Hotel Villa Fernanda — Hotel in Massa Lubrense

Hotel is located on a busy road, as are many other hotels, in and around Sorrento, larger hotel next door, what appeared to be permanent residential apartments on other side, and close to a school, there is also a very handy shop across the road, sells various diy type items, including cosmetics, toiletries, stationery etc but not food, Conad supermarket (no afternoon closure) 5 minutes walk away around corner.||Hotel is well located for buses, tourism information, bars, restaurants, various shops, walking paths, while being not too far from Sorrento (walkable in around 2 hours, mostly downhill).||Having visited this hotel for a look around in May, I was aware of noise from the road, did factor in for this.||The hotel is not very sound proof within rooms, can hear people on the stairs, doors opening and closing, and furniture being moved, late at night and early hours of night, for what reason have no idea. If you get noisy guests next door, moving furniture around, in the middle of night, banging doors, dropping things on floor, making noise on stairs and out on balcony then it is going to ruin your stay, unless you are the inconsiderate ones making the noise, or don’t mind noise. Luckily they left after a couple of days (maybe the hotel should have curbed this by not keeping the bar open late). You can also hear noise from the bar up to the second floor, if there are loud guests in.||Generally, the consensus seemed to be from other guests' expectation that this type of hotel is aimed to accommodate those looking for a quiet stay, and not family groups, rooms are either single or 2 person occupation, close to amenities.||Few days before we left a couple arrived with kids running about in the passage between rooms, (not toddlers) noisy at evening meal, and in the pool. I do not feel this hotel should be aimed towards accommodating families (rooms only accommodate one or 2 people and are small) it appears as a small and|friendly hotel, promoted by Tui as this type of accommodation hotel has no activities aimed at children. ||There is no entertainment, or live music, at hotel they seemed to have only one taped music set, which was played every evening in the dinning area, some nights|it was not played. Main concerns raised by guests were noise from guests|in other rooms, several guests changed rooms, when these guests left, as worried about further noise.||First floor front rooms you are right above bar, so you get noise from cars, and the hotel bar, there is seating outside as well.||Rooms over 2 floors, 20 in all, rooms facing pool did not get the sun at this time of year October, on the balcony, pool area did. Rooms facing street got the sun, but this verses road noise and bar noise. That covers the noise, which I believe is a concern, which should be addressed by the hotel, when guests are making noise, and based on the amount of people who complained and the number of room changes. The owners need to be more assertive.||Room sizes are small, we were unable to view a room in May as hotel was fully occupied, basic, very small safe cost 5 euros for 2 weeks, in wardrobe, not all|rooms have balconies, shower also small, as was rest of bathroom, TV in room, only one English channel, BBC, limited news, and found a French and German|channel. Rooms are cleaned daily, provided with shower and soap, plenty places to buy your own toiletries.||Meal complaint from some guests, that the food was not hot. Having stayed in Italy before, food is not always piping hot, plus the weather was pretty hot. Adding to this please do not complain that your food is cold, then go on to having had it served hot, after complaining, sit for 20 minutes talking not touching your food, then get up, when the additional dish is served, and take from the cold plate buffet, eating|this, so that your once already hot food is now well and truly cold!||I really do not think this was justified complaint, and was more minority than the majority. ||Breakfast is buffet, with 3 cooked options scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage. Coffee machine, with hot water, there are 2 takes a little time figuring out, your coffee is only a small amount dispensed, needs topped up with hot water,|various types of tea bags. Bread, fresh fruit, cake Sadly, again some guests spoil it for others, by taking food from the breakfast table, and we are not talking a piece of fruit here or there, but bringing in their own plastic containers to fill up. This was|after sitting down and having a very plentiful breakfast.||I do feel the hotel was too laid back to say something, but these guests had a rep who could have been spoken to, unless the rep was the intimidating one. If you are going to allow some guests to take food away in addition to the breakfast they have had then you have to let all guests take food, and make them aware.||Evening meal is options of 2 first courses, and 2 main courses, choose at breakfast. The hotel will offer to omit meat from the pasta dish, if meat is on the menu, they will offer to accommodate vegetarians. Dessert is usually cake, or pastry, one choice.||There was more than enough food offered, including variety and choice, especially as this is a small hotel and a lot of the food seems to be prepared from|scratch using fresh produce from the garden (we got grapes for dessert on a couple of evening, which we saw being taking from the garden, so you cannot get|fresher than that.||The hotel will accommodate you with an early breakfast, unlike some other who only provide a packed breakfast. I feel this goes beyond what they need to do. We asked if we could have a couple of pieces of fruit, yoghurt and mini toasts to go, so we could eat at the airport.||Drinks are not cheap, I would say mid range compared to the local bars. While the bottle wine was expensive around 23 euros, it was very good quality wine. Water was 3 euros a bottle.||The garden area and pool. It was like something that you wish for, if you had the space, time and money to have, which some people do.||The area was well laid out, pool area with sun loungers and chairs, 2 seating areas, then at the bottom of the garden, was the vegetable garden, to the side is the owner’s house. The garden is adorned with various vegetables, fruits and flowers, the gardener is there every morning from when it starts to get light, keeping the area clean, at this time of year removing the fallen leaves. The garden is a little|paradise. There was a small bar area, and a toilet, so no need to go inside or back to your room, but the bar area was unstaffed, previous guests had left their unused|sun tan lotions. Where the garden ends with the vegetable part, this|does back onto the even busier main road, this is where the bus via Massa go past.||This is a lovely small hotel. I feel the owners may be a little too laid back, when dealing with the noise, and the behaviour of some guests, and should take a firmer hand, while there are repeat guests, I feel that they may be missing out on more...

