Hotel Castel Gandolfo

Perfect stay. Would highly recommend to anyone coming here.

Location and view are amazing, but clearness is no so. There was an awful smell from the toilet and ants everywhere.

We stayed for three nights in the apartment which belongs to the hotel, Dependance Ilaria (the bigger of the two, on the top floor). The situation of the apartment, the view from the terrace and one of the bedrooms, the kindness of the staff and their prompt correspondance are superb. But there are a few niggles. The apartment, about fifty meters away from the hotel, is reached by one flight of slightly steep and narrow stairs and a few more stairs, which continue inside the apartment. We arrived in the evening and left early in the morning so had to carry our luggage by ourselves. Once in the lower level of the apartment itself, you find yourself in a wide living room with a sofa and two pieces of furniture between a pouf and an armchair which double as single beds, nice chest of drawer and other pieces of furniture, some modern some antique, and a tv screen This room faces the narrow road. On the same floor you have a bathroom with toilette, double sink and shower ( both hand held and rain) and a bidet. Towel rack with fluffy towels. Then a bedroom with a comfortable double bed, two narrow high windows and no view, big cupboard, a kind of chest of drawers,some strange wall shelves but no bedside tables. Spare towels, pillows and blankets. Further on, down two steps, there is another room with a double bed which basically takes all the space so I cannot fathom how the wall cupboard can be accessed. This room has a lovely French terrace with a view to the lake. From the living room there is another flight of stairs to the kitchen (table with three chairs, sink, gas cooker, full single fridge , dishwasher, microwave and oven) and from there the access to the big terrace, with a big table for six (but not six chairs) and on a lower level (two rickety steps near the wall, no banister) a smaller terrace with sofa, armchair and another 60s style chair. Air conditioners around the flat and fixed heaters but we needed neither. Although the kitchen has pots and pans and crockery, it lacks basic items such as kitchen towels or kitchen paper, tea, sugar and coffee, although I suppose the hotel rooms have them and if you ask for them at the hotel you will get a few sachets. No milk either, and the only thing you find in the fridge is a bottle of water. This is not of small importance because there is not a minimarket nearby - Ciampanella near Piazza Don Morosini had lovely fresh fruits and vegetables but no milk when we arrived and no fresh bread; the Antico Forno, near the tourism information kiosk, has cooked food bakery items and a few delicatessen. Loads of eating spots nearby. The flat itself is very quiet. Decent wifi. So, if you don't mind stairs and come organised, a stay here could be a dream . My feeling was the owner could do much more to enhance the potential of this property.

Hotel Castel Gandalfo has a beautiful view out over the lake. Daniel and the rest of the staff were very helpful in advance and upon arrival. Just a few minutes walk to the Castel Gandalfo train station and a 30 minute ride into the Rome Termini station where you can take a subway to all landmarks. The hotel provides a delicious breakfast too.

Our apartment view was outstanding!