Rocce Azzurre

Whenever we stay at the Rocce Azzurre, which we have now once and sometimes twice every year for the past fifteen, I come away hoping the God of Winds, Aeolus, will see fit to blow me back there once more, for this is a wonderful family-run hotel, offering delicious food and perfect peace. Situated overlooking the sea, just five minute's stroll down the narrow Vico Maddalena from the Marina Corta, the heart of the town of Lipari and where the island's tour boats depart from, you can sunbathe on the deck at the water's edge, or step round the corner and swim off the beach at Porto delle Genti. If you prefer the beaches above Canneto, the Lunga, from which the buses leave, is only a short stroll down the main street, the Corso Vittorio Emanuele. And whether your preference is for appreciating the history in the citadel, or enjoying passeggio whilst sitting in a cafe at the Corta, or watching the world pass by from a cafe in the Corso, or simply enjoying a cocktail while gazing out over the Tyrrhenian on the hotel terrace, the Rocce Azzurre is the real jewel of Lipari. The rooms are light and airy, and airconditioned and always beautifully clean; the staff are super-friendly and couldn't be more helpful in arranging trips out or transfers. If Lipari is the best kept secret in Sicily, then this hotel is the best kept secret in the Mediterranean. But please, keep this to yourself; some things really can be too good to be true.

What a delightful hotel - it must be as this was our nineteenth visit! Room was bright and comfortable, with wonderful sea view. Staff were extremely friendly and very efficient and the meals were wonderful, with a good choice of food the chef's tiramisu was so light, it is like eating clouds.

The most awful experience we have ever had. My wife and I have stayed at over 300 hotels in my life. I’ve never written a bad review(not that every experience has been perfect,but they were never shocking) This was beyond bad. The air conditioning in the room doesn’t work. My friends and I both changed rooms in the middle of the first night. The next room was the same. They advertise they have a Sauna,I just didn’t realise it was our room. The pictures of the beautiful deck could not be more wrong. The water you are supposed to dive in to is filthy. My friends and I left the next morning even though we had booked for 4 days. I knew we would lose the money for the remaining 3 days,but we did it anyway. It was that bad. The staff were unbelievably rude and mean. Lipari is fantastic. The Hotel we then moved in to was a wonderful experience. It cost us a lot of money to change,but was worth it. DO NOT STAY AT THIS HOTEL!