Hotel Villa Fernanda

We’ve just returned from a week here, and my family and I loved the hotel, the owners, and the staff. The place was spotless, the service was great, the pool was great, and the gardens were beautiful. It was peaceful, and the owners would do anything to make us comfortable. The bus stop, pubs, and restaurants were just two minutes away, and breakfast had good choices. The village is beautiful too, and we had a wonderful stay. We’d definitely come back and hope to return one day. A few downsides: rooms and showers were quite small, food portions were small, alcohol was expensive, and the air conditioning switched off at certain times, which wasn’t ideal when we were getting ready and sweating.

I’d ask people to read this whole review so they understand what I think this place is really like. I don’t believe most of the reviews are from real customers. I spoke to a few guests who shared our opinion. The good points were the reception and bar area, both clean and nice, and the daytime bar worker, a lovely, kind, polite, and helpful young woman. The pool area was clean, lovely, and peaceful too. But over a week, I never saw anyone having a drink or relaxing in the bar. Guests went to the local bars every evening instead, and there was no atmosphere here. The food was substandard, which felt shameful for a place owned and run by an Italian family. It seemed as if they’d lost their passion. Italians love food, and Italy is known for it, but sadly that was missing here. I don’t know why; it felt like they just didn’t care anymore. Maybe they could appear on Gordon Ramsey’s TV show. I’m Italian, born and raised, have traveled all over Italy for years, lived there, and have lots of family there, so I think I’m in a good position to say this. I also work in hospitality and, unfortunately for the owners, I’m a UK-based hospitality inspector who lives, works, and breathes the industry. We were on half board and expected nice, home-cooked Italian food, but were disappointed. The “all you can eat buffet” was just one plate, either a bowl of salad or some dry bread. Main courses were bland, with no herbs or spices. All the vegetables were microwaved. From where we sat, we heard three microwave pings, then the waiter appeared with food for one table, so service took over an hour. Desserts were disappointing too: tinned fruit salad, chocolate mousse that the owner first called chocolate panna cotta, then agreed was mousse when challenged, two nights of sliced melon, and one night of sliced fruit. That wasn’t what I’d expect for a traditional dessert. The restaurant itself was somewhat nice, but there were ants all over the tables and in the bread basket. I know keeping ants out is difficult, but please make some effort. Staff were just moving tables to areas where it was less bad. I went to speak with the owner, but he was rude and aggressive, so I had to walk away to avoid things escalating. The rooms were in very poor condition and need a full refurbishment. I added pictures of my room to show I’m not just against this hotel. I know people may think this is another unhappy customer, or that British people don’t like to “rock the boat” and say nothing to management but complain to each other. I’ve seen that many times. Go there and see for yourself. I’ve added a few pictures of my room to support what I’ve said.

We stayed in July 22 and had a great time. The rooms are decent for the price, the food is tasty, breakfast has a great selection, and the staff can’t do enough for you. It’s a nice, cozy hotel with a peaceful pool, plenty of sun loungers, and beautiful trees in the garden. It didn’t feel overbooked, and the atmosphere was almost like an unspoken adults hotel. There’s a shop around the corner where you can buy plenty of water for your room. There isn’t much to do nearby, so you’ll need to travel. But if you want a relaxing sun-trap holiday and aren’t fussy about entertainment or having the most amazing room in the world, it should be on your list. The staff are so friendly, and I’d stay here again.

We had a good holiday exploring the area. Sorrento is an easy walk, but if hills aren’t your thing, the bus back is cheap and runs often.