Borgo del Principe by Valentour

We chose this place for the clean, warm, beautiful sea, and it really is stunning. The water is clear blue, you can see the bottom and there are lots of fish. There are pebbles by the water, with plenty of sand along the shore. Walk to the nearest rocks for even better views. The hotel itself is small, quiet and cozy, surrounded by greenery. Our room was clean, everything worked, and having several drying racks on the balcony was a big plus. There’s also a small pool, with two showers, a toilet and a bar nearby. For some reason, swimming caps are required, and sold there, although we saw some women without them. We didn’t use the pool. Two sun loungers and one umbrella are assigned to each room for the whole stay, which is very convenient: nobody has to rush out early to claim a spot. The first row costs extra. You can also go out on a boat or catamaran nearby. Animation was light and not intrusive, though the entertainers didn’t speak English very well. The mini disco was fun. It wasn’t clear how the kids’ club worked, but some children drew and played and seemed happy. Evening entertainment for adults was in Italian and consisted of different amateur performances. There’s an old, small playground and a little trampoline, but the trampoline wasn’t working when we were there. There’s also a mini football pitch. Mini golf was the biggest hit with the kids, and you can get equipment at reception. We had full board. Compared with all-inclusive, it mainly seemed to differ in little things, like a cup of coffee at the bar. There’s one restaurant with tables indoors and outside, and a table is assigned to your room for the entire stay, which is handy. Some people might call the food modest, but you won’t go hungry. There just isn’t a huge range. Breakfast always had an omelette, ham, a couple of cheeses, jams, butter, several breads and pastries, plus tea and coffee. I personally missed having any vegetables at breakfast. Lunch and dinner usually included two pasta options, both very tasty, Bolognese and seafood, pizza Maragarita, some meat, one fish, several vegetables, salads, two desserts that were quite good, two kinds of fruit, and beer or white or red wine, tea, coffee and juice. Cookies are available at the bar after about 17:00. You can refill a glass or your own bottle with water there. Ice cream and cocktails cost extra and are charged to the room for payment at checkout. Beach towels are provided against a deposit. The internet worked. There are no shops at the hotel, and it seems there’s nowhere to walk nearby apart from the beach. Reception were pleasant, and one of the women spoke English. Special thanks to the restaurant manager: he did a great job, and the staff worked quickly and smoothly. The hotel suits people looking for a quiet stay and a beautiful, warm sea, with mountains on the other side. They offer lots of excursions, and some guests spent the whole week visiting beautiful nearby places in Italy.

The main reasons for my two-star rating are the food and the staff. We had breakfast and dinner every day for a week, and the experience was always the same: very few choices, and food ran out quickly. Sometimes more was brought out, sometimes it wasn’t. The quality of the rooms was about three and a half stars: they were clean and okay, though the minibar barely worked. We were first given a small room with a tiny backyard, but they moved us to a bigger one with a balcony. The location itself was fine. There were also rules that seemed to have no reason behind them. Children couldn’t have juice at dinner, only at breakfast. When we asked why, we were told the boss said so. At breakfast, drinks came only in small plastic cups, while at dinner you could use a glass. At dinner water came in a bottle, but at breakfast you had to get it from a machine in little plastic cups. Ten cups for a litre. We asked to eat outside for breakfast and dinner, but staff said we had to use our assigned table inside. Other guests were eating outside, with plenty of empty tables. We repeatedly asked the restaurant and reception over three days to move us. The restaurant manager first said we’d have to pay him extra. When we asked why, he walked off and wouldn’t speak to us again. Reception assured us they weren’t allowed to charge us for that. On the fourth day, they finally put our table outside, hallelujah! It would also be basic good manners for staff to say hello or good morning. About half did, and half didn’t. We were really disappointed with the visit.

The food was a real highlight. I loved the evening meals, with plenty to choose from and a menu that kept changing. Lunch was great too, and we always left full and happy. If Italian cuisine is your thing, this is a good place to visit. BV Borgo del Principe is a lovely garden village hotel. Most rooms sit in separate four-room buildings scattered around the grounds. They’re all above sea level and tucked into lush greenery, so there’s no sea view, but you do get plenty of birdsong. The hotel has its own beach with free sun loungers and umbrellas, plus a small pool that’s open when the lifeguard is on duty. The staff were very nice and helpful. A special mention to the cleaning team, who worked incredibly hard and were always willing to help. Most staff didn’t speak much English, though they tried. The hotel welcomes guests from across Europe, so I imagine they speak German and French, for example. If you need to talk in English, find Bianca at the front desk. She’s great and will definitely help. The location in the small town of Zambrone is the one drawback. There isn’t really a walking strip, and the only nearby shops are a lovely gelateria and a local grocery store, about a 15-20 minute walk away. But if you’re after a week of beach or pool time with delicious food, you’ll be happy here.

We were really satisfied with our weeklong family holiday, except for one thing that spoiled the stay. It felt like a never-ending disco, with music so loud all day that we couldn’t hear one another or talk to the children, whether we were at the pool, on the beach or anywhere else. It was unbearable. We wanted to relax and enjoy our holiday, not spend about five hours a day in a disco. The resort management should change this.