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Back to Gaeta Seaside Hotel
Hello Jessica.
The hotel was clean and spacious. The rate was excellent. We had our own balcony overlooking Gaeta Harbor with a nice view. The staff was pleasant and accommodating. The complimentary breakfast offering was a bit on the lean side but was adequate. There was a nice restaurant on the ground level below the hotel which had good food. I would recommend the hotel if asked. Thanks for asking. This was my second trip to Italy in a month. Your service has been excellent.
Thanks,
Bill W.
Hi David,
We had a great time in Italy and enjoyed being in Gaeta very much. The hotel
was great and we and a lovely room with a view of the water. As we were there
during high season for vacationing Italians the main drag was a bit noisy
but manageable. The beaches there were an easily accessible 10 minute walk
from the hotel and quite relaxed and civilized. We were only there two
nights but were able to get in an nature walk through the park on the promontory
with incredible views of the coastline.
The only thing about the hotel that people should be aware of is that it is directly across from a naval base and Gaeta is also a base camp for NATO, which has its headquarters on the hill. All of the people at the hotel were a pleasure to deal with especially Natasha and Veronica, who spoke fluent English. We arrived late in the afternoon and our room wasn't ready yet so they offered us some complimentary drinks and snacks while we were waiting for it to be prepared.
We also ate at a great restaurant recommended by the desk staff and visited by many locals, Lupo Di Mare right on the main drag. You can't miss it, it is always packed.
All in all it was a pleasant stop in our travels in Italy.
Sincerely,
Andrew J.
Dear Jessica,
Thank you for your e-mail. Your directions to the hotel were impeccable. The Gaeta Seaside Hotel was comfortable and pleasant, and the staff helpful. The only glitch - the hotel would not let us pay by travellers checks. These were in Euro and are considered cash. I called Visa, the issuing agent in the UK, and was informed that any business displaying a Visa sign is required, under contractual obligation, to accept Visa credit cards or Visa travelers checks. I informed the hotel of this information and further suggested they also call the toll free number for verification. The Gaeta Seaside Hotel refused.
Thank you for your assistance in booking the accommodation for us.
Sincerely,
Caroline
Dear In Italy,
We were surprised the hotel was so nice, especially the people at the front desk. Our room was very nice, clean, and had a wonderful private terrace overlooking the bay.
We would recommend the seafood restaurant (Alla Vecchia Fontana) http://www.nsa.naples.navy.mil/gaetansa/formia.htm we ate at in Formia. The food, service, location, and atmosphere were very nice.
The Guest Review on the website really helped otherwise we would have never gone to Sperlonga. We spent some time walking around the old city and saw some very old buildings, and romantic views of the town and the ocean.
We went to the Gaeta old city square for New Years Eve and the fireworks were really pretty. The celebration went on until daylight!! There were bands playing, music everywhere, and fireworks as far as we could see!!
Scott A. B.
Hi
Thanks for enquiring how we got on.
We had a most wonderful adventure in Italy. We have come back with many fond memories. We left Rome for Gaeta, realising after about an hour that we should have gone on the motorway rather than the coast road as we spent too much of our day dithering behind other cars when we could have done the journey in an hour and a half and spent more time on the beach when we got there. The hotel location was good with the beach ten minutes one way and the old own ten minutes the other. For a stop over on our way to the Amalfi coast this offered us a super sized clean room at a great price, however I was glad it was just a stop over. The staff at the hotel (apart from one friendly lady that worked at the bar in the evening) didn't have a smile for you, were very direct with their replies and unhelpful with directions. You didn't get the feeling that service was on the top of their list of things to do - there was little eye contact during conversation, we had to chase for a cup of tea and coffee at breakfast and we walked ten minutes the wrong way to the beach because of a curt off the cuff 'that way' response to one of our questions. However, once there the beach was lovely and there was plenty to see at night during the walk in to town which although was a little on the 'kiss me quick' side was lively and entertaining.
We went on from there to Ravello, up in the hills above Amalfi, sailing for a couple of days around the island of Procida and then on to Naples. We loved Ravello - beautifully unspoilt and wonderful views. Driving in Naples was great fun. Once you get to grips with the whole 'just push in' driving culture its easy - in fact when we came back everything seemed so terribly tame!
