Hotel Vistamare

We had a beautiful, clean room with a sea view, and daily room service. I just wish there'd been more soap. The free babysitter service is worth using! The staff were nice, though their policies seemed to change as they went along, and we got different answers on different days. The all-inclusive option covers only food and some drinks at the restaurant. Drinking water isn't provided in the room, drinks are extra at the bar, and beach towels cost extra too. The beach is about 400m away, so with small kids a stroller is a good idea. At breakfast there was no fresh fruit or vegies, which I hadn't expected. You have to pick lunch and dinner from a menu the day before, and there's only a 30-minute window to enter the restaurant for each meal. With three small kids, getting there on time was quite a challenge.

I was excited when I found this listing. It looked like an ideal little place for a few days, with the beach, restaurants nearby and a private hot tub. I booked the most expensive suite, thinking that would mean the best experience. I was very wrong. I recently stayed there, within the last week or two, and it was by far my worst part of Italy. RUN. The same minibar snacks cost under €2 at the store down the street, while here they charge nearly a 300% markup per item. The room and the building were freezing. By the last night I had five blankets and still shivered, even wearing a hoodie, sweats and socks. The walls are so thin you hear neighbors talking, cleaning upstairs and a toilet running for hours. The blinds pull down from the ceiling, and the blackout curtains don't cover the full length, so be ready to wake up early. When I arrived, the place was so empty I wondered if I had the wrong hotel. The building was dim, with no one outside on the sidewalk, beach or road. One man was handling everything. Before check-in, he insisted, “I MUST CLOSE OUT TICKET NOW!” I said I wasn't ready to commit to four days because the place already felt off. He answered, “IF YOU LEAVE, THAT’S YOUR CHOICE — BUT WE CHARGE YOU REGARDLESS,” and showed me a “4-day cancellation” screen, even though the site lists 8 days on booking. Weird. There was no real staff. The man I argued with was the front desk, bellhop, bartender and waiter, and he tried to find me food because their “restaurant” wouldn't open until “tomorrow.” It never did, except for the same breakfast left sitting out all day. The bar was closed too, so if you want a drink, be ready to teach someone who's not a bartender how to mix one. They say restaurants are a short walk away, but you'll drive 10+ minutes and hope for parking. There's one place within walking distance with nice staff, but limited hours. The “private” balconies have fake-tree walls for “seclusion.” On my last night, another couple had incredibly loud sex out there, and yes, in the hot tub you're about to rent. It sounded like an audition for an adult film. I had to abandon my balcony and hide in my freezing room until they finished. They were so loud that everyone in the building knew when they were done. Then I ate the now cold pizza I'd driven 15 minutes to pick up myself, since there was no food here. I've worked in customer service for years, so I understand mistakes. But when I told them at checkout how bad the stay was, including what happened the night before, they showed no concern. No apology, no offer, no empathy, just a blank “not our fault” look. I just wanted out. I moved to Palazzo Bezzi in Ravenna, a completely different world: warm, friendly staff, a great little spa with sauna, steam and rain shower, a gym, an adorable town, quick access to real beaches and good food. Better prices too, and they actually made me feel valued. I strongly discourage Vistamare. And the “Fendi furniture”? Fake. I'd upload videos, but it won't let me. Just picture empty streets, freezing rooms and balcony sex echoes. Definitely not family-friendly.

It's a very nice hotel, but there's no car parking, and dinner is expensive.

The most positive part was the cooking and dining room service, and all the staff were kind and courteous. The rooms are modern and clean, but the balconies aren't cleaned. The sea-view room faces a very busy avenue, both day and night, and the large construction site in front of the hotel. They don't tell guests about it, though they should. I'd suggest asking whether the construction is still there when booking. Traffic and construction noise can be heard even with the windows shut. The room phone still hadn't been fixed after a week, despite repeated reports.