Sorriso Thermae Resort & Spa

I spent 3 nights here with a large group of Italians. After reading some of the negative reviews, I was happy to discover I'd been allocated a room in the main hotel building. Plus points: the whole place is clean and well maintained, the lobby is beautiful and the pool area full of flowers and with stunning views of the sea. Our room (607) was clean and the housekeeping lady very friendly and competent. We'd booked a double with 2 single beds, but on arrival, found a double bed. However, the problem was solved within the next half hour. The beds are comfortable and towels are changed on a daily basis. We also had a little outdoor space to sit in as well as a hanging rack for wet swimsuits etc. The room itself didn't have a sea view, but just a few steps from our seating area was a large space where you could enjoy a beautiful view. The fridge was useful. Some people criticised the fact that there's a long walk down to the beach, but for those who don't want to do this, booking a free shuttle at reception is very easy. We walked down, but got a shuttle back up. We also enjoyed relaxing in the thermal pools, including the indoor one in the spa, with various massaging water jets. The latter is obviously quite old, but I've seen much worse! The pool bar was nice with friendly staff and prices are reasonable for a hotel. When we were there, there was live music in the evening, with a dance floor. Breakfast was typically Italian, with a lot of cakes, but there were also cereals and (somewhat limited) savoury options. If you're used to good Italian food (I live in Puglia!), the regular hotel meals might be a little disappointing. I would have liked more fresh vegetables and salads, for example. I didn't try the à la carte restaurant as our group had booked half board. A bus stop just outside the hotel made visiting the island very convenient. You can buy tickets for the bus, as well as some other places to visit: we went to the lovely Giardini Mortella, at Reception. All the staff were helpful and competent, and I spent a few very enjoyable and relaxing days on this beautiful island.

I really liked both the hotel and the island. The hotel: a thermal water pool and a very nice spa center. The food was varied; every morning we received a menu where we would check off what we wanted for dinner. A very nice system—it helps avoid food waste. There was a bus that took you to the beach, but we also had the option of going down the stairs behind the hotel. The rooms were clean, and housekeeping was done daily. In front of the hotel, there was a bus stop, which made it very easy to explore the island. A wonderful place that I would love to return to.