If I had to give any advice to anyone visiting this part of Italy I would say not to miss out on an overnight stay in Ravello (in one of the lovely old palaces for a real treat), get up to the top of Vesuvius, make sure you get in to the thick of it in Naples - its heaving with life and be sure to hop on a ferry to one of the lovely islands. Mix that with plenty of ice cream, pasta and wonderful red wine and you cant go wrong.
Many thanks for supplying advice and direction in helping us plan this trip. We are already talking about where we will visit next time - Tuscany is winning at the moment....
Regards
AM
Hi Cynthia,
Still suffering jetlag, but wanted you to know we liked the hotel in Gaeta. When we got there they claimed they had no reservation or deposit, but they would give us an "apartment" for of course twice as much as a room. Since we were exhausted and it was our first night we reluctantly agreed. It was very nice, up and downstairs and a private terrace, but not a good start, but a very nice ending as they found the reservation and deposit before we paid the bill and were very apologetic and gave us the apartment for the price of the room. Our luck in Naples, which we booked through Hotels, Inc. was not as happy. They, too, claimed they had no reservation and even worse, no money, the entire price of a room for two nights. We'd paid Hotels, Inc. $268. and had to pay the Hotel Cavour $303!! All on credit cards, so we're hoping to get back one or the other. Fortunately we had not booked any more places.
Thanks again for your booking.
Cheers,
Hatsy T.
Dear Julie,
Italy was more, much more then I expected, not having been there for almost 25 years. The economic resurgence is amazing and fortunately it has not negatively affected the people and their attitude.
From the time we picked up the car, which you arranged, until we left from Fiumicino the trip and arrangements were "top notch". We honestly had some reservations about picking up the car in downtown Rome and having to drive in the city. All I can say is that while it wasn't for faint hearted, driving in Rome was better then driving in any large US city; the drivers while "nuts" were decidedly more courteous then I've encountered in say New York, Chicago or LA. The trip on the Autostrada to Gaeta was an adventure; speed, speed and more speed. We had to get used to the practice of the Italian driver to pull to the extreme right when they are being passed and once we did we saw the benefit that this provided to both the passer and passé. Your directions to Gaeta were excellent. The only difficulty was locating the front door. Both my wife and I expected it to be near the Flags, however after passing it two times we finally located it right down on the main street.
The Hotel was great and the service was excellent, from the front desk to the young girl in the breakfast room. We had a suite which had its own balcony overlooking the harbor and was the best! I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the cleaning ladies who were very accommodating and pleasant. While there was only one other family of German tourists the Hotel was booked with US Navy personnel. It seems that Gaeta is a strategic base for the USN. Actually the only time you knew this was at breakfast when you heard American English, the Hotel was extremely quite.
One added note is that Hotel has a washing machine available to the guests. It's up on the 4th floor, with an outdoor line on the adjacent roof; very handy.
Your recommended restaurant "Vico Antico" is now Vic's Bar, serving Italian American food; OK for lunch wouldn't attempt for the evening.
We did find a Good restaurants and one Great one in the city center (old city). They were all within a short walking distance along the seawall were you could enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of this quaint, off the beaten track historic coastal town. The Great ristorante was Masaniello at the Leone Vechhio, through the arch, right off the square. Great seafood, pasta and house wine. The Good one was right on the corner, again on the square, Ristorante La Saliera. local cuisine and a fabulous house white served in a recycled water bottle.
Gaeta was great food, wonderful people, interesting historical town and tourist free! A Great trip and Great accommodations and car arrangements, thanks to you and the rest of the folks at In Italy.
Regards,
Joe & Roberta F.
Dear Cynthia,
My wife and I had a lovely holiday in Italy and the hotel was very central for either walks or for further journeys in the car. We both thought the breakfasts were of a good standard and the service was of the highest level, our room was very clean and spacious. We both enjoyed having the balcony to walk out to. For any people interested in Military history I would suggest you mention visits to Anzio and Monti Cassino. I have only one minor point of critisism - please ask the hotel to provide a higher lighting level in the rooms. Once again many thanks for your help and superb directions.
Best Wishes,
Maureen and Brian B.
Thanks, Cynthia, for your email. My vacation to Italy was GREAT!!! The accommodations in Gaeta were exceptional. Our suite included a kitchenette and balcony overlooking the bay. While there, we visited the local fresh fish market and bought shrimp, whole fresh fish, and a squid. We then cooked an extremely delicious seafood meal in our own kitchen! It was great!
