Hotel Miramonti

We really enjoyed the spa in the basement. It has a hot tub, sauna with a lovely scent, steam room, different showers, and massage chairs, and it was very relaxing. The family who run Hotel Miramonti make it feel personal and welcoming, like a place they're devoted to. It's a sturdy, atmospheric ski lodge, spotlessly clean, with very large rooms and wooden shutters that block out all the light for a good night's sleep. We stayed midweek in October 2020, when the town was very quiet. Aspromonte National Park is as wild and peaceful as anywhere in Europe.

The meals were awful, and each of the 10 couples ended up paying over 60 Euros extra per person, or 120 Euros in unexpected charges, for things like a soda, a single beer instead of the undrinkable swill wine, and coffee after dinner. None of that was included with the meal. Dinner began with a so-so antipasti, then there was one undercooked pasta and another watery, overcooked one. I've never had pasta that bad, especially in Italy. The main course was a pile of cheap meat, overcooked and hard as shoe leather, sheep, cheap pork, and some mystery meat, with boiled potatoes that were both overcooked and undercooked. No vegetable or salad came with it, apart from chopped tomatoes on the bruschetta with the antipasti. It would have been better to serve one pasta and one meat dish properly, and include a salad. Breakfast was miserable too: boxed cornetti, packaged dry toast and spreads, and even boxed juice. Fresh squeezed orange juice and espresso cost extra. The hotel calls itself a hotel and spa, but the spa is a sauna, a cheesy hot tub, and electronic massage chairs. The pool was fine, though. There seemed to be no staff apart from an old guy by the bar who pointed us behind the curtain. Miramonte charges a fairly high rate because dinner and breakfast, along with the cheesy fake spa, are included. The place also had dark hallways, and mold and mildew covered the windows in the tiny shower and bathroom. Don't go!

Gambarie is growing, and places like this are part of the reason. The area is high quality in general. My wife and I had an incredibly beautiful time in the SPA, and the hotel itself is lovely, with stone and wood giving it the feel of a high-end mountain setting. The restaurant was top-notch, the meat was delicious, and the staff were delightful, welcoming, and especially professional.

This was my second stay, and I’m still very satisfied. The owners are kind, friendly, and extremely helpful, while the bar and restaurant staff are always smiling and lovely. Breakfast and lunch were delicious and generous, and the rooms were clean and spacious.