Hotel Cala del Porto - Relais & Chateaux

Unfortunately our experience was decidedly negative. It is never pleasant to write negative reviews (and in my profile they are the minority), but in this case it is truly impossible not to highlight the things that did not work (and there are many). Let's start with the structure: - Room definitely small for a 5-star, made even smaller by two armchairs placed in front of the bed of dubious utility - From the first day we smelled a bad drain odor (both in the morning upon waking and in the evening upon returning). We reported it a good 2 times and were told that the "maintenance worker" would intervene to resolve it, but nothing changed. We left on Sunday and the odor was still there... We were not offered a room change, we were not offered a benefit of any kind or a discount... nothing at all; evidently a 5-star with a drain odor in the room turned out to be a normal thing - For all of Thursday and part of Friday the hotel was without hot water... it's fine that it's summer, but I assure you that taking a shower with cold water is not pleasant at all. Also in this case, a classic apology message (which was very late, considering we had to call ourselves to ask for info on why the hot water wasn't working) and consternation but nothing more... - In the room there was a small desk, perfect for a laptop, too bad there were no power outlets. The only outlet was on the wall and they put the television over it, making it unusable... So a workstation for working but only if the laptop is charged, otherwise nothing to do... - The TV was a leap into the past to when I was a child: 8 channels in all... RAI, Mediaset and La 7 channels... nothing more. Sky was there but it didn't work, 15 Sky channels all with a black background - In the room there was neither a kettle nor a coffee machine (a standard for 5 stars) The Services: - There is no SPA: only a massage room - The gym was pathetic: a kind of mini greenhouse with 3 pieces of equipment, without even air conditioning... - The hotel does not have a private beach. Oh well, that's fine: it's clearly written during the booking phase, so no surprise. When asked, however, it had been pointed out to me that the hotel had an agreement with some beach clubs in the area, but that a reservation would be necessary... Nothing strange, it makes sense that in high season you have to book your spot. However, no one had pointed out to us that "the reservation" was not the only constraint, but that we also had to pay for the spot at an average of €100 per day... So, in addition to the cost of the hotel, you have to add the cost of the spot, which for a week is not cheap. Honestly, I would have expected it to be included in the cost of the stay or at least that a "special" rate would be applied as hotel guests... - Of the 3 "partner" establishments, only Beach Golf had space and so we went there, paying over €100 each time for an umbrella and two sun loungers. But the really laughable thing is that they even made us pay for the showers (not just the hot one, the cold one too...). Once again, it's not the €0.50 that is annoying, but I find it truly unacceptable that as a guest of a 5-star hotel you find yourself paying for a shower after you have already had to pay for the spot. I would still like to emphasize the positive things (unfortunately few): 1. The restaurant: cuisine that is never banal, quality ingredients and service worthy of a 5-star hotel (perhaps the only thing truly 5-star). In the end, after the first evening when we had dinner there out of exhaustion, we decided to eat at the hotel almost every time because it was really worth it. 2. The restaurant terrace: splendid both at breakfast and at dinner (especially at sunset). Surrounded by very well-kept pine trees, breezy, and with a truly spectacular view of the harbor and the sea. 3. The pool area: not large, but well-kept, very quiet and peaceful with the possibility of having lunch and dinner at the pool bar (the spaghetti with tomato sauce is excellent). 4. The shuttle service: convenient for getting around locally without having to take the car. I'll close with a gem: at the end of every stay, even in 2-star hotels, you are asked if the stay went well or not. We weren't even asked this... perhaps there was a fear (or the certainty) of a decidedly negative response. Problems can happen when working; the issue is how they are faced and managed. It is customer care that makes the difference. Pretending nothing happened or thinking that the classic textbook message "we perfectly understand your disappointment and we are sincerely sorry that your stay is not reflecting the standards we wish to guarantee our guests" is sufficient to mitigate a customer's dissatisfaction is truly old-fashioned. In conclusion: for me, it is not a 5-star hotel, but perhaps it would be worth questioning even if it were a 4-star. Unfortunately, I must note that it is a very common trend for historic properties that think they can live off their reputation, not realizing that to stay in the market today, much more is needed...

I highly recommend this property. Against a major bill, the treatment and organization were totally inadequate for the level and stars that the hotel boasts.The problems began immediately with the management of the parking lot. As there was no room for the car, the property had offered to pick me up at another hotel. On leaving, the car's mover took about 30 minutes to free it, having to make millimetre manoeuvres in reverse between other vehicles. A logistical problem well known to the management, but handled badly, which caused only a heavy waste of time.The table arrangement was another huge disappointment. While the rest of the dinner took place outside, by the pool and on the rooftop terrace, my table was placed inside the hotel. We found ourselves in the midst of the continuous passage of waiters, in an environment totally devoid of the atmosphere for which we had paid. The dinner itself proved a failure: fish samples accompanied by smoothed sauces with extreme flavors, in the forced search for an originality that only ruined the raw materials. Biblical waiting times were added to this, with about 30 minutes between courses. The situation was so unsustainable that I and three other tables (without agreeing) left mid-dinner. The most painful note was the indifference of the staff. At the time of our early farewell, we were dismissed with a smile on our faces, pretending nothing had happened. A behavior that I perceived as a mockery to the end. A structure of this category cannot entrust the management of the hall to young people with so little experience. I'm never coming back.

Five-star hotel with an exceptional view of the Punta Ala harbor. We booked two rooms for my family, and due to availability, we were assigned rooms in the basement compared to the reception, on opposite sides of the hotel. As soon as we entered the rooms, there was a very strong smell of dampness. In fact, even the mirrors in the wardrobe, as well as the wall mirror in the adjacent room, which is a family room, were all fogged up despite the air conditioning being on, which never really cooled the room even when set to the minimum (perhaps it does not work well). A similar situation occurred in room number 2 on the opposite side of the hotel. Perhaps this is nothing compared to the floor, which remained wet for both days of our stay, not just damp, even though I brought the issue to the attention of the reception, which was always willing to resolve the problem. In room number 2, my father-in-law was present and almost slipped on the floor. There were also gnats in his room. In both rooms, the television did not work properly; some channels had no audio. Weak air conditioning despite being set to maximum. Very pleasant pool with a panoramic view, surrounded by well-maintained greenery and plants. The lifeguard was almost never present at the pool during these two days. The restaurant is very well presented and has a position with a view of the pools and the charming harbor. Honestly, I expected a slightly more varied menu in terms of choices. High prices for the quality offered. All the hotel staff, starting from the reception girls to those in the dining and bar areas, are absolutely kind and available. I believe that it is precisely the hotel's management that should review issues related to the hotel's structure for improvement purposes, particularly the rooms, which certainly contribute to providing the right level for the hotel that I would consider, based on my experience, a 4-star rather than a 5-star because, although it is true that overall you only stay in the rooms to sleep, it is equally true that the rooms must satisfy the customer 100% who is willing to pay more than €600 a night in search of comfort that, in our case, was lacking.