Parco Vacanze Monti e Mare

We stayed in the new part of the property, in the Sanctuary suite, and overall it was a really excellent experience. The first thing to say is that the suite itself is exceptional. It has the space, finishes and overall feeling of a large suite in a five-star hotel. I honestly cannot think of many places in Liguria where you can find this kind of accommodation, of this size, practically in front of the sea and with this level of comfort. The style is very elegant, with a strong Asian influence. At times you almost feel as if you are somewhere in Bali rather than in Liguria – until you look out and see Gallinara Island in front of you. The outdoor space is probably the highlight. The terrace is huge, with different areas where you can sit in the shade or in the sun, a sofa area, sunbeds and a private plunge pool. The bedroom is also excellent, with a very comfortable bed, and the bathroom is fully in line with the rest of the suite, with a large walk-in shower and very good quality finishes. As far as the accommodation itself is concerned, I would easily give it five stars. There is, however, one important point to understand before booking: this is not a five-star hotel, it is a residence. For us this was absolutely fine because we knew it in advance and actually preferred the greater privacy, but expectations should be clear. The room is cleaned every day by very friendly staff and everything is very well maintained, but you do not have the additional services you would normally expect from a luxury hotel: no turndown service, no room service and none of the constant attention that comes with a traditional five-star property. Personally, we did not miss any of this. In fact, we quite enjoyed being left alone and having such a private space. Breakfast is delivered in a basket every morning, with a generous selection of sweet and savoury items. The pastries in particular were very good. There is a Nespresso machine in the suite, as well as a small minibar with complimentary soft drinks and fruit juices. Again, this is where the residence concept is different from a hotel. If your idea of breakfast includes eggs, bacon and a large made-to-order five-star buffet, you will not find that here. The same applies to food delivery. You can easily order things such as sushi, pizza, burgers or poke, but if you want a proper fine-dining dinner, the solution is simply to go out for dinner. This was not an issue for us at all. Privacy is very good, especially considering the size of the Sanctuary. There is so much space that you can always find your own quiet corner. A couple of details could perhaps be improved: from one part of the terrace you can see the small parking area below, which is not the most attractive view, and around the plunge pool there are a few rooms behind overlooking the area. In practice, however, the whole property is very small and quiet, so neither of these points caused us any real problem during our stay. Another big plus for us is that the property is very dog-friendly. Travelling with a dog was easy and we felt completely comfortable. The beach is very close, at Baba Beach. The beach service is paid separately and prices are definitely on the high side, although this is fairly normal for this part of Liguria and for this level of beach club. The staff throughout our stay were friendly, relaxed and always available when needed. Of course, the price of the Sanctuary is also comparable to what you might pay for a five-star hotel, so this is something you have to consider. You are paying mainly for an exceptional suite, the space, the private terrace, the plunge pool, the location and the privacy rather than for traditional five-star hotel service. For us, that trade-off worked very well. If you are looking for something quite different from the usual Ligurian hotel experience, with a bit of a Bali or Indonesian-island atmosphere but with the Ligurian sea right in front of you, the Sanctuary is definitely a place worth considering.

Great view, clean beach, friendly staff. The apartment smells musty and is in need of renovation. Pictures nicely retouched. Bar is only open until 7:30 PM, then there is nothing going on.

We stayed at one of their tent pitches, which had a fantastic view! Here is peaceful and quiet. There are no provisioning facilities nearby and generally nothing happens on site. The toilet conditions are sparse, but fine standard. However only 2 toilets and 2 bathrooms for all visitors. Also be aware that there is a nightclub on the other side of the road, which holds outdoor parties with loud (!!) music until 6:00 in the morning. So if you prefer a good night's sleep, one must find another place. We left the place 3 days earlier than planned. Unfortunately, we will not return.