Grifo Hotel Charme & Spa

Wonderful stay at Grifo Hotel in Ischia. Beautiful setting on the hillside between Ischia Port and Cassamicciola. Either port is OK to arrive or depart from as the hotel provides a shuttle transfer. On arrival we walked through the lovely gardens to the hotel reception where we were greeted by Marika. She made us very welcome, got us a ‘welcome’ drink and sat down with us to tell us all about the hotel and the island, making some good suggestions for activities during our stay. We opted for ‘half board’ and the 4 course dinners were amazing. Enzo looked after us really well in the restaurant and guided us through each day’s menu. Breakfast was amazing too with a great selection of food. Our ‘classic’ room was really nice and immaculately clean. The only thing missing was tea and coffee in the room. Hair conditioner would have been nice too as only hair and body wash was supplied in the bathroom. The pool was lovely and warm and the perfect size for a small hotel. But please be aware that pool towels are only supplied at a 5 euro hire fee. I guess this is an Italian thing but not something we are used to. This hotel provides regular shuttles to Port Ischia several times a day and The town of Ischia is great to explore or a good place to catch a bus from to all parts of the island. Overall Hotel Grifo is a lovely place to stay with fabulous staff, great food and beautiful surroundings.

Overall, my partner and I had our best holiday so far in Ischia staying at this hotel. The staff were incredibly kind and always tended to all of our needs. They spoke good english (which is not usual for Ischia as it’s a small Italian island). They provided a great explanation of the island upon arrival, recommending all the best experiences as well as the accompanying bus routes around the island- which are very cheap and easy to use! The weather was still 30 degrees+ in early September! The hotel was very peaceful, clean and included the great spa facilities which provided us with an extra feel of tranquility. The outdoor pool was just right for a boutique style hotel, with no worry of sun-bed availability throughout the day. The hotel also provided a shuttle service to the port of Ischia 8 times a day (between the hours of 9-12, and the hours of 5:15-10:30), where there are an abundance of restaurants and shops overlooking the port as well as down the authentic-looking Italian streets. -Must Do’s!!! 1) Castello Aragonese- We walked from the Ischia Port to the Castle, which was well worth it and took only about 30 minutes! The views are exceptional once you get close to the castle bridge, and you must pay the considerate entry fee to learn all about the historic battles of the island. Ensure to walk to the top of the Castle for a picture in the church overlooking the sea (see ours attached). 2) Sant Angelo- known as the “Capri of Ischia”. Expensive, but we had a romantic and luxurious experience overlooking the bay with the meal costing €90 euros for two. The walk down to Sant Angelo was eye opening, with the added excitement of potentially seeing some celebs if you’re lucky! 3) Morranti Beach- known as the best rated beach in Ischia. Great views of the transparent looking light-coloured sea, however not advisable for children as the waves were strong enough to knock 2 x mid twenty adults off our feet! Only Negatives of the Hotel: -Breakfast was packed up slightly early each morning at approx 9:45am, making us feel rushed to get up and eat. -Ensure to pre-book the shuttle via reception as this service was not available between 12-5, with a consequential 15 minute steel uphill walk from the nearest bus stop.

We would like to say a few words about this amazing place. To begin with, every year we come to Ischia to spend our holidays on this gem of an island. We stayed in many hotels throughout the years and can assure you that La Reginella is the best one so far. Located in the heart of Lacco Ameno, overlooking the mountains it is just a few steps away from the sea. The big territory with various thermal pools, cozy sunbeds ideal for a relaxing getaway as well as the inner garden bar serving chilled drinks and snacks make it a perfect place for a “dolce far niente”. The staff is extra polite and caring making you feel very welcome. Abundant breakfast is served on the terrace with a spectacular view. There is no better way to start your day! Small shops and restaurants are within easy reach on foot. We cannot express our happiness to having had the opportunity to experience the unique atmosphere of this place. It is a pity we stayed only for 1 night. Nevertheless, during this short period of stay we realized how much we wanted to come back to be able to enjoy La Reginella in full. We strongly recommend this exquisite hotel to everyone coming to Ischia. A special thank you to the staff once again for our amazing memories. See you next year. Irina & Natalia