Hotel Boutique Il Castellino Relais

We had a delightful five-night stay at Hotel Il Castellino Relais. Our room (Deluxe with balcony and sea view) was spacious, comfortable, and immaculately clean. The breakfasts were incredibly generous, offering a wide variety of sweet and savory options, all served with exceptionally gracious hospitality. We were especially impressed by the hotel's thoughtful and comprehensive services, including complimentary use of bicycles and beach towels, as well as recommendations for nearby restaurants. The friendly gardener could be seen each day taking meticulous care of the grounds. A particularly kind gesture was when the helpful woman at the reception desk provided me with a small sewing kit after my favorite travel shirt tore – a perfect example of their attentive service! One thing travelers should note when considering this hotel is that it is located on the northern edge of Vieste. To reach the historic and cultural center and main restaurant district, you’ll need to drive (5 minutes), bike (7 minutes), or walk (25 minutes). That said, the hotel has a lovely and immaculate pool, and its quieter location provides easy access to the beach, and to lovely towns like Peschici to the north. Several nice beachside restaurants are within walking distance, and we particularly enjoyed the Lido and Restaurant San Lorenzo, nestled in a charming little cove just around the corner.

The standard rooms are small, though definitely comfortable, but most everything else is near perfect. The hotel comes across as a resort what with the provided pool, tennis courts, bicycles, secure parking and beach loungers and umbrellas. The staff is ultra friendly and helpful, and the breakfast buffet is the best we've ever had in Italy. And all at very affordable rates. The only negative that I might mention is that it is a fair walk into Vieste for us seniors and parking is difficult in that town. What a great hotel.