Porto Giardino - CDSHotels in Monopoli

we went as part of an all-inclusive Great Rail Journeys trip. the tour guide (Julie ) was excellent and nothing was too much trouble for her. She tried to include all of our group and kept us informed every step of the way. She also made sure the less physically able people in our group were well looked after. The "Hotel" we stayed at however, did not live up to expectations. The room was clean, and the bed was quite comfortable but the rooms are actually one bed apartments in blocks outside the hotel building. Reminded me of Butlins from the 1970's. Our.. room backed on to the "entertainment area" outside - so we had to endure loud "music" from 21.00 to 23.45 every evening which permeated throughout our room, so it was impossible to sleep until gone midnight. ( We had to get up every day at 6am as breakfast was at 7.30am and we had to be ready for the coach at just gone 8.30am.) This is not a 4 star Hotel - not in British terms anyway. More like 2-3 star. The breakfast was adequate but not that great. Lunch and dinner were poor at best - insomuch as we had to go out to local restaurants in the evening. The food in the Hotel was bland and tasteless and lukewarm. There was supposed to be lunch provided when we were out all day - but after day one everyone rejected it (1 bread roll, a bottle of water, an orange and a packet with one slice of ham and one slice of processed cheese). There was one night where we were promised a "Puglia Night" with entertainment and traditional food. The food was really good - so it does show they could produce nice food. There was no entertainment. (A lot of the guests had got especially dressed up for the evening and I am sure they were they were disappointed when something they had been looking forward to didn't materialize.) The drinks (When you were not in the dining areas) came in paper cups - even the beer. They could have provided proper cups in the rooms instead of paper ones. As I said - the guide did her best, and the places we visited were nice - but the hotel was very disappointing. I would go to monopoli again, but not tho this poor excuse of a "Hotel".

We stayed here for a week as part of a Golden Rail journeys group. Overall, we were very disappointed in this hotel First of all, the good points, the chalet-type rooms were nice, very spacious enough room for a family of 4 with a sitting room area and a pull-out bed. They were very quiet at night. Rooms were cleaned every day with fresh towels. The room had a safe and a hairdryer, but both were too high up for a short person like me. There were two TVs in the room and 2 closets, but I had only 3 hangers when I arrived, and it took all afternoon for them to bring me more. I had to ask twice. There are steps up to the room and a very high footpath leading to them, bit difficult for anyone with mobility issues, especially when it rains and they are slippery. There needs to be a rail for support at the steps. There is a nice pool with sun beds, but the water is not heated. The strangest thing is that they close the pool every day between 1 and 3, why ?? It's not as if there is a lifeguard on duty when it is open. This is the first time we've ever experienced this in all the hotels we've stayed in. We were on an all-inclusive basis, but the buffet-style restaurant food was very disappointing. Breakfast never varied, never any fresh fruit, just canned peaches or prunes. Tasteless scrambled egg and soft bacon. There were loads of cakes available, but no one wanted cake at breakfast. The coffee was good with cappuccinos, etc, freshly made in the restaurant at breakfast( long queue) and at the bar during the day. Lunch and dinner were similar, the cheapest of ingredients, badly cooked, one of the worst all-inclusive we've been to. The special Puglia evening did not have one Puglian dish; we got bony ribs, slimy curried drumsticks and bland pasta in a plain tomato or creamy sauce. Where were the focaccia and the orecchiette specialities of the region that we were told about on our tours? Also, no ice cream . On days when we were not back from lunch, we got a packed lunch the same every day: bread, cheap ham and rubbery cheese tired-looking apple or pear, water, juice and a biscuit, not very appetising. Drinks were ok, the wine was nice enough, and we could get prosecco and gin and tonics. There was an inconsistency with the bar staff. I asked if Aperol spritzes were on the all-inclusive deal at the start and was told, 'no', only to see the next day people drinking them, and a different waitress then said that they were included. The bar staff were nice enough, but the restaurant manageress was very abrupt, especially if you sat at the wrong table, even though there were plenty of free tables available. Reception staff ok but they liked to ignore you at the desk when they were on the computer. They advertise a small private beach, and we went for a swim there. It's an awful beach, full of seaweed, rocks, pebbles, quite hard to get in and out of, and when we did get out, we were covered from head to toe in seaweed, and the showers at the beach weren't

Food very poor, bland and repetitive. Flies in restaurant and chilled red wine. No coffee for dinner. Very isolated with no public transport. Advertised shuttle is only three days a week, hotel will organise taxi but €60 for 5 minute return trip to Monopoli. Facilities tired. Incredibly Used by Great Rail Journeys!

Supposed to be four star but certainly not. Chilled red wine, flies in the restaurant and bland food. Overtaken by coach trips , no Italian flavour other than coffee. Rooms are like caves and very dated. Remote and nothing around the hotel. Unmotivated staff. Compound is secure…..,,,to keep you in. Worst is no gelato!!!!!!!! Not representative of Puglia or Italy.

We were very disappointed with our stay at Hotel Porto Giardino. There was little to no communication, the reception staff were unhelpful, and the catering staff were often rude. The restaurant felt more like a crowded canteen which was constantly noisy, packed, and uninspiring. Basic facilities were lacking: there was nowhere to enjoy a simple cup of tea except the pool bar, where all drinks (even wine) were served in paper cups. There was no relaxing lounge area to unwind in the evenings. The food was repetitive and boring. We left feeling unwelcome and ignored. This hotel is not suitable for couples or anyone hoping to experience Puglian hospitality, culture, or romance. At best, it caters to coach trips looking for cheap, very basic accommodation with a canteen style atmosphere. I would not recommend this hotel for anyone seeking an authentic or enjoyable holiday experience.