Hotel Il Fortino

“On the top of the hill”

It's at the tope of the hill overlooking the harbour area. Amazing vistas, some rooms will have the views, others will not. This is a partly manned hotel, and here's why. It is owned and run by the people who own La Palma. They do the checking in and out from that hotel - a sweaty 5 minute hill ... more

It's at the tope of the hill overlooking the harbour area. Amazing vistas, some rooms will have the views, others will not. This is a partly manned hotel, and here's why. It is owned and run by the people who own La Palma. They do the checking in and out from that hotel - a sweaty 5 minute hill walk away in the heat of summer. That can be annoying when it comes to pay. They have great staff at the Il Fortino for breakfast (it's fine - you can ask for cooked eggs in addition to a full continental breakfast, and the coffee is good). After that it's totally unmanned. We turned up and there was nobody there. We shouted for someone and then eventually a cleaner turned up and put us on the phone with La Palma. There weren't any instructions for this, so it was a bit weird. Anyway, that strangeness of the management situation shouldn't put you off. It really is an amazing location for a hotel, possibly the best in town. It's close enough to be easy waling distance down, but far enough away to have none of the noise of the busy restaurants in the evening, with their Karaoke nights. The room was always very well cleaned. Laundry service is good, but it won't come back the same day as it says on the form. No bar, no wifi (whatever the website says about wifi in communal areas, forget it, that's not true, there is no wifi at all inside and only public wifi outside), no desk in the hotel. Great views, good rooms, AC works thank god. The hotel managers also own Tropical, which is a very strange spa resort a 10 minute walk away. When I asked if the hotel had a pool, I was told the Tropical entrance was included, and there were 10 pool there... Wow. 10 pools.... All of them awful. Tropical is a bad experience even when it's free (included with the hotel), so don't go there. If you want a hotel with a pool find somewhere else.

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“4 star?”

Surely not a 4 star hotel as they publicize. I would give it a two max a three. Rooms are old, need updating, doors do not close, no bar/restaurant, no receptionist during day or night ....no pool and no free entrance to thermal facilities....Beautiful location but to get to it can be compared to... more

Surely not a 4 star hotel as they publicize. I would give it a two max a three. Rooms are old, need updating, doors do not close, no bar/restaurant, no receptionist during day or night ....no pool and no free entrance to thermal facilities....Beautiful location but to get to it can be compared to mountain climbing. It is a steep climb that will challenge your stamina and endurance. Breakfast service is good, service excellent but they are only there for breakfast.

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“not suitable for infirm !”

this hotel is on the top of a very steep hill ! no lift or transport up, definitely not for the faint hearted. Only breakfast served, no bar, access to the thermal pools very good value. Staff helpful but only part time.