Hotel Villa al Mare - Barano d'Ischia, Ischia

The hotel is located a bit far from anything including the beach. The room was large and had an beautiful view. The staff was nice and if looking for a quiet getaway this is the place.

The hotel owners were friendly and worked hard to make my stay very pleasant. A beautiful view was very pleasing and the grounds were neat and tidy. I was thankful that the bus stopped right at at the bottom of their entrance. The meals were prepared with care and attention to detail. Franco transformed from handyman to waiter extrordinaire! I would definately stay here again. Thanks for a great holiday!

Having travelled from naples, ischia was a welcome break from the madness, fun as it is, of that city. The view from the restaurant and bar is absolutely fantastic and the half board food is really good too! It's at the top of a hill so not recommended for anyone with difficulties. The hotel is mainly frequented by package tourists from Germany and they're not exactly party animals! Night life is not existent but there's a restaurant next door that doubles as a bar. The owners dad makes the wine they serve and is rightly proud of this, the food here is also great! I would definately recommend this hotel but you would go mad if here for more than a week! The deserted thermal pool at the hotel (we never saw anyone else there) is absolutely lovely. On arrival at the port dont get a taxi, you'll get ripped off! Go to the bus station and get the number 5 to maronti beach. The hotel is the first stop before the beach but this is easy to miss so ask the driver to tell you when you get there.

Beautiful hotel and location, stunning ocean views and large terraces. Two restaurants each a minute walk away with same amazing view. Went off season in late May and there were very few other guests on property. Drawback was the "Thermal Pool and Spa" were under construction at the time and not usable. The pool was lovely but had not been cleaned for use. Whole island was larger than we thought and had lots to do and see. We wan to go back....

This family run hotel is in a beautiful setting with great views of the bay. (The sea view rooms will experience a little traffic noise from 7 - 8am but it is compensated for by the view. ) The bus stop outside the hotel is a bonus if you don't want to walk to or from the beach ( an easy 10 minute walk down but a return on foot in hot weather only to be attempted by the fit!) The bus service is good & you can easily get around the island or into Ischia Porto for some evening shopping. This is a lovely setting for those wanting a relaxing beach/walking holiday. I would recommend it for couples & although the beach is good for children, there is a quick drop into deeper water within a few metres of the shore. There is a lot of walking up & down hill on this island so I would not recommend it for anyone with mobility problems ( there are 50 steps alone up to the hotel entrance!) The level of cleanliness was very good & the staff were pleasant & friendly. The majority of guests when we stayed ( mid september) were German & the hotel tended to cater for their culinary tastes i.e. cheese & ham for breakfast. Breakfast is served on the terrace so the view can be appreciated. However, the flies were somewhat annoying. We only stayed B & B so I can't comment on meals other than breakfast. My only gripe was that the coffee was instant! However, when I asked for 'Italian' coffee it was served with a smile. It would have been nice to have fruit or yoghurt available. ( It may have been, I didn't ask) There is a wide choice of beach restaurants & a pleasant restaurant/cafe next door. The hotel has an agreement with restaurant Pallone on the beach for guests to use the sun loungers & umbrellas free of charge. (This restaurant served the best Bruschetta I ate during my stay & prices were reasonable) Overall, I would recommend this hotel for its great position, standard of cleanliness & friendliness of the staff but don't go if you want to party all night!

I stayed in hotel Villa al Mare for 1 week in September 2003. I have really enjoyed my stay!! Actually, after exploring Ischia, I have realized that my selection of the hotel was great. First of all, it is nearby Maronti beach (15 min on foot, 5 min by bus) which is the biggest and the most beautiful beach on the island. In addition, there is a gorgeous view to the beach from the hotel. And don't worry if you haven't got a room "with the sea-view": in each floor of this hotel there is a big terrace with the great view. Breakfast is also taking place on such a terrace. The hotel has its own place on the beach where one can get a sun-umbrella and a chair without additional payment (this is unfortunately, not indicated on the web-site of the hotel)... There is a bus stop nearby the hotel. The bus is coming each 20 min (nearly without any delay!!), its really a big advantage. The owners of the hotel are extremely friendly. They don't speak English, but they speak German, so the communication was no problem. The breakfast is not a buffet, but you'll get ham and cheese, bread, butter, confiture, nutella and a drink of your choice. It is nice! The cleaning of the rooms is done regulary and very well. My last day in the hotel was Sunday 28th September 2003, when an accident with electricity supply had happened in whole Italy. The morning of the this day the owners of the hotel made candles everywhere: in the corridors, in the reception, in the breakfast room... It was extremely romantic!! Only God knows how they prepared hot Cappucino for everybody. The only thing I didn't like about this hotel was that the bathroom (in a single room) was very-very small. But I have looked in the double room and it is much better there. Anyway, if you are not looking for the luxury of 5 stars hotel, I think you'll enjoy staying in Villa al Mare. If it is booked out, try to select another hotel in the same area: it is really the most beautiful part of the Island.

I had a small single room in the back of the hotel. The sea-facing rooms looked much nicer.

A beautiful setting perched on the steep incline overlooking a beach and bay with a 10 minute walk to the beach located at the end of a dead end ensures that this part of the island while easily accessed by the regular bus service is not overrun with traffic. Idyllic location with a bus stop at the front gate. Pool was very small but with the beach so close it was not an issue. Very limited english speaking ability among staff but extremely welcoming and friendly and a lovely atmosphere throughout the hotel. All rooms seem to overlook the bay. No TV or air-con in the room but not needed with a fresh-sea breeze drifting in from the private balcony. Breakfast was adequate. Dinner available on a set menu basis but a charming little restauaunt next door run by Giorgio was one of the highlights of our stay serving delicious food and atmosphere! Fantastic time and can't wait to return.