VOI Colonna Village

"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."

"Bad really bad, bedrooms are old and dirty. Days without water. Restaurants and food are not proper from Italy. Don’t spend even 1 euro at this place."

"The hotel offers multiple packages. This creates a very inconsistent stay as staff clearly do not know the difference of each wrist band colour representing each package. We booked under the all-inclusive package. We were given a Red & Yellow wrist band. The hotel advertises a private beach. We were allowed on the beach and allowed to use the facilities on one day. But then refused access and use of the facilities the following day due to our 'wrist bands not allowing it'. Even though we could see other residents with the same colour wrist bands on the beach. We were told to find somewhere to rent an umbrella and chair and use another section of the beach not within the private part of the hotel. Furthermore, we were allowed certain drinks by some staff, but then told by staff members those drinks weren't included in the all inclusive packages. Even water was refused to us one occasion! There is also one only restaurant. Not as advertised. I would describe the restaurant more as a 'food hall'. Just randomly placed chairs and tables, people walking over each other and not a fantastic choice of food. Fish served with all the bones and some foods extremely tasteless, like the scrambled eggs. One part of the restaurant is an outdoor area. Lovely view. We sat there one day, but then another day refused access..... Again due to our wrist bands. We tried to get clarification on what we were allowed. But every staff member gave a different description on what our wrist band colours meant. One staff member thought we weren't entitled to anything. Pros: - amazing views from hotel - entertainment staff were excellent - hotel fairly clean - excursions are easy to book through excursion staff and close to hotel - great location Negatives: - Bad food - inconsistent stay leaving residents feeling confused on what they can or can't do. Makes the trip feel on edge and guessing - poor advertising. Private beach (but only if you have a deluxe room...... Or a staff member deices to say yes because they don't know) - 1 restaurant isn't clean and feels crowded - multiple power cuts - not enough seats at the 1 bar - Rude staff"