Hotel Continental

We’d definitely return. The views from room 51 were amazing, looking out over the water and city, and that room has the only balcony on its side of the building. We were given robes and slippers, though we didn’t use any spa services. The grounds are lovely, too. The bus ride to Portofino was a quick 15 minutes from the train station. This may be one of the nicest hotels we’ve stayed in.

The restaurant team and waiters were so friendly and professional, which really added to our meals. We enjoyed breakfast, lunch and dinner, both indoors and on the terrace with its lovely view. The location is breathtaking, easy to reach by train, and this time we came by car. Hotel parking is convenient and reasonably priced. We stayed two nights at the beginning of September, our third visit to Continental in five years. This time we had a street-facing room on the first floor at the corner, and it didn’t compare with our earlier rooms upstairs and downstairs with a garden. It felt like we’d been tucked away. There was no storage space, the bed was hard, and the pillows were poor, so the price felt too high for that room. The reception staff also seemed less enthusiastic than the restaurant team. I think spa and wellness facilities and the pool should be included, and guests shouldn’t have to pay extra for beach beds at these already high prices. A free bottle of water seems standard at other luxury hotels now, so perhaps that’s something to consider for the future.

The whole stay felt seamless, from the lovely breakfast each morning and excellent dining to the consistently top-notch service. My wife and I felt at home from the moment we arrived. Everyone we met was warm, professional and genuinely keen to help. The Hotel Continental is beautiful, with a section renovated and brand new within the last few years. Our room was comfortable and nicely decorated, with everything we needed. Waking up to the sea view and beautifully maintained grounds was a treat, and the property has a relaxing, welcoming feel. Santa Margherita Ligure is special already, and staying at the hotel made it even better. We’d absolutely recommend it to anyone visiting.

Dear C. Chana, I’m replying from a different email I use for work because I can’t respond to your reply to my review. I want to be clear that I never said you robbed us or charged us for something we didn’t have. I said that, with a room costing OVER €1,000 per night, extra charges for basic things like juice and eggs feel like robbery. I meant that the cost seems excessive, not that you were dishonest. As for water, nobody offered us any after the first day. If you were told otherwise, maybe you have us mixed up with another room. We certainly wouldn’t have refused it. For comparison, we stopped to rest at a three-star hotel in Parma on the way to Venice. They replenished the water in our rooms each day and had water and juice stations on every floor by the lifts for all guests. Two nights cost €500 in total. When a three-star hotel provides that, I do wonder why a four-star hotel charging over €1,000 a night can’t include water, juice or eggs. I did bring what I thought was wrong to the staff’s attention, but was told, “That’s just the way we do things here.” What else did you want me to do? I think this is why breakfast comes up so often in your reviews. The room rate reflects a true five-star standard even though you are Four-Star, but the policies on basic inclusions don’t. I hope you’ll reconsider, because these details can make a big difference to guest satisfaction. This is honest feedback from two people who travel often and like the finer things in life. We’re not snobs, as you can see from the fact that we stayed at a three-star hotel in Parma because there was no other option. You don’t have to take my feedback on board, but I’m coming from a good place and hope you can see my point. A lot of places in Italy suffered this year because they’d been doing things like this for the past few years, and now people have stopped going. Sometimes it shouldn’t be about making a quick dollar. You should aim to have people return again and again. We stay at the same hotel in Sorrento, in Puglia and in Milan every year for that reason, whatever the prices. It’s the little things that count, like coffee and water. I wish I’d come over to your table that day so we could have talked face to face. Regards, Debora