Hotel Miramare

"Stay at the Helivita a jewl of a tiny hotel. Not at this run down place with very a grumpy owner and waiters. It isn't even shabby chic. The couch in the room was about 40 years old and disgusting. The bathroom was dark and with a tiny shower. The view from the small windows was nice. But the restaurant decor and bar area isn't that great. The reception area is very odd. No one here had the Italian charm I always experience. We had a junior suite and our daughter had to stay in another hotel 100 m away. So I got to see a much better hotel and terrace for eating and please of an interior room with a very funny waiter. We ate our lunch meals there and outside"

"If you’re looking for warmth, flexibility, or even the smallest gesture of goodwill — keep looking. I booked a prepaid, non-refundable stay via Booking.com. I later asked the hotel for something simple: since their direct booking rate includes free garage parking, could they extend the same benefit to my existing reservation? After all, their rates are already steep. The answer? A flat no, because they “pay commissions to Booking.com.” Apparently, that’s the guest’s problem to solve. Instead of showing hospitality, they offered me an awkward workaround: to reserve same room from their website then let them cancel my Booking.com booking,and wait (who knows how long) for the refund. They didn't even consider I could be charged double for that monthly card payment. Sounds relaxing, right? Exactly the stress you want before a holiday. The entire tone of their replies made it clear that flexibility, guest care, and building goodwill are not priorities here. For the price they charge, you’d expect them to value guests more than a few euros of parking fees — but perhaps when overtourism fills your rooms no matter what, making people feel welcome becomes optional. I left the exchange irritated, disappointed, and wondering if my money would be better spent somewhere that actually wants me there. Fortunately, in Sestri Levante and the Ligurian coast, there are plenty of hotels with the same level of comfort, better prices, and a genuine smile to go with it. Now I had to spend my 4 nights in a hotel I am not welcomed because I booked a non-refundable stay via another site. Let's not forget they are also charging for their small private beach (40 euros per person) if you stay in standard room where other room types have free access. Discrimination by guest budget at its best."

"On our daughter’s recommendation we booked here for the last two nights of our holiday. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The room was very comfortable and quiet. Beach club access was a big plus and something we very much enjoyed, despite encountering some bad weather for most of our stay. Everything is a very short walk away so perfect for exploring Sestri Levante. Dinner on the deck overlooking the bay was particularly special and a wonderful way to end a perfect holiday. We would definitely stay here again."