Hotel Resort Lido degli Aranci Bivona

From the very beginning my wife, my daughter and I were extremely impressed with the Resort Lido degli Aranci, located in the heart of the Coast of the Gods, in Calabria (Italy), and enveloped in the orange and olive groves of a Tyrrhenian paradise, with long white beaches and crystal waters, and very near to such breathtaking areas as Pizzo Calabro, Tropea and Capo Vaticano. It is a very comfortable and all inclusive family beach resort, with spacious and immaculately clean rooms, a magnificent pool, an attractive dining hall, and easy access to two sandy beaches (one about 150 meters from the Lido, the other 5 minutes by courtesy hotel shuttle). This is not all. There is clearly something special about this place, something that makes it stand out among all other resorts I have visited. Especially noteworthy are the high degree of professionalism and outstanding dedication to service exhibited by the resort’s administration and staff. Management (Antonio and Delia in primis, who are always present, available, and in evidence) and all front-line staffers have an intuitive, profound understanding of the process of hotel service. All employees consistently demonstrate incredible energy and capacity for work, and a keen interest in their guests’ comfort. They always go well beyond the required duties, showing at all times a generosity and a thoughtfulness that are truly uncommon. They possess extraordinary emotional intelligence and a genuine joie de vivre: they all have shown to be kind, empathetic, available, gracious, and extremely efficient. I am referring to the entire personnel: reception desk, dining room, bar, pool, beach, room cleaning, shuttle service, childcare and animation, etc. More specifically, what are some of the resort services that made our visit to the “horn of Calabria” a warm, homely, relaxing, memorable one? 1) You can start your day with the best that an Italian gourmet breakfast has to offer; 2) You can be caressed by the sun, swimming in and lying by the hotel pool (or beaches), and enjoying from the bar anything from the famous gelato of Pizzo (the tartufo) to a latte di mandorla, from an espresso to a Spritz; and 3), last but not least, after a delicious and rich buffet lunch and dinner ̶ with plenty to delight the palate: from spaghetti with squid ink to the delicious Calabrian pasta al forno, from a tomato salad (adorned with olive oil and the unique Tropea red onions) to eggplant Parmigiana, from the famous ‘Nduja di Spilinga to all kinds of regional cheeses and locally grown fruits and vegetables ̶ , you can unwind and end your day tranquilly in the resort theatre or pool lobby, with a limoncello drink or even a tea, all in the company of the best Italian music (provided by an excellent animation group). The Lido degli Aranci’s commitment to service and client satisfaction is definitely beyond call. Its character radiates efficiency, friendliness and thorough professionalism. Needless to say, the Lido degli Aranci will have my business any time I am staying in the Calabria area of Italy.