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Personal experience & opinion

Grand Hotel Villa Balbi: Misrepresented "Gold Formula" stay – unsafe & unclean for families

We booked a Camera Quadrupla Elite (4‑person room) at Grand Hotel Villa Balbi under the Gold Formula for 2 adults + 2 children. What we found on arrival did not match the marketing or basic hygiene standards.

Hotel: Grand Hotel Villa Balbi Paid: $550 / night Check‑in: 4 Aug 2025 Location: Sestri Levante, Italy

Summary

Our children were assigned one foldable sofa that was noisy and bumpy; alternative rooms offered were no better. The room had no wardrobe, no balcony, a kettle with no tea/coffee, and the promised "welcome wine" arrived without glasses or an opener. The property is advertised as "seafront," but a busy road sits between the building and the beach—unsafe for kids. We found thick dust on shelves and floors on day one.

All we asked for was simple: cut the payment in half and cancel our reservation from day one. Management refused a pro‑rata refund for the five unused nights.

Sleeping arrangements

  • Kids were told to share one fold‑out sofa.
  • Sofa surface was bumpy, uneven, and squeaky.
  • Alternative rooms offered had similar issues.

Room & amenities

  • No wardrobe and no balcony.
  • Kettle provided but no tea/coffee.
  • "Welcome wine" delivered without glasses or an opener.

Safety / location claims

  • Marketed as "seafront", but a busy road separates the building and beach.
  • Crossing with children felt unsafe.

Cleanliness

  • Thick dust on shelves and floors at check‑in.
  • Hygiene fell below reasonable expectations for the price paid.

Refund we requested

We asked the property to reduce the total charge by 50% and cancel our reservation from day one, with a pro‑rated refund for the five unused nights. Mr. Alessandro (hotel staff) informed us they contacted Antonio Rossignotti (hotel manager), who refused our refund request.

They offered one extra day of stay as compensation, but this does not adequately address the problems we experienced. Our 8-day holiday was made mediocre by these unresolved issues and the property's misrepresentation.

Timeline

We will update this page if the situation is resolved.

Photos

The uncomfortable sofa our kids were expected to sleep on.
The uncomfortable sofa our kids were expected to sleep on.
Inadequate storage - no proper wardrobe.
Inadequate storage - no proper wardrobe.
4 Star hotel bathroom.
4 Star hotel bathroom.
More bathroom problems we encountered.
More bathroom problems we encountered.
Poor maintenance and hygiene standards.
Poor maintenance and hygiene standards.
The bathroom was not clean on arrival.
The bathroom was not clean on arrival.
Old elevator with safety concerns - extremely small.
Old elevator with safety concerns - extremely small.
Busy road between hotel and sea - not seafront as claimed.
Busy road between hotel and sea - not seafront as claimed.
Kettle provided with no tea or coffee supplies.
Kettle provided with no tea or coffee supplies.

Notes

Last updated: 17 Aug 2025