La Roccia

Booked a spot with an umbrella + 2 sunbeds yesterday, by phone at 7:21 PM. A young man answers who probably earned his hospitality diploma without much success. I leave my first name, last name, and phone number. I arrive at the facility this morning, they inform me that there is no reservation under my name. I diverted to another establishment. If you have elderly people with you (my case), it is to be considered a “dangerous” facility. Middle of August, with my 70-year-old mother in tow, no parking provided, you risk fainting considering that the girl at the reception did not provide a valid alternative. Trainwreck experience: Poop Cruise. Highly unrecommended.

We had a really lovely stay at Hotel La Roccia and, overall, it is a wonderful place to visit. The hotel is beautiful, and the service was exceptional. Arianna and Gabriele were absolutely fantastic—they went above and beyond to make our stay memorable with their local recommendations, knowledge of the area, and genuine warmth. Nothing was ever too much trouble. The only reason I’m not giving a perfect review is because of our experience around the sunbed area. On our first day, we were given a spot by the pool but were later asked to move from it, which was confusing. Later in our stay, after our chairs were taken, we moved to what we genuinely believed were unused sunbeds. Another guest immediately challenged us and angrily messaged someone on her phone. Shortly afterwards, six young Italian men arrived. When I politely apologised and explained that we thought the sunbeds were free and that we were were happy to move, one of them replied in a threatening tone, “Don’t worry, we won’t do anything this time.” As a woman, hearing that while surrounded by a group of young men was unsettling. Although nothing further happened, it made us feel anxious whenever we used the pool area. A couple of days later, we also overheard the same group calling us disparaging names in Italian, which made us feel very unwelcome. I want to stress that none of this reflects on the hotel staff, who were consistently kind, professional and accommodating throughout our stay. Arianna and Gabriele are a real credit to Hotel La Roccia. I do think the hotel should ensure that all guests feel equally welcome to use the shared facilities and that no group is allowed to make others feel intimidated or as though they are trespassing in an unofficially reserved area. We would genuinely love to return because the hotel and its staff are outstanding. However, we would have to think twice if this situation with these guests were allowed to continue, as it unfortunately overshadowed what would otherwise have been a perfect holiday.

We have just returned from a very pleasant weekend spent in this splendid hotel and the experience was decidedly positive. We stayed in a really beautiful, spacious, and comfortable room (101). The beach station, equipped with a very comfortable futon, was also highly appreciated and made moments of relaxation even more pleasant. A special round of applause goes to all the staff, who were always extremely kind, helpful, and professional. If one really wanted to look for the classic "nitpicking," there were only a few minor slip-ups in the room management: the first day the slippers were missing, while the second day the maids had forgotten to refill the soap dispenser, even though I had left it open as a signal. Considering the price range of the property, I would also suggest providing beach towels and bathrobes in the room, a service that would make the experience even more complete and in line with the high level of the hotel. These are, however, details that did not in the slightest compromise a truly pleasant stay. It is a property that we recommend with pleasure and to which we hope to be able to return next year as well. PugliaBari72