Colonna Beach Hotel Marinella

“Average holiday- read the reviews before booking.”

We recently stayed at VOI Colonna Village and, unfortunately, it didn't live up to its rating. On arrival, the welcome was fairly minimal. We were told the meal times, but little else about the hotel or its facilities. On departure we could not get any assistance with our luggage which would be dif… more

We recently stayed at VOI Colonna Village and, unfortunately, it didn't live up to its rating. On arrival, the welcome was fairly minimal. We were told the meal times, but little else about the hotel or its facilities. On departure we could not get any assistance with our luggage which would be difficult if you have mobility issues as the whole site is on a steep hill. Our room was clean, but very dated and in need of refurbishment. The beds were basic and not particularly comfortable, the air conditioning was noisy, and the towels were threadbare and ready for replacing. The dining room felt more like a busy school cafeteria than a relaxing restaurant. It was noisy, crowded and chaotic. The staff were lovely, friendly and worked incredibly hard, especially during busy service when they were running to clear and re-lay tables. The biggest disappointment was the food. The selection was limited, and there was very little signage to explain what each dish contained, making it difficult to identify allergens. Even more concerning was the temperature of the food. Dishes that should have been served hot, such as sliced meats in sauces, potatoes and eggs, were barely warm. The fried eggs were actually cold, as though they had come straight from the fridge. The pasta station served freshly cooked food each meal, although even that wasn't particularly hot. I ended up eating mainly salads throughout the week which did dampen my holiday vibe! The bar snacks were also disappointing, consisting mainly of leftover breakfast pastries. I only discovered halfway through the holiday that the pool bar had crisps available if you specifically asked for them. The resort caters largely for Italian guests, which creates a lovely family atmosphere. The pool area was excellent. The pool itself is beautiful, there were always plenty of sunbeds available, and a lifeguard was on duty throughout the day. We were on an all-inclusive package and, although the choice of drinks at the pool bar was fairly limited, it was perfectly adequate for us as we're not big drinkers. The entertainment team deserve special mention. They were full of energy, genuinely friendly and worked tirelessly from morning until night. They ran activities such as yoga, aqua fit and games during the day, then organised the children's entertainment before putting on a different show for adults each evening. They encouraged guests to join activities without ever being pushy, always stopping for a chat and greeting everyone with a smile. The beach was another highlight. Although quite small and busy, with sunbeds packed closely together in typical Mediterranean style, it had soft sand and wonderfully warm, crystal-clear, shallow water. Two sets of buoys marked the safe swimming area, making it ideal for families. There isn't a hotel beach bar, so drinks need to be purchased from the nearby public café. Overall, there were some positives, particularly the hardworking staff, entertainment team, pool and beach, but the tired accommodation and poor quality of the food meant this hotel fell well short of the standard I was hoping for. I wouldn't choose to return.

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“Not a 4-Star and requires some improvement”

We would like to provide some feedback regarding our recent stay. Unfortunately, there were several aspects of the hotel that did not meet our expectations: No WiFi password provided. Very little information was given about how the restaurants operate, either at check-in or when visiting the re… more

We would like to provide some feedback regarding our recent stay. Unfortunately, there were several aspects of the hotel that did not meet our expectations: No WiFi password provided. Very little information was given about how the restaurants operate, either at check-in or when visiting the restaurants themselves, staff were slow to serve us or replenish food and plates, especially in our breakfast restaurant. We received very little information about the hotel in general on arrival, where the toilets are located etc. An information booklet in the room or a QR code linking to hotel information would have been very helpful. The seating area around the bar is too small for the number of guests. Signage around the resort is minimal. It was often difficult to locate toilets, the pool, bar, restaurant, and navigate the pathways around the site, especially when you first arrive. There are no toilet facilities near the main swimming pool, which was very inconvenient, but on our last day we overheard the lifeguard pointing down some stairs, which we found out later that these were in fact the toilets with no signs from the pool area showing where the toilets were, we think people were urinating in the pool and there was human poo on the stairs from the pool that had dried up but never been cleared up… We do not feel this hotel meets a 4-star standard. There are numerous cracked and uneven tiles around the resort and pool area, creating both an untidy appearance and potential safety concerns (I can provide photos). The property would benefit from some refurbishment and greater attention to detail. We noticed poor paintwork and several DIY-style repairs that did not appear to have been completed to a good or safe standard. The food was disappointing and lacked quality, feeling more like school cafeteria food than what we would expect from a 4-star hotel, on the second week the food quality improved slightly. In the evenings, the children’s club dancing area was separated from the deep end of the swimming pool by only a rope, which did not seem particularly safe. There are often flies around the food, and some of the salad dishes are not kept refrigerated, in the dinner restaurant and lots of the tables were very wobbly and needed adjusting. Additionally, the safe in our room is not properly secured. It is only attached to the drawer unit, and when we arrived it was not even stuck down. Overall, we feel the hotel has potential but requires significant improvements to its facilities, maintenance, communication with guests, and overall standards in order to justify its advertised rating.

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