One bit of warning about Italy's cuisine: we expected a lot of garlic in the restaurants along the west coast between the Cinque Terre and Sicily. Because we love garlic, it was sadly non-existent in most dishes, so we had to ask for side dishes of sliced garlic and olive oil, so that we could mix them in with our entrees. You have my permission to add this message to your website.
Respectfully,
Dennis O.
Dear In Italy,
We were five days into our vacation when the WTC incident occurred. We were very nervous about traveling, but still managed to have a wonderful time.
Gaeta Seaside Hotel is very cute, clean hotel, but the room we had was VERY small. If I were claustrophobic I wouldn't have survived. I would definitely stay at Gaeta Seaside Hotel again, but would make sure to reserve a suite. We absolutely loved having a simple breakfast set up for us downstairs (fruit, fruit juices, milk, cereals, pastries), and having cappuccinos every morning was such a treat. The staff was very nice. Ask them for good restaurants in the area and they'll point you to in the right direction. You must visit Sperlonga. It's almost like being in Greece, even the cats!
We had a rental car, but we found it easier to take the train to Rome. The bus stop is right across the street from Gaeta Seaside Hotel. We bought a B.I.R.G. ticket at the Tabacchi near the hotel and waited for the bus that took us to the train station in Formia. It's only a 1 ˝ hour train ride to Rome - very relaxing. You can use the B.I.R.G. ticket for the buses and metros in Rome, which was very convenient and cheap! We drove to Naples and Pompeii, but suggest taking the train since it's so easy.
Thank you so much for making all these reservations for us. Things worked out smoothly. I always recommend your site to anyone traveling to Italy. I'm already thinking about my next vacation to Italy and will be checking out your site again and again.
Thank you for everything!
Claudia F.
Hello Cynthia,
Both hotels had our room ready and waiting with no problems re payment. For the Gaeta Seaside Hotel please note that the plane trees have been removed and replaced by immature palm trees; also the hotel has a very small sign over the entrance gate but it is directly across from the coast guard station and this may be a useful landmark. We had a lovely room with a great view of the bay and the staff were courteous and helpful.
Thanks, Frank P.
Dear In Italy,
The Gaeta Seaside Hotel was especially nice, as most of the rooms are rented to the NATO fleet staff and they were mostly off shore, so not much action! The washing machines and roof top drying were a real treat. The room we had was very tight, but nice to have a little porch and view of the Bay. The electric system is interesting, because some lights aren't hooked up to the "card-in-slot+lights on" wiring!
Clair V.
Dear Cynthia,
We really liked the hotel. The folks there were friendly and very helpful. The room was great. We had a view of the bay and the mountains off in the distance. Breakfast was good every morning. We would definitely like to stay there again in the future. One disappointment was that the castle in Gaeta wasn't open to the public because the military used it as a base. However, walking in the old part of town was very interesting. We went down to Pompei and Sorrento one day and then to the archeological museum in Naples the next, so we didn't have time to explore the area immediately around Gaeta. If we ever go back to that area of Italy in the future we would probably stay in Gaeta, or the equivalent, the whole time, rather than Rome and do day trips on the train to Rome or the Naples/Sorrento area. Otherwise we'd spend our time exploring the area around Gaeta. It was a refreshing bit of peace and quiet after 4 days in Rome which although fun and interesting was very hectic and noisy. Thanks for making the reservations for us, we definitely liked the hotel and staff a great deal. Also, thanks to Patrick for lining up the car for us. That worked out well also.
Best Wishes,
Mike B.
Dear Cynthia,
Thank you very much for the welcome home. It was a very long flight, but it got me here, so that's all that matters. I also appreciate very much your interest in comments I may have about the Gaeta Seaside Hotel.
I did not expect my room would be so elegant, tasteful, luxurious and spotlessly clean. The amenities were very nice, especially the lovely little terrace off my room. The view was exceptional and panoramic. The minus side certainly is not related to the accomodations. The one suggestion I would make is the staff at the desk be better acquainted with activities or sights of interest in this small community. There are no brochures in the hotel that tell of the these and the staff seemed unacquainted in general of them as well.
It was of great importance to me to have internet access due to the illness of my mother. The staff again was unaware of such access. However, on my own I found computer access at one of the tobacchi shops on the waterfront. That may be of interest to your clients.
