CDSHotels Grand Hotel Riviera in Santa Maria al Bagno

We’ve just got back from this hotel after a short visit for my Special Birthday! Lovely location within walking distance to lovely harbour and 2 small towns! Room was ok but after paying for a upgrade thought it could have been a better view and balcony, (very small)
Food was very orthentic but would have been nice to have more variety! Staff in restaurant very helpful but my husband tried to organise flowers and a cake through the reception but was met with a negative response which was disappointing! Mostly a pleasant experience!

Nice 4-star hotel perfectly located next to the sea in a lovely little seaside resort town, not far from Gallipoli. Rooms are clean and functional. The breakfast buffet is good, there is a pool and a small private beach (but no sand) just across the street. The parking lot in the back is perfect, the reception staff was very nice and professional, housekeeping and breakfast team as well. Bartenders maybe a little less so though, and as I always dined outside, I couldn't rate the restaurant.

Good in parts Stayed here with a group of travellers from a Great Rail Journey tour. First impression, the sea front setting is quite stunning. The rooms are bright and have various outlooks, some have sea views, others no view. The balconies are on the small side. Although bright, there is limited artificial light when it comes to the evening and I could only use one power point for charging various appliances. The breakfast buffet provided a good choice, but the dinners were less impressive. The anti pasta - three items served on the same plate, not ideal if the choice wasn’t to your taste, there was a choice on the second and third course, although portions on the main course tended to be small with a lack of vegetables. Dessert was buffet style with quite a good choice. With a number of large groups the dining room could be a little noisy in the evening.

I cant really add anything to the reviews which are marked Good or Excellent. Its a long time since i have felt such service by every single member of staff, most places have one bad apple but defiantly not this place. i am sat here writing this trying to remember one bad thing but i cant. The only poor thing i could say was the parking on site was a bit expensive i have had to dig deep to think of that negative. I would defiantly go back and regret i only stayed 4 days and not the full 7 days i was in Italy.

Another wonderful stay at the Grand Hotel Riviera!! There are many reasons we keep returning to this gem on the peninsula; location, friendly staff, attention to detail, good food, facilties, value for money etc but the best reason to return time after time is that guaranteed feeling of life's stresses melting away like the ice cube in that first cocktail on the terrace. Part of me wants to stay quiet and keep this haven of serenity a secret but the staff and management deserve every credit for the atmosphere they generate and the truly memorable experiences they create for guests. Thank you for a great 2025...see you again in 2026!!

A Perfect Stay - Highly Recommended

We stayed at CDS Riviera on a friend’s recommendation and it did not disappoint.

The hotel is lovely - spotlessly clean, beautifully maintained, and incredibly welcoming. The service was exceptional from start to finish.

We chose the half-board option, which worked really well for us. Breakfast was a fresh buffet style (with the most amazing croissants), and the evening meals were excellent - varied menus, great quality, and always something delicious for everyone. The chef even prepared special dishes for the children (like spaghetti bolognese), which they were very happy with. We always left the table with full, happy tummies!

We used the hotel as a base to explore Puglia and it couldn’t have been better located. In our 17-night stay, we visited places like Gallipoli, Otranto, Porto Cesareo, Pescoluse, Lecce and more - all easy day trips from the hotel. There’s convenient on-site parking, and it’s just a short walk to restaurants, shops, and the sea.

On the days we stayed at the hotel, the pool area was perfect: peaceful, clean, and a great spot to relax, the frequent watermelon offerings were one of many lovely touches. The snack menu was excellent, especially for lunch by the pool. The children (5 and 6) loved going to the kids club at 4pm, a lovely little preschool-style room just near the pool, perfect for escaping the heat. They did lots of crafts and always came out happy. A highlight for us was the BBQ night on Thursdays - fantastic food paired with incredible live music made for a fabulous evening.

The hotel is very authentically Italian, which we really enjoyed. The staff primarily speak Italian (as it should be), though there are a few English speakers and everyone is kind and helpful. It gave us a chance to really immerse ourselves in the local culture, food, and atmosphere. If you’re looking for a typically British or tourist-heavy resort, this isn’t that - but if you want a genuine Italian experience, it’s perfect.

After such a long stay, we can honestly say we’ve had a fantastic experience and would absolutely recommend CDS Riviera. We felt very well looked after throughout, and it was the perfect base for our family holiday.