Hotel Cavalluccio Marino

This is long for a reason. In case you don't read all, know this: There are hard to see jellyfish and sea urchins here. My wife and I got stung, so did other guests. At times we couldn't bathe. There is no info about this, no staff told us. Wear protective shoes!

My wife and I had the pleasure of staying in the top suite (room 601) of this retro hotel for summer holidays. It is nice, has comfortable bed and walk-in closet. Seating/sleeping only partially divided, no door. Terrace has great sea view, stunning sunrises/sunsets, private and romantic. Water jets in the bathtub, a bidé, little space for toiletries. The shower head was calcified and worn, fell off, but replaced swiftly. The cleaning person was very professional, the nicest staff we met. The note about saving water does not apply, all towels are changed regardless. Standard mini bar, well stocked. Nespresso machine with free coffee, much appreciated. Airconditioning adequate, not great. The fire alarm went off one day, which added to my worries fire security atop this old carpeted building. The hotel is from the 70's, aka Grande Palazzo, medium sized, charming, unpretentious, but aging. The tight, slow elevator is not suitable for claustrophobes. Most guests are Italian pensioners, an indicator of the vibe. Deep, warm saltwater pool (>30°C) next to the restaurant/café. Be careful when crossing the road! Buffet breakfast is tasty, with something for everyone, but no veggies. Delicious coffee.

English is not widely spoken. Customer service was frustrating, often a topic of conversation, not 4-star. Instead of a "let me try" or "let me check" attitude we were met with "no", even had staff turning their back to us. I requested some info from the Manager in charge (the Manager was on holiday, but very professional prior), about transport, rental cars/bikes, sights and activities. He said there wasn't much to see or do and never came back to me but did look up a bus when asked again days later. None of the staff knew any sights or things to do, although there is an example of 50's architecture on the same street, Villa La Saracena, a must-see! Many other beautiful buildings. Nearby is a good family-run restaurant, La Gattammare, and Parco Kennedy with a cool non-trad restaurant. The Thursday market around the park is a great for sampling local produce. Best supermarket nearby is Elite. Best of all in Santa Marinella was sunset cruise with Alex Tour Guide, hearing the area’s history, swimming, plenty of aperitivi. Top service/value!

A terrible start: Upon checking into their most expensive room after hours of traveling in the heat we were told to pay €20 to bathe, €5 p/p 20/mins for the jacuzzi. No one ever used the jacuzzi. We tried to use sunbeds, were told we couldn't, even if few were in use. Later we learned that a set of two sun beds and a parasol comes with the room. Why not tell us upon check-in? During our stay the guard had given our sunbeds away. When asked for a chair, we were told none were available, had to get one from my room. This pool/beach staff have not attended many customer service courses! This hotel's main concern was money, not us. Yet another creative fee, €5 for room service. The only taxi driver in the city was unavailable during our stay. Taxis from outside are very expensive. Bus is unreliable. Trains are great. The station is 30 mins walking from the hotel, service ends early so plan ahead. Ideally, you need a car, none were available. Walking around is nice, but the city stretches far and wide. Beware of dog feces.

I am nice giving this hotel 3 stars. The suite is 4-star, but customer service is bad. If they want international guests, they must change. We paid 5-star prices to "guarantee" a good stay, which could’ve been much better. The Manager was informed we were celebrating our anniversary and traveling for the first time in years. The day before our departure, we kindly requested a little food for our departure, as we checked out before breakfast was served. Do you think they had informed the kitchen and prepared something?