Strand Hotel Delfini

"It’s such a shame about this hotel. The views are outstanding, the jetty direct into the sea is a perfect place to swim and warmer than their hotel pools. The staff were very helpful with no moaning there. Luckily there was one receptionist who spoke English and one waitress also. This is not their problem, we should have learned some Italian prior to leaving, especially knowing this is a tourist island for Italians, not typically for the English. So we struggles all over this island. A lesson learned. But the hotel is so tired, and in desperate need of a refurbish, everywhere. See the photos I’ve posted. The bedroom was from the 70s, again needing a full refurb. As does the bathroom. Hope they are not the current fashion/decor of Italy - doubt it though. Bathroom is just old, , the sink plug was broken, shower unit mouldy. The noisy wardrobes, and writing desk, gain very old fashioned. NOTE 1: there are no instructions in the room for using the very complex shower, no help with lowering/increasing the temperature of the air con (I found this out when I needed too turn off the air-con rumble when we went to bed, but couldn’t. Visited reception and told it’s controlled at reception only, and the in-room controls don’t work. Only way for us to turn off for a quieter sleet was to open the mains electrical fuse box in the room and turn off power to the zircon by dropping it’s fuse switch (See photo). Wife refused to do it of course. NOTE 2: There is no ironing board or iron either. It is kinda expected in a hotel room especially when your’e spending a week there. We managed of course. There is a small, kind of ineffective hotel fridge in the room. That helped with wine etc. The view from the ground-floor rusting balcony was spectacular though. Mount Vesuvius was clearly seen as the castle (See photos). But the partially painted balcony light didn’t work. The breakfast, was not good. Finishing at 10:30am, we typically took breakfast at 9am on the hotel balcony overlooking the fab views. We expected fresh cooked food there from the self serve trays with still having 1 and a half hours before end of breakfast. Just see the photos. The old hardened scrambled egg that must have been cooked when breakfast started at 7am, and never refreshed, as with the minimal amount of wet limp bacon left over (not on photo as no more bacon offered( no other hot food was ever available and never refreshed during service). The “fresh cut” fruit was the same reused for 3 mornings (see photo). I saw on two mornings in a row, the staff wrap up the pineapple and put back in their fridge as they did with the melon. 3 mornings that same fruit appeared. The photos do say this. I did complain, but got a reply of ‘it is fresh’. I mentioned it cost €1 for a pineapple, same for a melon so why on earth do they not provide fresh cut-up fruit every morning! Deaf ears. There was other fruit there and not too soft, apples kiwi, tangerines. The cereal, at 9am was a choice of one option - cornflakes. There were 3 empty jars expecting to be filled with other options, but not done. There was no milk available unless you asked, as I did every morning when I used the coffee machine to get a cup of hot water. When bread was low, it wasn’t refilled unless you asked. After asking if there was fresh scrambled egg to come out at approx 9am, they said no. What about any fresh bacon? No. I asked could they make me some fresh scrambled eggs, for me & my wife, and they did. Everyone else either ate the old dry scrambled egg of just did without or never thought they’d have to ask for it. Am I being unreasonable? breakfast should be providing fresh food, and keep refreshing it throughout service when running low, or old food gone hard, as you always expect from a hotel breakfast. Fruit is very low cost from the Port so no excuses really. Keep guests happy eh! Refurbishment is not so quick, not so cheap. but needs to happen. This hotel could be a little gem of a place. OK it’s not close to the main port, about a 15min trip of a bus on very dangerous roads (I’d never hire even a pedal bike to use on these roads with the drivers they have there, just no road rules it seems), but the bus stop is just outside hotel and on time. Port has some fab restaurants and the best pizzas I’ve ever tried. Island is fab also, and the hotel could be so much more."

"Terrible and inconceivable experience for a 4-star hotel We stayed (or rather, attempted to stay) at the Strand Hotel Delfini, paying over 900 € for a 4-night reservation. The room we were given was in indecent condition, far from the standards of a 4-star property. The walls of the room showed obvious and widespread damp problems, with swollen, peeling plaster and paint coming off in several places, even very close to the headboard of the bed and the light switches. The nightstands and furniture appeared damaged and neglected. Due to this obvious state of decay and lack of hygiene and decency, we experienced huge discomfort: around 9:00 PM we were forced to leave the property to go look for other accommodation at the last minute. An unacceptable situation that ruined the beginning of our vacation. I strongly advise against this property to anyone who expects decency and respect for the price paid."

"Excellent location .. Beautiful sea view .. Maintenance is a big flaw !!! The property could be a true 4-star luxury hotel, but currently it is (perhaps) a three-star .. the pool is all peeling, the maintenance is sloppy and everything is at a minimum .. very friendly but you can see that there is little attention. The beach area could be truly beautiful but currently it is very poorly maintained."