Grand Hotel Riva

I love this place it's so beautiful, friendly and welcoming. The hotel is in a fantastic position right in the centre with an easy flat walk to the ferry points, shops bars restaurants, the hotel itself was clean and tidy we didn't see many staff but we also didn't stay in the hotel much of the day there is too much to explore. Our room was clean tidy, had air con, mini fridge the usual, breakfast was simple but enough and they always found me GF food when needed, we even arrived late one morning and the lovely chap grabbed us coffees and cheeses which was so nice. My only grumble would been the very small roof top pool it was like an ice bath, most people got in and got straight back out. The view up top and great though. Prices around Riva I'd say are average, across Lake Garda, Will defiantly return

Well, this going to be somewhat positive and somewhat negative... But first - I have been told, that the hotel is a four star hotel. I do not know, how it has been rated four stars! At the very best it is a three star. On the positive side: The location is five star. It couldn't be better. And the view from the rooftop restaurant is breathtaking. The building itself is a nicely kept old lady. Our room was spacious, the beds were good, so were the pillows and the cleaning was exceptional. The cleaninglady was even smiling. As for the negative: One out of two elevators were out of order. Our guide told us, that is was out of order too, when he was there two weeks prior to us. There are 70 rooms, so with only one elevator, long queues were formed in front of it. The staff at the reception and in the bar and the downstairs restaurant were grumpy and unsmiling. However, I must mention, that the staff at the rooftop restaurant were nice. But worst thing was the food. First night I thought it was quite okay, but it only got worse from then. At our table a couple tried pork twice, bit never got meat, that had had enough time in the oven. They simply couldn't cut meat from the bone. The socalled gnocchi had no taste - other than flour. I do not know, why they insist on serving four courses. They could serve two, and then give those dishes time, love and good ingredients to make people happy. The breakfast was even worse. The bread is white toastbread, from a factory, presliced, or white factorymade buns. The juice has never seen an orange. Twice I had mortadella, that must have been in and out a couple of times, and now tasted the way old socks smell. The cheese on the other hand tasted of nothing. However there was a nice brie. In a country, that do know how to make good bread, that makes the best salami and other sausages and make formidable cheese, this was such a disappointment. Would I stay there again? I might. But I wouldn't dine there - or have my breakfast at the hotel.