Continental

Breakfast was a treat each morning, and we enjoyed dinner too. Service stayed consistently good throughout, and the whole visit felt easy and well put together. Our room was comfortable and nicely decorated, with what we needed. The sea view and well-kept grounds were a lovely way to start the day. The hotel is beautiful, with part of it newly built in recent years, and the property has a relaxing, welcoming feel. My wife and I felt at home from the moment we arrived. Everyone we met was warm, professional, and ready to help. Santa Margherita Ligure is already special, and staying at Hotel Continental made the trip even better. We’d gladly recommend it to anyone visiting.

I’m replying from a different work email because I can’t respond to your answer to my review, C. Chana. I never said you robbed us or charged us for something we hadn’t received. I meant that adding fees for basics like juice and eggs when a room costs over €1,000 a night feels excessive, not dishonest. We weren’t offered water after the first day, and we certainly wouldn’t have turned it down. If you heard otherwise, perhaps you have us mixed up with another room. I did raise what I thought was wrong with the staff, but was told that this was simply how things were done there. I’m not sure what else you expected me to do. For comparison, on our way to Venice we rested for two nights at a three-star hotel in Parma. It cost €500 total, replenished the room water every day, and had water and juice stations by the lifts on every floor. That makes it hard to understand why a four-star hotel charging over €1,000 per night can’t include water, juice, or eggs. Your rate feels like a true five-star price, even though the hotel is four-star, while the basic inclusions don’t match. I think this may be why breakfast comes up so often in reviews. I hope you’ll reconsider, because these details matter to guests. This is honest feedback from two people who travel a lot and enjoy the finer things. We’re not snobs, as our stay at the Parma three-star hotel shows, though there wasn’t another option there. 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. Many places in Italy suffered this year after doing things like this over recent years, and now people have stopped going. It shouldn’t be about making a quick dollar. You want people to return again and again. We stay at the same hotels in Sorrento, Puglia, and 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

The pool is part of the spa, but access costs €25 per person per day. We found that frustrating and unfair, since it should be part of the room price, and apparently others have raised the same point. The restaurant also had too few choices for us. We understand the focus on fish and seafood by the sea, but my wife is allergic to seafood, and there were few or no pasta dishes, no risotto, very limited meat, and few or no vegetarian or vegan options. Even with those issues, we had a wonderful stay and can recommend this beautiful hotel. The location right on the rocks by the sea, the garden, overall quality, service, cleanliness, and food were all strong points. The hotel has also been modernized well in recent years.

The view and location are great, but I couldn't sleep. Wind kept banging the outside shutters open and shut all night. I got up and wedged a chair against ours, which barely helped because the neighboring shutters were making the same noise. The old wooden floors creak too, and there was constant upselling for a place presenting itself as high class. Even an omelette at the paid breakfast costs extra. I wouldn't recommend staying here.