gruben

I have a question about hotels near Lamezia Terme.
My wife and I are within days of leaving for Calabria where our destination is San Giovanni in Fiore. We have found the most convenient way to get there is to fly into Lamezia Terme.
Taking the advice given to us on another thread, after arriving mid afternoon on Alitalia from Rome after an over night flight from US, we will NOT rent the auto until the next day.
On this trip we will have one night in this area. While we want to stay in an interesting area and take advantage of what appears to be some beautiful coast line and breath taking coastal vistas, we also want to get to San Giovanni as early as possible. Therefore, although Tropea looks amazing and unique, we probably need to stay further north. After reviewing the websites for a number of hotels I still can not tell which are really decent and which are purely self promoting.

Does anyone have an experience and suggestions?

Thank you!

kybourbon

Have you tried looking at reviews on Venere?

http://www.venere.com/destinations/italy/calabria/

Where do you plan to pick up your car?

ekscrunchy

I arrived at Lamezia after connecting overnight flights from the US last September. Like you, I did not want to attempt a difficult or lengthy drive in that condition. I also did not want to waste time hanging around Lamezia waiting to pick up a car the next day. (BTW: The rental agencies are just outside the terminal in a building just to the right as you exit; the cars are in a lot just beside it)

And so I chose a hotel in Amantea, which is an easy, straight drive north of about 30 minutes on the coastal highway.


The hotel is modern and clean, the staff were lovely, and the location is right on the coast road, so no fiddling around trying to find your way in a strange city. There is a large outdoor pool, as well as an indoor pool. There is a good enough restaurant 2 blocks south of the hotel on the main road, Locanda di Mare. http://www.locandadimare.it/index.php





Amanatea is a lovely, lively town. You can get to the A3 easily from Amantea.

http://www.mediterraneopalacehotel.it/



There is also a lovely sounding agriturismo in Pianopoli that might be on your route.

http://www.lecarolee.com/



If any driving is out of the question, you need a hotel in Lamezia itself.

gruben

Thank you very much. I have never driven in Italy but, from what you are saying, a short drive should not be out of the question.

I appreciate the help.

gr

ekscrunchy

I'd been to Italy many times but never driven more than a few miles before that last trip a few months ago. Honestly, the drive from the Lamezia airport to Amantea is quite easy. It is pretty much a straight shot north along the coastal highway.

But if you do not feel comfortable with that, I'm sure we can find you a good enough place to stay within Lamezia itself. Perhaps the best idea is to figure out your route onward and then choose hotel.

gruben

Thank you for the encouragement. I have always loved to drive and, until about 10 years ago, had always driven a standard. But I have heard stories about the aggressive Italian drivers. Between those stories, the anticipated jet lag, driving a new country, and going back to a standard transmission I have had some second guessing about the first day. Your sharing your experience helps a lot.

gr

ekscrunchy

I hope that your trip will be as wonderful as mine!

Not sure if this is of interest, but I always rent an automatic in Italy, and had no trouble arranging one to pick up at Lamezia. I almost always rent through Kemwell or Autoeurope and I check both the US sites and the Italian sites for those companies.

ekscrunchy

Also, if you do decide that Amantea is on your route, I thought it made an excellent place to begin a trip. The hotel (Mediterraneo Palace) is on the coast road and has free indoor parking. You can walk to all points in the town from there, and they also run a shuttle that will take you to the upper town if you are tired, so you can avoid the uphill walk.

We (myself and two friends in their 70s) had booked the first night's dinner in a lovely restaurant in the Upper Town; we sat on the outdoor terrace with a view of the entire town and the sea below. Because it was an uphill walk from the hotel, the hotel staff person drove us there and even gave us the phone number which we called when we ready to be picked up after dinner. This is the restaurant; they speak very limited English but were so warm and welcoming; wide menu and while it is upscale for the area, we found the prices not high as compared to the US. Let me know if you want more details! So few people here have been to that area that it is a pleasure to share my experience with you.

http://www.palazzodelleclarisse.com/...agina.asp?id=3

gruben

Thank you very much. Your suggestions, insights, and encouragement have been very helpful.

All the Best,
gr

arturosalerno

Recommend to browse the site http://www.isca-hotels.it/ to find hotels near Amantea just a few kilometers from Lamezia Terme.

The site not have the English but you can get information on the area and things to do. I recommend it Amantea is a jewel of the country. Its history and beauty of the village did not like in Calabria.

My favorite hotel where I find a great welcome is Hotel La Tonnara http://www.latonnara.it. Has an excellent reputation on Tripadvisor.

Hope this help you. Enjoy your trip.