Riva Marina Resort - Cdshotels

Booked a holiday with TUI to this hotel even though the reviews were very mixed, we booked a comfort room on full board plus which means that you get unlimited wine, beer, water and soft drinks with your meals. We stayed from 25th September to 2nd October and considered what we paid was very reasonable. This was towards the end of their season so some of the facilities were not available, ie the beach sun beds and train ended on the Sunday during our stay. Without the train it is a long walk to the beach, there are only two exits from the resort, the main one is manned but the one the train uses is supposed to be able to open with your room card but this appears to be broken so only way to get out would be to phone reception and ask them to open it for you. The description of the hotel on their own website is a resort rather than hotel, it is comprised of several blocks of rooms spread over a large area, the blocks are over 2 floors. Although we booked a comfort room we were upgraded to a suite, perhaps as the resort may not have been full at the end of the season. We were more than happy with the suite, it was very clean and spacious with two rooms and a large bathroom and a separated room with a washbasin, it would have accommodated a family of 5 although we were only a couple. (See photos). The dining room is very large as it has to accommodate the large number of guests, everyone has their own tables allocated on arrival, tours that stay here do sit on larger tables of 10 but I expect that is how the tour managers want them to be. The anti pasti course is buffet style with plenty of choice and different dishes every day. 1st and 2nd course are served by the staff from 3 different stations and although queues formed you didn’t have to wait long to be served. Desserts were available in the evening only but fruit was always on offer. Breakfast was adequate, bacon, scrambled eggs, frankfurter sausage, boiled eggs, and croissants either plain, chocolate or custard filled along with usual continental items. It’s not Michelin Star but we wouldn’t expect that with the amount we paid, we didn’t have any repetition of meals during our stay and all we ate met expectations. The staff were all very pleasant and perhaps don’t chat as they know very little English. The pool bar served drinks in plastic cups as other reviews have said, bottled beer was available and prices were reasonable. The pool was large with plenty sun beds and at the time we were there no towels reserving them first thing. Also enough umbrellas and trees for everyone to get shade if needed. We took our own towels so can’t comment on the availability of hotel ones. Tours do stop here and perhaps depending on what time of the year you visit may give you a different experience, we visited when Italian children were back at school so only a handful of toddlers there. The most coaches we saw in the car park was 12. This was our first visit to PUGLIA and wanted to be located where

We visited this resort with Mistral Holidays, We were most surprised to find it was in the middle of no where you could not go out for a walk without using your key card at the security gates but unfortunately the card readers were damaged at the gate so a phone call to reception was needed. The rooms are spread over a very large area so walking to the centre to get your meals was quite difficult and if it happened to rain you would get very wet. The drinks at the bar were all served in small plastic cups no options for a glass explanation given fights had occurred and glasses used as weapons. I hate my beer in a 3rd of a pint plastic cup. the restaurant was huge 200 plus people dinning at the same time the noise was incredible. Pushing and shoving in an attempt to get poor quality food to eat at works canteen metal tables no tables for two. The toilets in the public areas had broken locks on all the cubical doors so foot against the door with your pants down. is this the 4 star experience we were promised. Thank god for the exclusions we enjoyed in this lovely area otherwise it would have been a complete disaster.

If you thinking of staying at this hotel DON’T. Supposedly 4 star by Italian Authority but it was nowhere our perception of 4 star. The majority of our fellow travellers would liken it to an upmarket Italian Holiday. Dining was like a school dinner hall with limited choice at dinner and often cold. Plastic cups for drinks everywhere. Loud overpowering Italian entertainment. We travelled with a company called Mistral Holidays, would not recommend them. Cost £3000 for a couple for 7 days for package!!! Photo 1 is room and outside. Photo 2 dining room. Neither like as stated in brochure.

RESORT MOLTO BELLO, CAMERE PULITISSIME, RISTORANTE CON VARIETA' DI CIBI ECCELLENTI SPIAGGIA ATTREZZATA SEMPRE PULITA ADATTO SIA A FAMIGLIE CHE A GRUPPI DI AMICI ANIMAZIONE TOP TUTTI BRAVISSIMI CAST ARTISTICO CHE LA SERA FA SPETTACOLI DI ALTISSIMA QUALITA' LO CONSIGLIO A TUTTI CI TORNERO' SICURAMENTE RAFFAELLA

We booked through Mistral Holidays and this hotel was a big disappointment.The restaurant was more of a very large canteen. We had to sit at large tables instead of individual ones. The food was NEVER hot, most days it was not even warm. The food was of very poor quality and included lots of tinned fruit and vegetables. The wine in the restaurant was actually dispensed from a pump into a plastic jug and was very poor quality. We were only ever given plastic cups to drink from - we were told that glasses were only for ‘the paying customers’ – surely we had already paid as part of the inclusive package? There were very strange opening times for the bars and snack bars – with nothing open at lunchtime. The staff all seemed miserable, only 2 were seen to smile throughout the entire week.

Accommodation lovely, couldn’t fault. However after staying there for a week and booking through TUI, it soon became apparent that TUi’s description did not match the hotel description. Language barrier was a big thing, not many staff spoke English, lack of entertainment and what evening entertainment there was happens around 1030 pm. Not much help when you have had dinner, sat at the bar with a drink and headed back to your room because there is nothing else going on! Lack of signs around the complex advertising any entertainment or activities. The basic signs they had, were only in intalian! Kids disco happens around 915pm after dinner! Not sure how long for. Food options were mostly the same each day, although nice but a bit of a change and more fresh fruit would be lovely. Beach within a short walking distance, however we did a find a nice circular route from the hotel to the beach.. alternatively you can hop on the hotel train to the beach. Lovely and relaxing there. The spa was amazing and had a lovely massage. Tried to find the fitness area that was advertised on the hotel map, Turns out the gym was in the spa which is only open at certain times. Did not feel it was the all inclusive holiday we had expected. TUI rep’s do not visit this hotel which we were aware of and can be contacted on the TUi app.