Albergo Piccolo Paradiso

I’m talking about the hotel here, not the restaurant, which I’ve visited several times and really like. I stayed in mid-August, during high season. The rooms are small, the bathroom needs work, with a leaking fixture and bad smells from the sink, and the air conditioner is noisy. The windows are old, as is the sun blind. The biggest problem was the beach club, which the owner also runs in summer. Loud, very bad music played right in front of the hotel every day of the week until well past midnight. On the 15th, it went on after 1 a.m. Even with all the windows and the blind shut, it was loud. Since the hotel and beach club have the same owner, this felt disrespectful to paying hotel guests.

We found a room by the sea for the best price anywhere. It was clean and had a balcony with two chairs and a table, plus a private bathroom, TV, and closet. The restaurant is inside and right by the Mediterranean, and the food was fabulous. This place is a must-visit, and we’ll be back.

I booked through Booking on July 30th, but got the dates wrong. The hotel was full on the dates I needed, so I asked to change the reservation, then requested cancellation with a small fee since it was all within 24 hours. They refused any goodwill gesture and charged the full amount. I know the mistake was mine, but I was surprised they made no accommodation. Disappointing.

The price seems fair for a clean, functional place in a quiet spot near the beach. Breakfast really wasn’t great, though, and there was sometimes noise from the reception music and passing trains.