“Bella bella Blumentag”

Our stay at the Hotel Blumentag was part of a vacation to Italy which included visiting relatives in Calabria then joining a guided tour of the major cities. We were welcomed by the owners who were warm, lively and generous. They, along with their staff truly made us feel as if we were a part of T… more

Our stay at the Hotel Blumentag was part of a vacation to Italy which included visiting relatives in Calabria then joining a guided tour of the major cities. We were welcomed by the owners who were warm, lively and generous. They, along with their staff truly made us feel as if we were a part of THEIR family. They recommended restaurants, gave us tours of the area and answered our many questions. There were 7 of us traveling together, so there were plenty of questions. The desk manager spoke English which was a help when our limited Italian was insufficient. This lovely hotel is located within walking distance of the train station, restaurants, shops and the Sea. It is only 4 years old so it has all the modern conveniences, but with the charm of a seaside boutique hotel. They serve a continental breakfast in a cheery breakfast room bordered by a beautiful courtyard typical of Southern Italy. The property is abudant with tropical foliage, potted plants all beautifully arranged. (The owners previously had a florist shop). The rooms were brightly decorated and immaculately clean. I am quite fussy about cleanliness but had no issues with the condition of the rooms. There were also some efficiency type rooms which would be great for longer stays. This hotel is owner operated and it is evident that this family is quite proud of their establishment. They really went the extra mile to make sure our stay was as pleasant as possible. By the time we left, we all hugged and kissed goodbye with promises to return again in the future and I certainly would....

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“Decent Hotel, But High Cost of Extras”

The hotel was quite comfortable and very quiet. The staff was exceptionally friendly. They picked us up from the train station, offered us daily shuttle service to their restaurant, and even offered us shuttle service for sightseeing around Paola and San Lucido, just a few km down the coast. We sta… more

The hotel was quite comfortable and very quiet. The staff was exceptionally friendly. They picked us up from the train station, offered us daily shuttle service to their restaurant, and even offered us shuttle service for sightseeing around Paola and San Lucido, just a few km down the coast. We stayed during the off season, so the hotel was exceptionally quiet. They offered us a simple breakfast each day, even though we slept in past their normal breakfast hours. On our last evening, we asked about other restaurants we might try, because we wanted to try something more than their restaurant (which is actually owned and operated by their son, and is a short drive from the hotel). They were not able to recommend anything, but the owner did go out of her way to prepare her own homemade Bolognese sauce, which they then offered to us at their restaurant. Overall, their hospitality was quite outstanding. At the end of our stay, we were presented with a rather high add-on of €80 for shuttle service. I wasn't surprised to have an add-on for their shuttle service, but it certainly was much more than what I expected. Their restaurant was small but very nice. Looking back, we were never offered a menu, but were told that "today's specialty is such-and-such, does that sound OK to you?" Of course, it seemed fine, so we just went with the specialty of the day. The food was exceptionally prepared, and the wine was also very nice. The restaurant owner (the hotel owner's son) was just as friendly and hospitable as the hotel owners. However, the bill was more than what we would have spent had we eaten elsewhere. There was no mention of cost until we were ready to leave. Although the cost of the meal was high, I'm sure it was worth the very good quality and exceptional service -- we were just not accustomed to paying those prices for a meal, and we felt a bit taken advantage of, especially since there was nothing else around. In fairness, we should have asked in advance. As others have mentioned, the hotel is just a few short blocks from the sea, very easy to walk. Unfortunately, the rest of the town, including restaurants and shopping, is up the hill, and without a vehicle, not easy to get to. Overall, we enjoyed our stay there, and the staff truly was exceptionally friendly and helpful. I would recommend this hotel to other travelers with the caveat that if you want access to restaurants and shopping, you should be prepared with your own transportation.

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“Great location”

We spent ten days at the Blumentag as a family. The owners obviously have great pride in their hotel. It is immaculately clean. It's a great location with walking distance to the beach. Rooms are large and have everything you need. The shower was more suitable for small people though. We had a coup… more

We spent ten days at the Blumentag as a family. The owners obviously have great pride in their hotel. It is immaculately clean. It's a great location with walking distance to the beach. Rooms are large and have everything you need. The shower was more suitable for small people though. We had a couple of issues with our room which were dealt with but I do feel the rooms need updating. There was no sound proofing from backing rooms. The rooms were cleaned daily with fresh towels etc. Breakfast was basic and indoors in a small internal room. I would love to see breakfast served al fresco and maybe in the bigger unused room as you enter the premises. We didn't eat there for meals. We used the shuttle service a couple of times but prices varied with whomever drove. Advice to always check costs beforehand. The Blumentag is a lovely little hotel but more like a B&B. It is well loved by the owners and obviously has a dedicated regular clientele. I feel to reach more international tourists though, there are some tweeks that need to be addressed. Would we return... Possibly.

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