Hotel La Gondola — Hotel in Barano d'Ischia

La Gondola is not for everyone. Thank God. ||||Because there are people who don’t get it. Those who want a ‘5 star hotel’, read no further. ||||This is a magic, special, joyful, incredible experience. It was our first time at La Gondola, not the first time on Ischia (or Maronti Beach), and our only regret was we didn’t come here first, as we’d have been returning all these years.||||I don’t need to praise the food, which is exceptional, or location, views, each room with sea view and large terrace, the warm thermal water in the pools, the incredible cleanliness, all these qualities have already been praised in reviews here.||||Even my photos, they’re not unique: those of us who are head over heels in love with Hotel La Gondola, we get it, so we photograph the views, the pools, etc.||||What’s harder to convey is that intangible magic. It comes from the very special family who own it, live in the hotel with the guests, who exude joy, kindness, and professionalism.||||For us, it starts and ends with Marco, who speaks English well. When I asked him how the dinner menu works, he smiled and said ‘each day is the chef’s surprise.’||||Each day, Marco chooses the freshest fish, the chef & team do the rest. Each pasta, soup, fish, meat course - the lovely buffet of salads and starters like fried zucchini blossoms, rice balls, vegetables with the main course like artichoke hearts, stunning asparagus au gratin.. oh and the freshest sweet mussels in a light tomato garlic broth.. the freshly baked croissants at breakfast, incredible cakes.. I said I wouldn’t write it, but it’s all so good. And the pasta!!||||As a swimmer (a fish out of water), this hotel is heaven for me. Having slept with the sound of the sea (sometimes emerging on the deck to take in the moon, sea, stars, during the night) I then wake to swim before breakfast, and throughout the day. Alternating sea and pool. ||||My husband each morning ran up the zig zag mountain to the ancient Ischia town, and we’d meet in the warm thermal pool before breakfast. ||||This hotel is the perfect, delicate balance of bohemian whimsy, and professionalism. The architecture is mid century, but the walls, floors, fixtures, everything newly kept up, freshly painted. ‘All mod cons’: flat screen tv, air conditioning, a lift. ||||There is something for everyone. Water taxis to explore the island, but this holiday, eight days, we didn’t want to leave the hotel grounds. It was enough to relax and absorb the beauty, in paradise.||||But most importantly, it is the people. Because each staff member is so lovely, it attracts the nicest guests, and friendships form which I hope will continue. ||||Because the only way we could bear to leave, was to book a longer visit in September.||||My gratitude is so deep. In no particular order, thank you to Marco, his father Franco (owner/manager?), Franco’s brother Stephano who oversees the great team on the pool and beach, Maria who is waitress (with Marco at night), Antonio, the waiter with Maria for morning and lunch, who as someone wrote is ‘the nicest man in Italy’, and who blew us away by how he quietly remembered what things we like at breakfast - banana, kiwi, homemade marmalade, brought our coffee and latte caldo without asking, and the wonderful Arturo at the bar. And sweet and friendly Carla and Natayla, who tirelessly kept our rooms and the hotel so clean, yet made it seem like fun.||||We never met the chef and his team, but are so grateful to them, and anyone whose name I don’t know.||||Grazie Mille, and arrivederci. And I’m sure I’ve...

La Gondola is the best hotel on the best beach on the best Italian Island.||||Actually, for me, a fish out of water, it’s the best Island in the world, because of Ischia’s unique magic: the natural active volcanic thermal water.||||Having been to La Gondola this June with my husband (see previous review), I couldn’t wait to return in September. I booked for us both but he couldn’t leave (work), so I came alone.||||As I write this, the hotel is still open, til the end of October, and it looks like the weather, while cooler, is still lovely, for all the warm water spa experience, sauna, even the sea will still be warm.||||And everything others have said. The food, superb. The loveliest staff, either members of the family who created it in the mid 20th century and still own it, or they’ve been working there so long, they are like family. As someone wrote, for example, Antonio is the nicest waiter in the world.||||The two lovely women who clean our rooms and the hotel, always smiling and laughing, Carla and Natalia. The first day I asked, in my terrible Italian, where I could get hair conditioner (I bought shampoo by mistake at the airport), and an hour later, came in from swimming to find FOUR big bottles other guests had left behind, in my room!||||A happy family makes a happy hotel.||||It then attracts happy guests.||||Everyone feels it: couples, old and young, together decades or newly in love. Families. Old friends. New friends. Single people. Women like me who are married but can get away alone, feel safe, swim from dawn to dusk. ||||And if you want to enjoy it alone, or with whoever you’re with, you can. But most of us form friendships with other guests that continue, and make plans to meet again next year.||||I’ve been trying to write this review in the two weeks I’ve been home, and I can’t write it simply or succinctly. I just love it so much. I fret that my phone photos don’t accurately show the beauty of the landscape (views from everywhere, we all have big balconies on the sea, everything is about the beauty), the bohemian handmade charm of the architecture & pools, the exquisite deliciousness of the food, the total relaxation and happy feeling of the place. ||||It’s hard to write about, or photograph, love. And that’s what I see and feel when I am there. Peace, and love.||||Thank you, Marco, who patiently listens to me in English, but thank you to the whole family, Franco, Stefano, Arturo, Maria, everyone I haven’t named, but am grateful for your genuine kindness and friendliness. You set an example of how all people should treat one another.||||I miss La Gondola every day. But -it’s hard to explain - it stays with you. All year round. And then you return, and it’s like...

Two middle age ladies with our two recent college grad daughters on a three week Euro trip: we wanted a vacation from our vacation, a relaxing but cultural beach experience. After much research we settled on Ischia and Hotel La Gondola. After 5 days, we felt like we found Paradise. Lovely, large clean rooms, large private terrace, a stunning beach and view, an incredibly helpful, heart warming staff (even with a language barrier) and fabulously fresh seafood every night. It seems like many of the guests return each year - mostly Germans and Italians. We were half board guests (breakfast and dinner) and ended up adding lunch, too. We were curious about the rest of the island but we couldn't pry ourselves away from this serene haven. We did do a day trip to Pompeii. The breakfasts are standard continental. Transportation is a five minute walk. Eduardo met us with a cart and transported all our luggage both coming and going down the boardwalk. Marco, the manager, could not have made us feel any more welcome. Our waiter each night was quite a charmer. The owner's daughter made sure we had food for our early morning excursion to the mainland. We very much enjoyed the ancient Roman style spa up the canyon nearby (Cavascura), rather bare bones, but authentic and inexpensive. At La Gondola, we felt we had wandered into a world away from time, utterly safe, full of beach-combing, laughter and good wine, lazy but with plenty to do if we so chose. This flower-filled family run place stole our hearts. The sound of waves lulled us to sleep each night. La Gondola isn't overly fancy, but it is amazingly charming and gracious, as are all the staff. It exceeded all our expectations, and was a great value for the expense, too. I recommend this to anyone who wants to have a truly Italian holiday. Pack away American ideas and enjoy La Dolce Vita....La Gondola style. We have already discussed returning with our husbands, for a longer stay. Thank you, Marco and all at La Gondola, for the best five days of our...