An ok hotel in Riva del Garda (Hotel Riviera (Riva Del Garda, Italy))

Member Name: lyndsey1989

Product:	Hotel Riviera (Riva Del Garda, Italy)
Date:	11/08/09 (51 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Clean, staff

Disadvantages: Food

We booked a total of 3 rooms with this hotel back in May 2009 for a visit in July. All was well until a change in circumstances meant we needed to add an extra person to our holiday. The hotel to say the least were rather unhelpful telling us there was no way they could possibly fit an 8 year old in the hotel. This was even more annoying as after paying near on £800 for a twin room in a nearby hotel it was obvious the Riviera had a number of free rooms.

The Hotel Riviera is located on the northern edge of Lake Garda in the small town of Riva del Garda. The transfer from the airport (Verona) took nearly 2 hours but in a car it takes around 1 hour 15 minutes. The hotel has around 30 rooms so it is relatively small in comparison to other hotels in the area.

Upon arrival check in was quick and easy. They took the information from the passports and then gave them back straight away. The owner then carried our cases up for us and showed us our rooms which were next door to one another. The rooms were of an ok size, they had an LCD tv, wardrobe, small table and bedside tables. The bathroom had a shower, toilet and sink. It was very clean. We also had a very large balcony with tables, chairs and plants on. We were overlooking the lake so it was nice to sit here of an evening.

The hotel does have a swimming pool but it is over the road which we found to be rather offputting. It does have a small bar and a restarant but no entertainment. There is a computer there with internet access which will set you back 3 euros for 30 minutes, regardless if you only want it for 10 or not.

The food in our personal opinions was not up to scratch. We ate breakfast every day which consisted of mainly toast, cereal and yoghurt but we passed on dinner most evenings partly due to the unappetising menu and also because 2 members of our party were in a different hotel so we ate out most evenings.

The staff in the restaurant was very polite and helpful as was the manager who spoke good english however there was one member of staff who we found to be very rude and unhelpful for example we asked one day if she had the number for easyjet or if not, could she find it and she simply barked back no at us. However, ten minutes later she could be seen laughing and joking with a pleasant german couple.

If you want to walk into the centre of Riva from the hotel it will take a good 15 minutes. You can walk either the road way or the lake way (which is much prettier). However, there are a number of restaurants and shops near the hotel so it is not as though you are isolated.

The hotel is advertised with parking but this consisted of about 8 spaces, the majority of which were taken up either by staff or visitors who didnt move their cars all week. We often found it difficult to find a space and people were often being blocked in.

Overall, the hotel was an ok place to stay, particularly if you enjoy the quiet and do not want a lot going on. Luckily for us we didn't spend a lot of time in the hotel. The majority of staff were polite, helpful and eager to help. They all spoke at least staggered english which was useful. Personally, I dont think I would visit this hotel again. Primarilly because compared to other hotels in the area, you can get an awful lot more for your money.

Summary: An ok hotel