Please read this all, I know it’s long but need people to understand what is real here, I do believe most of the reviews are not from real customers. I spoke to a few guests who had the same opinion as us. Where do you start, then reception was nice and clean as too was the bar area, we stayed for a week and never saw anyone drinking or chilling in the bar area, every evening all guests would walk down to the local bars, just no atmosphere here, the young lady who worked the bar in the daytime was lovely, kind, very polite and helpful, the pool area was also lovely, very peaceful and clean, but that’s where the good points ended, the food was substandard, to say it was owned and run by a Italian family was shameful, it was like they have lost there passion, Italian love there food, Italy is known for its love of food but unfortunately here it is lost, not sure why, it was like they just didn’t care anymore, “maybe an opportunity to appear on the Gordon Ramsey tv show”. I can say this as I’m an Italian, born and raised as an Italian, travelled the whole of Italy for years, lived in Italy and have lots of family over here so do think I’m in a good position to say these things, also my job is in hospitality, unfortunately for the owners I’m a uk based hospitality inspector, so live, work and breathe hospitality. The rooms as in very poor conditions and need a total refurbishment, “pictures added to provide I’m not just anti this hotel”. With been in this industry and understand the British mentality in not liking to, as they say, “rock the book” so to the management they say nothing but to each others they do. Seen this many times. We stayed half bored and was anticipating nice home cooked Italian food, but as previously said was very disappointed, the “all you can eat buffet was just one plate, either one bowl of salad or some dry bread, the main courses was bland, no herbs or spices, all vegetables was microwaved, from where we sat we could here the 3 pings of the microwave, then the waiter would appear with food for one table, so it was taking over an hour, desserts was very disappointing, fruit salad from a tin, chocolate mousse which the owner tried to say was a chocolate panna cotta, then when challenged agreed, two more night was just sliced melon, and one night sliced fruit, not what I’d expect for a traditional dessert. The restaurant was somewhat nice but was ant infested, ants all over tables, and the basket of bread on there, I know it’s difficult to keep ants out but please make some effort, please was just moving tables to areas that wasn’t as bad. I went to speak to the owner but found him very rude and aggressive towards me, so had to walk away to avoid it escalating, I now people will think this is just another customer who’s never happy so I say to them people, go there and see for yourself, I’ve added a few pictures of my room to...

This is a family run hotel The family and the staff are amazing. You feel like you are staying in someone’s home. They are there when you need them but are otherwise just working away in the background so if you want somewhere to relax away from bustling Sorrento, this will be perfect. ||||If you are going for amazing food, this might not be for you. I didn’t go hungry but even as someone who eats fish and chicken, this was still limiting. There were two first course options, usually pasta or soup (not for me in the heat). The pasta dish was always very good but contained meat on two occasions so not for me. Second course was more hit and miss. If you like desserts, you may be disappointed although I always enjoyed the dessert when it was just a plate of fruit! Great wines and ample choice.||||Sant’Agata is a small town/Village with shops and restaurants. There is lots of scope for walking. I found the Footpath app very useful which ensured I didn’t wander off track too often!||Sorrento is a lovely 40 mins stroll down a sometimes rocky downhill path. Look out for the tile on the curb on the right turn before the church in the centre. After 100 yards or so it’s a left then down hill all the way. You will be rewarded with some lovely sea views en route.||There is a walk down to crapolla beach but go early with walking shoes as it gets very rocky and take plenty of water. It takes about 90 mins down and a little longer back. I didn’t do it as the boulders put me off!!||||The pool area is an oasis and such a pleasure to return to after a busy day. Set in the garden and surrounded by lemon (enormous lemons), orange and lime trees. There is a tiled terrace grapevine pergola where they will serve you lunch. Apart from the odd ant there didn’t seem to be any bug problems as can be the case in garden pool areas sometimes.||||Just a note-the pool is 1.85 m everywhere so no shallow end although there is a separate shallow splash area.||||So in all, would I return? Absolutely! In a heartbeat 😊||There were many returning guests and I can see why. One lady had been coming...