Arbatax Park Resort

We spent a week in a Telis Suite with a sea view at Arbatax Park Resort, and it was an amazing stay. Traveling as a mother with my 11-month-old daughter, I especially appreciated the attention they gave her. It made everything easier and more enjoyable. The service was flawless, and the staff were consistently helpful and friendly. The resort is beautifully designed and feels very well cared for. We loved the wonderful pools for relaxing, and the beach was stunning, with clear water that was perfect for snorkeling. Between the sea, the pools, and the atmosphere, it felt like paradise. Arbatax Park Resort went beyond what I expected, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for comfort, natural beauty, and excellent service.

The pools are spacious, there are plenty of comfortable loungers, and lifeguards keep watch at the pools and beaches. Most of the resort is quiet, though the restaurants and the amphitheatre get noisy during evening shows. Our room was clean and roomy, with a large bed, shower, and a huge top-floor terrace. Check-in and checkout were excellent. Getting around was more tiring than we expected. The whole place has lots of hills, and reaching the beaches, animal park, and some other areas takes effort. The shuttle runs efficiently between the ends of the complex, but you have to walk to its few stops, it only follows one side, and it doesn't go to the beaches. The grounds could use maintenance too: holes in pool floors, loose tiles, and broken bus seats and handles. Most staff were welcoming, but some restaurant and reception staff weren't very friendly, and some seemed hard to approach when they didn't understand English. Meals were decent, with enough changing options and a few regular items, but breakfast was basic and the same every day. Main dishes sometimes ran out quickly and took a while to return, and there were times when plates, glasses, or cutlery ran out within the first half hour. The paid dining and pool bars were very expensive, for example €5 for a small can of Coke Zero. Bees and wasps were a real nuisance in the outdoor dining area. We sometimes had eight around our table, and it was hard to enjoy the meal or avoid them, especially when some were in the buffet trays. Anyone afraid of them or allergic may prefer eating indoors. The animal park was fun, especially seeing baby wild boars and albino donkeys, and the animals seemed happy and well cared for. Still, it didn't live up to being the main attraction: there were fewer animals than expected, mostly donkeys and wild boars, and parts looked unkempt or under maintenance, with some areas closed or no longer working. We also enjoyed the spa and massages, and booking was easy with friendly staff, though the place wasn't especially luxurious and even had a broken toilet seat. For a half-board resort, I'd call it good value, but it didn't feel like a luxury stay and we don't think the four-star rating fits. One odd thing: guests were encouraged throughout our visit to enter a contest for a free five-day stay next year, with the best online review winning. Keep that in mind when reading especially glowing reviews from around this time. Room 51, 17-21 September

We had a really nice family holiday at Arbatax Park Resort, seven adults and three kids. It was great having so much nature, beaches, pools, restaurants, and activities across such a huge place, and we were impressed by how the team kept things running during the busiest season. We'd be happy to return. A special thanks to Marine B. at reception, Viviana, the whole Telis cleaning team, and the restaurant crew at La Terazza. A few things could be better, including evening beach cleaning, fresher pools, and clearer details about activities, but we had a great time overall.

The bay is lovely, and the hillside setting is peaceful and beautiful. Unfortunately, the rest of the experience felt poor value for the price. Our room was tiny, there was mold in the shower, and the air conditioning sounded ready to break. The breakfast never changed: stale bread, dry cake, not much fruit, and Dutch cheese instead of Italian cheese. Lunch and dinner from the buffet weren't tasty, and we missed good Italian food. The baby room was dirty and barely equipped. You could just about boil water, and there was a fridge and microwave. The staff generally didn't speak English, and it felt as if non-Italian guests weren't welcome. Reception could manage some English. I don't see how this can be a four-star hotel.