Albano Club Hotel Boutique

The best parts were breakfast at the hotel and its setting above the harbor, with fine sandy beaches, beautiful sea, and shallow water. You have to walk about fifty metres out to swim, so it felt safe for children. The staff were friendly, too. Still, this was a waste of money and a ruined holiday, and I would strongly advise families to avoid it. We booked a two-week August 2025 package through Tourland in Rome for the central vacation at Albano Hotel, also called Alba Living Hotel, at Via Scalo Marittimo 33 in Rodi Garganico. They also contacted us using Cristoforo Travel and GB Viaggi, so we assume those agencies work together. We expected a full service. After paying for the Club Card, though, there was no entertainment, mini-club, or games for the kids. Beach umbrellas were included, but the card was poor value: two loungers and an umbrella in the same row cost €10 a day when bought directly, €140 in total compared with the €288 membership fee. It felt like a rip-off. VIVA restaurant was disappointing all around, with mediocre food and no children's menu. Things changed only a little, and badly, after we complained. It's 500 metres away at the end of the marina, an unpleasant walk at 1 pm under the sun. The setting, view, and wait staff were commendable, but some dishes made us want to leave. At first the still and sparkling microfiltered water from the dispenser was undrinkable because the filters had a problem. We were told bottled water would cost extra, then they changed their minds. There was no way to change the dishes, and the children couldn't get fries or pizza. They didn't even have ketchup or mayonnaise. The room layout was strange. The shower was open in the room, while the toilet and bidet were in a small space that was closed only at the bottom and open at the top, so smells and sounds travelled into the room. The ceilings were peeling, with debris falling onto the floor, and the wardrobe had broken doors and drawers. Whenever we brought up an issue, staff threw up their hands, perhaps because they were tired of the complaints or praying. We asked the TOURLAND agency, or GB Viaggi or Cristoforo Travel, for at least the difference in the Club Card fee, but got no answer. We saw families who had booked rooms for four placed in double or triple rooms if they were lucky. Others were sent to lower-quality properties, or even a campsite outside town, because the hotel had overbooked. The swimming pool was a small tub by the entrance that looked more like a foot bath, and I never saw anyone use it. Also, strangely, every negative review seems to be followed straight away by a positive one. Who knows. The property needs updating.

We had a fun holiday, with the hotel right on the marina and the Nautilius lido just a short walk away. It has a deal with the hotel and offers children's games and a restaurant. Lifeguards Giuseppe and Emanuele were always ready to help. Hakuna Matata entertainers Miki, Delia, and Bea were excellent, capable, engaging, and friendly. The Viva Yacht Club also put on events with spectacular guests, including Ferragosto with Roberto Milani and Radio 105. The room was very modern, and meals had a great choice of meat and fish. Waiter Michele was good at making guests feel comfortable and anticipating what they'd need. The two cleaning ladies kept everything spotless and were always kind and helpful, especially with my little dog. Thanks as well to Peter, and especially Giovanni, who was available, competent, accommodating, and always seemed to have a solution.

The real letdown was the food, which was shameful. That wasn't just our view, either; everyone we spoke with felt the same. The buffet sides were very limited and ran out within fifteen minutes of the restaurant opening. Dishes often came cold, pasta was frequently undercooked, and sometimes a single plate had pasta cooked three different ways. The sauces were sparse and everything lacked seasoning. We didn't find anything like traditional Apulian cooking, not even the worst cafeteria food. With flies circling the dining room, I can only wonder what the kitchen was like. Ignazio and Macarena, the two waiters, were very kind and helpful, which was a bright spot. My partner and I were there July 2-9, 2022, in room 121. I rarely leave a bad review, but the property fell below even our low expectations. It was dated and being renovated, though the location was good, about 500 metres from the beach and near the town center, reached by some stairs. Our room was decent, with a sea-view balcony, and was cleaned well with daily linen changes, though it could have used an occasional sweep under the bed. The 60x60 shower tray was only practical for someone with a small footprint. The large beach belongs to a lido serving several properties, not the hotel. Entertainment was practically nonexistent: just muscle-toning and aqua aerobics, only in the morning and only on the beach, despite what the website said. I don't understand the €70 weekly Club Card charge for two people, since the activities seemed to be provided by the beach club for all its guests. The lido's prices were reasonable, with an umbrella and two loungers for €10. We absolutely don't recommend this place.

The only people who were really nice, kind, and polite were the cleaning ladies. I wouldn't recommend the hotel. The food was nothing special, and the lido umbrellas were stuck in the ninth and tenth rows, a long way from the shore. The staff were rude and incompetent in the dining room, constantly moving tables, chairs, and plates around. People, described as women from Eastern Europe, came and went between the kitchen and dining room, and it wasn't clear whether they were authorized staff. The children's entertainment advertised wasn't there, and the entertainers appeared only on our last day. At least we weren't charged for the club memberships. The advertised solarium terrace wasn't there either. The elevator door was broken and had to be guided by hand when entering, and the room hairdryer didn't work. At reception, a woman who said she was the manager's wife wouldn't let me speak to the manager, her husband. The whole exchange felt mocking and spiteful. When we arrived around 8 pm, he tried to push us to go straight to dinner instead of letting us get to the room first, so my three-and-a-half-year-old daughter could use the bathroom after her flight. One night he even scolded us for taking too long to finish dinner, but the dining room was never free at 9 pm. Spite or provocation? The waiter wouldn't hand me my plate directly, passing it to my husband first, who then gave it to me. As promised 👋👋👋