Grand Hotel Villa Balbi

There’s a lot of character in this hotel, from the building’s authentic details to its lovely atmosphere. It sits by the Mediterranean, faces the sea, and has its own beach. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and our well-equipped room made us feel welcome. The electric box by the door hummed quite loudly, though. Breakfast offered lots of choice, with pleasant outdoor seating. Parking on the hotel grounds costs €15 a night. The pedestrian area of Sestri Levante, with its many shops and restaurants, is a short walk away. The train station is about 10 minutes on foot, making Cinque Terre easy to visit.

What let the stay down most was the service and the extra charges. The beach costs EUR 50 per couple per day, even outside high season, and beach towels aren’t provided free: they cost 5 EUR per person per towel. With room rates already fairly high, that felt like daylight robbery. The hotel also has no ironing facilities, no ironing room, iron, or board. Staff said this was because of fire safety concerns in the old building, which has cultural and historic value, but that still wasn’t good enough. None of these issues are mentioned on the official website, so you only find out when you arrive. The building itself is stunning, as far as I can tell dating back to the 17th century, with beautiful art, pictures, statues, and furniture inside. Breakfast was decent, but nothing special. The staff were helpful and nice, so my complaint is about the hotel’s policies, not the personnel.

The villa has a charming setting, but the service and facilities didn’t live up to its potential. Breakfast was simple with little variety, and the hotel didn’t acknowledge a birthday during our stay, which was disappointing. There were no cushions around the pool, and towels could only be rented at reception. There was also no poolside bar or water service.

The hygiene was poor from the start, with thick dust on the shelves and floor on day one. We raised our concerns with reception on 4 Aug, then followed up twice in writing, but management was unavailable and refused a pro-rata refund for the five nights we did not use. We booked a Camera Quadrupla Elite for two adults and two children under the Gold Formula. Our children were expected to sleep on an uncomfortable folding sofa with a bumpy surface that made noise. The other rooms we were shown were no better. There was no wardrobe or balcony, and the kettle came without tea or coffee. The “welcome wine” had no glasses or opener. The hotel calls itself “seafront”, but a busy road runs between it and the beach. That felt dangerous with kids. All we asked was to halve the payment and cancel from day one. We’re now pursuing formal complaints, but wanted future guests to have an honest warning.