Hotel La Palma

Just got back from this hotel, mattresses blocking the fire escape. Breakfast was good,but had an evening meal, the quality of the food awful. Steps to climb everywhere, even to get to the lift. Reception staff were helpful, those that could speak English. We encountered very bad weather, nothing to do in the Hotel, no English channels on the TV. Lots of hills to climb,had to pay 40euros to get us to the Taxi rank to meet our transfer home. Food and drinks were very expensive.

The hotel is close to the beach in this quiet, attractive resort. Access to the beach involves steps so those with mobility issues could have a problem. Access to the lift in the hotel involves climbing stairs. Road access to the hotel from the drop off is tricky by foot. We paid 6 Euros for an electric buggy. For our early return flight the buggy would cost 30 Euros, so we pulled our suitcase up the steep hill - taking around 20 minutes. I’d normally give this hotel 4 stars - friendly staff, clean room, air conditioning, small balcony, fridge, bathroom with bidet and small shower & wifi. The restaurant lets down the hotel. The continental breakfast was OK but the meats, cheese & eggs were not topped up. The evening meal had plenty of courses but not exciting - fish was best. The desserts had less choice as the week went on – only cake on our last day. I hope the hotel sorts out these issues because, providing there are no mobility issues, it is a wonderful place to stay in a relaxing, attractive, quiet location. Nice bars and restaurants, a reasonably priced, hot spa and pools are close by. A regular clockwise and anticlockwise bus service leaves every 10-15 minutes during the day.

If you are visiting what is probably the best town to stay on Ischia, there is a wide choice of hotels. They are nearly all located in the pedestrian zone and involve a lot of walking and step climbing even if you do avail yourself of the extortionately priced golf buggies that will ferry you around. La Palma is an almost ramshackle collection of buildings joined together by endless staircases to make a hotel that struggles to be 3 star and is probably 2 star at best but for its location and stunning views. There is a fine line between quaint and dated and this hotel often walks it. Our room - 336 - was as far as it is possible to walk from reception and involved a climb of about 150ft along no less than 14 staircases! Not for the elderly!! Bathrooms are tiny, furniture has seen better days and parts of the construction are borderline to say the least. Yet the staff are fantastic, especially in the dining area, and despite limited English will do anything for you if you treat them with courtesy. The hotel seemed to be almost entirely occupied by Russians who didn’t treat anyone with courtesy so we got great service. The location and views are probably the best on the island, loads of fantastic bars and restaurants nearby make this a proper secret escape. We had a half board deal and breakfast was basic and fresh and dinner couldn’t be faulted for service or volume. Perhaps a little bland by Italian standards but always a good selection. There are better hotels here and probably a lot more expensive too, but for Friendly and authentic taste of Ischia it’s a good choice.