 PM in the restaurant. When we got there, the staff knew nothing about it. The manager admitted she hadn’t told the kitchen and dismissively said she could only offer coffee, claiming we’d asked “too late.” She’d assured us earlier that the packages would be ready, which wasn’t true. At checkout, the manager said we could use the pool and fresh towels for free after leaving our rooms. After we picked up towels, we saw her publicly scold the staff member who’d handed them to us until the person was in tears. Then she snatched the towels from us and insisted we had to pay for them. The management’s lack of competence, empathy, and professionalism overshadowed the otherwise decent facilities.

The spa was the highlight for me, with excellent treatments and staff. The rooms were clean, and there was a pool as well as beach access. The beach was clean, had a place to get lunch, and a golf cart to take you back and forth. We also used the laundry service: everything came back washed, neatly folded, and delivered to our room within 24 hours. With easy access to Tropea and amazing sunsets, I’d recommend this hotel and would stay again. The staff were lovely too.

The beachfront has soft sand that’s enjoyable for children, the grounds are lush, and the food is fantastic. The whole place feels warm and inviting, with a very accommodating, friendly staff. We love, Rosanna! Grazie, Joseph Bartucci