Ostuni Rosa Marina Resort

Lovely place, lovely staff but....
LACK OF INFORMATION
This is the reason for my lower rating which otherwise would have been four stars. The complex is extensive but there is no map, or any other information, in the room. Other reviews note this and many people commented about this in the hotel. Reception staff appeared to have limited information themselves and some appeared unhelpful.
We had minimal information - from the website - about the three restaurants and what they offered. The opening times on the website were unreliable - two restaurants closed while we were there and did not reopen despite being listed as open. A simple notice could have helped here.
We found the bar sold ice creams (on sticks) but only because we saw someone else eating one. There were no gelateria in the area.
The TripAdvisor entry for the resort refers to a shuttle service which did not exist. Reception staff had no idea what we were talking about when we asked about it. They offered to arrange a return taxi to Ostuni (limited to 2 hours) for €45. We later found a taxi driver who would drop us off and pick us up when we were ready. This meant we were effectively s
(A taxi to Bari airport was €120 which was worth it - alternative is €35 to the station and then two trains.) Taxis were excellent.
TripAdvisor also mentions massage - when I asked to book at reception , they pointed back up the corridor. After searching, I found two closed doors with small posters in Italian and mobile numbers for a hairdresser and a beautician (according to Translate). It was unclear whether massage was available so I didn't bother calling. My Italian is basic and I would probably not make myself understood. If there had been info in English about these services, I would have been better able to work it out.
ROOM:
We had a superior room. It was lovely and we couldn't fault it on comfort or cleanliness. Aircon and a large, comfortable bed. Also clean, good size en suite bathroom and shower. Line on the balcony for drying towels/costumes etc. Our immediate reaction to the chipped and broken stone floor was horror, but we got used to it, had no problems with it, and ultimately decided it suited the overall decor. No tea/coffee making facilities in the room. There was a mini fridge containing drink cans - no tariff - we assumed it was charged for and were right - €5 a can.
LOCATION:
As mentioned previously, the location is remote and transport is needed to get to the station or nearest town. When we arrived by train at Ostuni station, there were no taxis and no other way to get to the hotel.
The hotel is in a lovely setting with three pools, bar area, a restaurant and pizzeria. The two pools in the top area were clean and well attended - we didn't use the lower pool so can't comment. It was lovely and quiet when we went at the beginning of September so can't comment on it during busy periods either. The beach was a short stroll away - no problem with this.
RESTAURANTS:
The main restaurant hosted the good buffet breakfast. Also, a four course evening meal - €55 per person - 1st course was buffet. 2 options for 2, 3 and 4th courses. Four courses is a lot, but there was no option to have fewer c
except for in the pizzeria. The buffet antipasto was great. The main courses were lovely the first night but not so good the second.
The pizzeria had about 6 options of delicious pizza and a few lovely deep filled breads. There was also a restaurant by the beach with a varied menu - we walked there for dinner but it had closed. The main restaurant also closed and neither reopened for evening meals during our stay. However, we noticed other people in the pizzeria eating different options such as salad and different hot meals. These may have been longer term guests. We asked and were offered a whole separate menu - verbally, no prices given. Presumably, this was because the main restaurant had closed. Staff taking orders from others did not offer the other menu unless asked.

You feel a bit trapped here. Here for a month. No restaurants/bars near by. Surly reception staff. It’s clean and comfortable. WiFi is appalling, which in this day and age is ridiculous.