Hotel Excelsior

We arrived on a day with rain, during the peak of the Italian summer holidays, so this appeared to mean there were lots of families at a loose end. This impacted the first impression of the hotel as we entered to be greeted by a number of people sitting around in the spacious lobby, with a TV blaring children's cartoons. (Quite a contrast to the serenity which reined the next afternoon when we left.) The hotel is sleek and minimalist, with the feeling of a spa, which meant it had lots of nice facilities, such as a lovely swimming pool and stylish furniture, but this style did also tend to push the rooms into characterless and stark territory. This combined with our initial welcome didn't set the hotel off well, but with access to a private section on the beach and the lovely town of Vasto nearby, in good weather it would provide an excellent base for a sunshine holiday.