Grand Hotel Dei Castelli

The location is spectacular, the breakfast is delicious, the parking situation is ideal, and the staff is super friendly. The rooms are also comfy.

It’s on the very expensive side.

Lovely venue

The view during breakfast!

Gorgeous rooms and interiors, beautiful views across the bay (especially at sunset). Elevator to and from town (just along from the port) is a very cool and convenient (+ appreciated!) experience. Housekeeping and linens are top-notch. Some staff members are absolute delights - special mentions for Pietro at the bar, the lovely lady who appears to run the breakfast service (sadly didn't catch her name), and both lifeguards at the pool (Alessandro and the redhead I didn’t catch the name of either, sorry!). Peaceful front areas of the grounds to relax in and take in the silence above/outside of the centre. Breakfast quality, variety and setting is a true plus - a lovely and peaceful way and place to start the day. The natural pool is a special experience to be had (note that this is available to outside guests, but at double the price, so worth doing even just for a day whilst here).

The beds are so uncomfortable & mattresses are old & offer no support (the type with Bonnel springs) - I came for a weekend of R&R &, sounds dramatic, but I was borderline in tears with this bed - awful nights sleep. While staff are polite, not all are friendly. There is a preference for propriety vs service, which was very old world: there was great care made for staff to not be seen talking to each other in the presence of a guest (I personally don’t really care), but then there is no warmth at times when talking to a guest, and then incidents such as the below. The ’soft’ facilities in the room are poor - no real glasses or mugs, no tea or coffee making facilities. When I asked at the front desk how I might manage to get some hot water for tea in the evening before bed, I was told to call room service and it would be brought. Room service, in the info book, closes at midnight. I called the first night at 11.30pm to no response. I called reception and asked and they said they had already closed and the hotel doesn’t have those facilities so not possible. The second night, when coming back at 11pm, I asked directly at the reception if I could have a cup of hot water brought to the room. They told me to ask at the bar (across the way in the other castle). In any normal 4* hotel, the reception would arrange this without turning the responsibility back to the guest. While the owner seemed polite enough when I encountered her, it is quite clear that the staff live 1. a little in terror & 2. at the beck and call of the owner and their family. Again, very old world and not conducive to a pleasant atmosphere. The grounds are gorgeous but in disrepair. While there is a small note on Booking that the beach and pool can be used for an additional fee, I expected it to be quite nominal, not 45 euros per person per day (!) More transparency on that front would have been appreciated.