Grand Hotel Terme Sirmione

This is a lovely hotel - it is certainly expensive (by my standards) but we visited for a special treat and it was well worth it. The staff were wonderful, the rooms beautiful and the location is second to none. Eating breakfast on the terrace with a view of the lake was amazing, and the thermal pool a real treat. Right next to the historic centre of Sirmione with stunning views of the castle.

Amazing Hotel close to the old town and Shopping area. The service is great, all the employees are friendly and offer their help even If you don't ask. At breakfast you'll get a huge variety of food, the bar serves delicious cocktails, the view from the sunbeds is amazing.

Prime Location, But Not Quite 5-Star Service Our three-night stay in Sirmione this June was a mixed experience. I'll share the highlights first, then some challenges, and finally the more significant issues we encountered. The Good -The location is truly unbeatable! Being right in the center of Sirmione with those gorgeous lake views is absolutely worth mentioning. The property offers onsite parking, bike rental, and the spa facilities are decent. The real standout was the restaurant team, the waitresses and waiters - every single staff member provided A+ service with genuine warmth and professionalism. They deserve special recognition for maintaining such high standards! The Not-So-Good A few things fell short of our expectations, especially considering our $850+ nightly rate. The Aqua Termale's sulfur smell greets you upon entering, which isn't the most welcoming first impression. Perhaps some aromatic solutions in the lobby would help? The bug situation was particularly disappointing. While I understand lakefront properties attract insects, the pool area needed much better maintenance. Finding dead bugs on chairs, umbrellas, windows and shaded areas day after day made relaxing outdoors less appealing. Daily cleaning of these areas seems like a reasonable expectation. Some sections of the pool had visible mold - something I wouldn't expect at this price point. Oh, and a friendly suggestion to the chef: the paccheri dish might need some reconsideration! The Challenging Part We booked a lake view suite (though it was really just a room with a sofa) with modern furnishings and a balcony. Unfortunately, the bug situation prevented us from enjoying the balcony at all, despite paying extra for this feature. There was even a notice on the sliding door warning against opening it due to bugs. On our final night, after returning from dinner, we discovered over 30 bugs on our ceiling despite never having opened the balcony door. When we went to reception (after unanswered calls), the front desk attendant immediately accused us of opening the door before we could even explain our situation. After a rather unpleasant conversation, we were moved to a significantly lower-quality room without lake views or updated furnishings - yet still at our original premium rate. The next day, the manager was unavailable, and we received only a spa gift as compensation. No rate adjustment was offered for the downgrade and the bad experience. Final Thoughts If you're considering this hotel, the location truly is spectacular and the restaurant team provides excellent service. Just adjust your expectations - while you'll pay 5-star prices, the overall experience doesn't quite match traditional 5-star standards. The restaurant staff deserve a raise as they're carrying much of the positive experience on their shoulders!