"We are a family of three (2 adults and a 17.5 yr old) and stayed in a 2 bed apartment in block B number 6, which is close to reception. We were really worried when reading some of the reviews regarding cleanliness and that it was outdated and shabby but please don’t let these put you off.
Apartments are clean, spacious and have good facilities. Plenty of crockery, utensils. A good size fridge, small freezer compartment, kettle, hob, pots pans etc. a good sized clothes airer, a dustpan and brush and a small amenities pack (small bottle of washing up liquid, a cloth and a scourer). I brought a dishtowel with me. You will need to buy everything you will need for your stay - bin bags/toilet roll etc. you get 2 toilet rolls and 1 bin liner to get you started. If you are only staying for a few days, this would be enough. There is a small shop on site - with quite a random selection of products! It is only open 8am - 10am. There is a small supermarket near the bus station where you will get essentials. There is a larger supermarket farther up the hill on way back to Poiano but we didn’t use it.
We drank the tap water. We have good water in Scotland and the water in Garda was good and safe to drink. This saves you having to lug large bottles of water up the hill!! Apartments are not cleaned during the duration of your stay but half way through our stay, we received clean sheets and clean towels. You do need to empty your own bins and separating rubbish for recycling is encouraged. There no are large bin stores around the complex. Bedrooms are spacious, sheets are clean and beds are comfy. There are not many clothes hangers but I have travel clothes hangers (bought from Amazon) which worked a treat. There is good Air con in both bedrooms and living area. Bathroom is small and narrow, with no window but has a powerful extractor fan and has everything you need. There were small areas of tile grout in the shower which were a bit discoloured but it was clean. We were in a ground floor apartment, and had a nice outdoor area with table and chairs.
The resort is lovely, clean and well kept. Staff are lovely and nothing is a problem. There is a large swimming pool, which is really nice - lots of space even when busy. You get 1 pool towel each for the duration of your stay and must hand these back at the end of your stay. The towels are large and fluffy. Plenty of sunbeds at any time of the day. I found the sunbeds a bit uncomfortable but still used them most days. We brought our own pool towels with us and used them to pad out the sunbeds for a bit more comfort. Pool was open until 8pm and this was lovely to come back for an evening swim after a day out. There are lots of activities and a spa. We didn’t use any of these but heard from others that they are good.
We were self catering and there are 2 restaurants really close to the hotel which are lovely - capaninnia (at the bottom of the hotel driveway) and La lanterna (just round the corner) both lovely. Beware though - portion sizes are huge and we had to take some of our dinner away and had it for lunch the next day!
Other reviews mention other restaurants nearby but we didn’t find them
We ate in the hotel one evening and it was okay - the menu is set so options are quite limited but it was okay. We preferred eating out in Garda or nearby restaurants. .
The shuttle bus is good, the only criticism is that it stops early, around 8.45pm each night and there are very few taxis in Garda. We only saw a taxi a couple of times during our 10night stay. Car hire doesn’t seem to be available except maybe from Verona airport??
It is walkable but I’d say a good 30 minute walk down and possibly 30-40 minutes uphill (allowing for the intense heat!!) all the way back from Garda centre to the hotel.
It is very hilly, even in the resort so if you have mobility issues, you need to take this into account. I wouldn’t let that stop you booking but just be aware of how you will get around.
The ferries from Garda to other areas around the lake are good. We used them a few times. You can walk from Garda to Bardelino, along the lake and it is lovely. We walked in had lunch and a wander then got the bus back (afternoon heat is intense!).
It is a lovely resort, clean and well maintained with lots of activities. The furniture in the apartments is dated but is clean and fully functioning and has plenty of life left in it, even if it isn’t in vogue!
We had a great holiday, despite really worrying after reading some reviews here. Everyone has to be honest as to their experience however, I do think some of the reviews are unfair and exaggerated.
I’ve been as honest as I can and I would stay here again. My only gripe (and a small one at that) is how far out of Garda it is and the limited options of getting to and from the resort. If the shuttle bus ran a bit later, even maybe 3 times a week, it would be good to enjoy a later meal and a couple of drinks in Garda."
