Baia Del Sole Resort

Spent two weeks here with our two children (aged 10 and 8). The quality of the resort and service is very high. Rooms and gardens are kept immaculate. Pool area is also clean. Food is locally sourced and is excellent. We were half board which included a buffet breakfast in the restaurant overlooking the sea and a 4 course a la carte dinner in Le Giare restaurant overlooking the gardens. The menu changed each day and children had a separate 3 course menu (which did not change). The quality of the kids menu was a little disappointing as it consisted of fried fish fingers, burger or fried chicken cutlets. We would have preferred unprocessed food, like chicken breast or fillet of fish but kids were allowed to eat off the main a la carte menu which ours did some nights. The hotel website advertises inflatables in the pool but there aren't any at the moment. There are two SUPs, kayaks & pedalo on the beach for guests' use (free of charge). We weren't told on check in that you have to pay if you want to use a sun lounger on the beach that is on the front row so we were surprised when a lifeguard asked us to pay half way through our holiday! Given the price paid for the accommodation, I wouldn't expect to have to do this. The beach is very rocky (no soft powdery sand here) so water shoes are advisable. The sea is crystal clear, warm and has an abundance of fish very close to shore so is excellent for snorkeling. The hotel describes itself as having a private beach but it does allow non-staying guests to use the beach and pool so we found it got very busy at the weekend which spoilt the atmosphere a little. Unfortunately the hotel is sandwiched between two other hotels which have loud sound systems that are audible from the pool! The hotel is very remote and there aren't any bars or restaurants in walking distance (other than the bar of the hotel next door which we visited for lunch one day). We got the train from the airport and noticed some hotels picking people up in mini buses from the train station (Ricadi) but we had to pay for a taxi (which the hotel organised). Taxis are very expensive. It cost €18 from Ricadi Station to the hotel which is a 5 minute drive. We got the train to Tropea a few times which is worth doing. Trains are very reasonably priced but the walk to Ricadi station from the hotel is up a very steep hill and in the middle of a heatwave with young children wasn't doable for us so we had to pay for a taxi each time. We walked back to the hotel from the station one day and even at 6:30pm it wasn't a pleasant experience. It's a shame the hotel doesn't provide a complimentary shuttle service to and from the station. Sharing a taxi with other families would also be consistent with the hotel's eco friendly credentials. Overall, we were happy with the hotel and would return but, due to the remote location and the expense in reaching the train station to explore the surrounding area, we'd come back for one week rather than two.

This resort is beautiful and my theory is that my experience is not the "norm"; but I still feel it's important to share: On the first night of our stay, the electricity went out on the entire property while we were eating dinner. After that, guests spent the evening walking around in the dark using their cell phone lights to get around. People were locked out of their rooms. All activities were cancelled including entertainment/dancing and kids club. When we got to our room, it was dark and hot. Even when the electricity did go back on several hours later, the air-conditioning was still not working effectively to cool the room. It seemed as though it had been adjusted to avoid another power outage. This continued into the second day at which point I complained via email. I paid over $500 euro for my first night which was spent sweating in a dark hotel room. I got a generic response via email back and a small jar of honey was left in my room as an apology. The issue with the air conditioning continued through the second day and night. It was "ON" but the room never reached the temperature we set it to and it was uncomfortably warm. We complained to the front desk and were told that many others were also complaining and they were attempting to address it. We spent our second night sweating while sleeping. The issue seemed to finally be resolved by the third and final night of our stay. The resort experience that I paid for is not what I received. While I understand that the resort may not have been able to control a power outage, they said this was something that has "never happened before" and guests should have been at least partially reimbursed for missing out on what they paid for. Minor other complaints: 1. TV appears to be a smart TV but upon asking about this I was told it is not. By my final day they installed a Chromecast in the room to make it a smart TV. 2. We paid for half board. The servers were lovely and accommodating but it became clear right away that the menu and portion sizes were designed for three courses, but half board only gets you two courses. We left the first night from dinner still hungry. The second night there was a buffet option in addition to the half board so we were fine. I was also annoyed that we couldn't swap out our half board dinner for lunch instead. This policy was inconvenient. The resort is beautiful. The staff are kind. Our particular experience and the amount we paid, left us feeling quite disappointed.

We loved this hotel. The view from the terrace is amazing from breakfast to the spectacular sunset. Tours on the Baia degli Dei need to booked well in advance. The entire staff is very friendly, we got exceptionally good service from Domenico!

We had a wonderful stay at this beautiful resort. We wish to thank the management and staff for such attention to details. The atmosphere is amazing and the property is a tropical paradise. The rooms are very clean, the property is well groomed and the upkeep is clearly a priority. We enjoyed the restaurants and the food quality was excellent! Good job!

Very lovely small resort, nice for family with children. Everything was there, easy to reach Tropea and SPA at sister hotel. Organized sport, kids and evening events (check seasons!) very warm welcoming staff. Very cute walks in the small child I had there with the trolley- you feel like in the botanical garden ! Amazing sea! Very good swimming pool. Food could be improved.