Poiano Resort Hotel

" Our transfer took about an hour and a half, including dropping off other holidaymakers. On arrival, we had lunch at the pool bar. Prices were reasonable and the service was very quick considering the time of day. The staff were friendly and understood that we didn't have a room number yet as we'd only just arrived, so we simply paid by card. Our room was ready at 3pm. Our Junior Suite was right at the top of the hills, so reception arranged for their driver to take us and our luggage up. The driver even brought our bags right into the room — brilliant service. One important point: this is definitely not a resort for anyone with significant mobility difficulties. You can easily do 500 steps just getting to the restaurant! Our Junior Suite The Junior Suite was probably the largest room we've ever stayed in. The only slight oddity was having the TV positioned in front of a mirror. Everything else was excellent. We never ran out of toilet paper, coffee or towels, and the kettle was absolutely spotless. The safety deposit box key is obtained from reception with a refundable €25 deposit. The mini fridge was stocked and, to be honest, the prices were very reasonable — €3.50 for a can of soft drink, for example. It appears that Italy itself provides the full-sugar, rather than sugar-free, versions of Coke, Fanta and other drinks as the first choice! The Restaurant The restaurant was happy to take our order in the evening, with three choices available, including a vegetarian option, plus two separate children's choices. The food was superb. Not one disappointment throughout our stay. Beef medallions, smoked pork... our picky teenagers tried everything and ate the lot! NOT A FRIED CHIP IN SIGHT — WOO! The salad bar was amazing, with loads of choice. It was never overly busy and there was plenty of space to move around comfortably. Desserts and fruit salad were also plentiful, with plenty of choice. And whatever you do... DON'T MISS THE GRAND BUFFET — AMAZING! Indoor Pool & Spa The indoor pool is well worth booking, particularly for families wanting a break from the noise of the main pool. It has a really calming atmosphere. The staff were lovely and, just like the rest of the hotel, the area was exceptionally clean. I would have liked to try some of the treatments, but unfortunately we never got around to it. Cleanliness & Service Cleanliness was amazing. Our room was cleaned and our towels changed every day. I genuinely can't understand why people moaned! The staff were fantastic — friendly, helpful and understanding of everything we needed. Again, I can't understand why people moaned! The whole resort is extremely well maintained. All the toilets we used were clean, tables were cleared quickly and everything felt looked after. The views are amazing, there are plenty of areas to sit and relax, and the evening entertainment was lovely to listen to as we made our way back to our room. The Restaurant Team The waiters and waitresses, particularly Anabella, could not have been more helpful, attentive and friendly. They work so, so hard. We noticed that they often doubled up on different roles and still performed every one of them exceptionally well. A special thank you to Carmine, who welcomed us at the restaurant. One thing to remember: water is €3.50 a go, and the drinks chit only shows the size of the bottle, so keep that in mind. Shop & Activities The small daily shop doesn't have a huge range, but once again the prices were reasonable. STILL DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE MOANED! There were daily activities around the pool, including aqua aerobics and sports. The sports entertainer was absolutely exceptional — so energetic! She was also incredibly calm and patient when showing my son archery, and he actually got a bullseye! A lovely lady who deserves a pay rise! Overall Overall, this resort is going to be very difficult to beat wherever we go next — although I wouldn't rule out coming back! The only real shame was that we were there during Italy's fourth heatwave. We only managed to visit Garda town once, using the shuttle service. We had to wait for the next shuttle on the way back, but it really wasn't a long wait. Again, I can't understand why people moaned! Garda was extremely busy because it was a market day, and with the heat it was simply too much for us. We would definitely have explored further if the weather had been cooler. But that's also why the resort worked so well for us. Everything we needed was right there. If I had one suggestion, it would be for a little more variety at the pool bar, although the pizzas, hot dogs and chicken were excellent snack food. Drinks were reasonably priced too. A massive thank you to all the staff for making our stay so enjoyable. Going to be very difficult to top this one!"

"We had a great holiday here! We stayed in the junior suite right at the top of the hill - so we had amazing views of the lake from our large balcony - but just be prepared for a lot of steps to get to there - however, we often got lifts in the golf buggies which was a lot of fun! The room was large, very clean, lots of wardrobe space, modern bathroom, towels changed every day. We stayed full board - had great tables with lake views in the restaurant. Food was good and dinner menu changed each night. Each night there was different live music entertainment outside after dinner. The staff can't do enough for you - all really friendly and helpful (special shout out to Fabio for the golf buggy lifts and the maitre D for being so charming and welcoming! Pool was olympic sized - daily free water aerobics, water polo and archery which was great. Food round the pool was good and reasonably priced. Only con was the sun loungers are plastic, so a bit uncomfortable. Great base for exploring Garda town, Bardolino town and Verona. All in all, a great place for a family holiday- would definitely recommend."

"I don’t often write reviews but as a travel agent, thought I would share my honest opinion of this resort. Stayed for 8 nights in July as family of 4 with 2 adults and 2 teens in a 2-bedroom lake view apartment. Firstly the location - it is outside of the main town but takes literally minutes by car, which we had and most definitely needed. The setting is stunning with amazing views - very peaceful and quiet. There are a few restaurants within walking distance of the main gates - one of which we ate at and were impressed with quality and price. There is a shuttle service into Garda Town but we didn’t use this. We would have liked to in the evening so we could go out for dinner without the worry of driving back but the last return was too early. The resort itself has great facilities - impressive pool area with lots of sun beds. Never an issue to find a bed at most times of day and hardly anyone reserving them early. There is a nice little pool bar reasonably priced plus padel courts, a driving range and 2-hole golf course. However, the cost to use any of these was pretty steep and for the majority of time we were there, hardly anyone was using them. Cannot comment on restaurant or bar as we didn’t use these. The apartments - Italian hotels are known for the their more ‘rustic’ decor and I was not expecting luxury. However the first apartment they tried to give me in block A was shabby and dark. The balcony so small that the four of us would not have fitted on it and you could not see the ‘lake view’ if you were sitting down! I asked to move and although the guy on reception wasn’t very happy about this (did I mention I understand a lot of Italian!) , he did offer me an alternative apartment in block B. This was brighter and the furnishings slighter better. Everything was clean and functional with good air con. Bathroom was tiny but well ventilated with a very noisy extractor. For a 4* resort I would have expected basic toiletries to be supplied but there weren’t any. We had a large terrace area with view out to the lake which was lovely to sit out on. So glad we moved rooms. Not sure why they tried to put us in the first room which was giving prison cell vibes! Do not come here expecting a luxury resort. It most definitely has the potential to be so but the apartments are in need of total refurbishment. This being said, I think the price point reflects this. Apparently they are planning on updating the rooms but l imagine the prices to stay here will then be higher. Overall - amazing location and base if you have a car to get out and explore. Shame the rooms look like they haven’t been touched since the 80s."