But I must say, that even if you just wonder about, with no particular agenda, the town is stunningly beautiful. I was able to experience the Italian event of 'promenade'. This is where seemingly the entire town turns out to stroll and socialize along the walkway that skirts the marina area of the town at dusk. All ages, leisurely stroll along with no particular destination, the air comfortably warm and scented with a sweet honeysuckle aroma. The sidewalk was alive with activity and great people watching opportunities. From my terrace I had a birds eye view. In addition, the small community to the north, Sperlonga, is worth the wonderful scenic bus ride to visit for an afternoon. Just make sure it's not a Monday when everything is closed accept a couple of gelato shops. The archeological museum just south out of Sperlonga appeared very interesting as well. But if you are not aware of the location and sure of the bus route to get there, you may miss it.
It was a fabulous experience being in Italy. If you have connections to the Ravello area, PLEASE encourage people to forget about anywhere else on the Amalfi Coast and head to Ravello. Once you see the place, you will know what I mean.
In conclusion, the Gaeta Seaside Hotel is very worth being somewhat off the beaten path to experience.
Best Regards,
Gail V.
Hi Cynthia
Thank you for your 'welcome home' message
Although we only stayed at the Gaeta Seaside Hotel for three nights,we found the staff charming and helpful.
Our Hotel room had a magnificent view across the bay and into the majestic hills beyond, at night we could see all the lights of the shops and restaurants twinkling in the still waters.
Just around the bay from the Hotel is the shopping centre. leading off from the main road is a narrow lane which is pedestrianised with many small shops and restaurants. We found a small place to eat, which I cant remember the name of, where the wife of the owner was Dutch and could speak perfect English, so communication if you can't speak any Italian, like me, was quite useful when choosing from a very comprehensive menu including home made pies.
Although we were a good distance from Naples, we found that it only took a little more than an hour to reach the city limits. Pompeii was easy to find and well directed from the motorway. Having left the Hotel at about 0930 we were in amongst the ruins by 11.30, costing us only L10,000 about 3 English pounds to park our hired car for the day. Spend plenty of time looking around, there is such allot to see and explore, even the ruts in the stone roads made by Roman carts 2000 years is unbelievable, and to think that they have lasted all this time. Don't forget to go and see the 'Amphitheatre' on the eastern side as it is well worth a look at its near complete structure. We didn't leave until 6.00pm and even then there was still allot that we had not seen. Take a bottle of water and a snack with you, as there is only one place to purchase food and drink and it gets pretty crowded.
Vesuvius is easily accessible by road, don't be daunted by the hairpin bends because it is well worth it when you finally drive onto the bumpy car park. There are allot of visitors to the summit....by the coach load, so you might find it difficult to park, and you still have to walk up a fairly steep pathway to reach the volcano ridge, but when you finally reach the summit the views are quite breathtaking. You can see the whole of the Bay of Naples unfold below and wonder why anyone would want to build such a vast city beneath a Volcano.
The only other place to visit is just on the edge of Naples and that's 'Herculaneum' as it says in the guide book is one of the of the most important archaeological sites in Italy. According to Mythological tradition it is said that the Town was founded by Hercules himself. Unlike Pompeii which was covered by ash, Herculaneum was engulfed by a tremendous mud flow which completely buried the town and penetrated every home to a depth of over 30 feet. Excavation really didn't start until 1927 and still continues to-day. This site is only a fraction of the size of Pompeii, but in much better condition with more compete paintings and buildings.
Yes ...my stay at the Gaeta Seaside Hotel was just perfect
John J
Dear In Italy,
Hidden Treasure in Gaeta Seaside Hotel. Of the 10 different hotels/farmhouses we stayed at on our trip to Italy, the staff running the Gaeta Seaside Hotel was by far the most helpful and charming. The head receptionist was more than helpful, pointing out where to go, answering questions, and otherwise helping out.
Oliver S.
Cynthia,
We were pleased with the location of the hotel but were a little disappointed with the size of our room, very small.Also the smoking habits of the staff were distressing as the receptionist smoked non stop at the desk and the maids were smoking in the lift on two occassions we were there with them.The breakfast was the least enticing of all that we had on our trip and in the 7 weeks we were away and the 11 other hotels were of a higher standard in the breakfast stakes. The first morning we had plastic glasses and the cereal selection in the little cardboard boxes was for children. The town was very interesting and there was lots to see and do in the area. I know that smoking is rife in Italy but this was the only hotel/residence that it was so prevalent among the staff. Thank you for your help and I have bookmarked you for further reference.
Yours truly,
Glenys N.