AdrianVanzulli

I used a SET code from work. When I initially had my reservation it was at 120 Euros or so, but last minute before we left on our trip I checked again (I checked every day) and the price dropped all the way down to 85 Euros for a few days.

Cheers,

Adrian

ND76

Rimini and the Adriatic side of Italy south of Venice seem to be overlooked by American tourists. In June, 2006 we drove over to Rimini from Florence via the scenic and very twisty SS 67 (Via Toscana-Romagnola) to Forli, and then down the autostrada A14 to Rimini.

Everything about the Le Meridien in Rimini was outstanding. It served as our base to explore Ravenna to the north (a fantastic place), the Most Serene Republic of San Marino (15 miles west of Rimini), and the Basilica of the Holy House in Loreto, about 1 hour south on the A14 a few miles south of Ancona (the marked speed limit on the A14 was/is 130 kmph, or just over 80 mph). One could also stay in Rimini and visit Assisi and Perugia, which appeared to be 1.5 hours away by car.

Rimini's beach reminded me in certain ways of Daytona Beach. Even though there isn't that much of interest in Rimini away from the Adriatic shore, it was a nice, friendly town with sidewalk cafe after sidewalk cafe. I hope to go back some day.

djkulta

any chance hitting Rimini without a car, (like with a train from Rome or Florence)? do you really need a car in Rimini?

How far is the train station from the hotel?

ND76

but the rear of the hotel is on a tram line that serves several miles of beachfront as well as the railway station, so this hotel is very much reachable by public transportation.

Trains appeared to me to come and go every 30 minutes or so. If you were coming from Rome or Florence (or from Venice for that matter), you would connect at Bologna. Rimini is on a main railway connecting Milan and Pescara.

SanDiego1K

I envy the poster who found rooms here for 85 euros for 2 including breakfast. Right now, for June 2008, I am finding 164 euros for 2 without breakfast. Fortunately, the hotel is available for C+P.

Some questions:

1. Is parking paid or free?
2. Is there a charge for internet, and if so, what?
3. Can platinums expect to be given a sea view room?
4. Does anyone (perhaps Luca T, if he reads this, as he is local) have any recommendations for restaurants?

AdrianVanzulli

Did somebody ring? (I heard the magic 85 Euro chant)...

1. It was free.
2. Internet was not included, cannot recall the cost.
3. I was given a Sea View as a Gold.
4. Cannot comment, only stayed 1 night.

Hope it helps somewhat.

Cheers,

Adrian

Non-NonRev

I believe that most hotels in that section of the Adriatic coast change over to their high season rates either in late May or no later than June 1st. This is certainly true in Pesaro, a little further down the coast from Rimini and Riccione.

SanDiego1K

I came expecting too much of the hotel, and had to reset my expectations at which point I was content. The hotel is a 3 star Michelin property, equivalent to a Holiday Inn. It is not a destination hotel. Rather, it is a good place for an overnight stop or for a casual beach stay.

The hotel is in a line of 20 or 30 beaches - or 40 or 50, depending on how much of the coastline you count. The hotels seem to be unending for miles. These are relatively small, six or seven story hotels. Le Meridien is on the road facing the water but across from it; a block behind the hotel are even more hotels albeit with no view.

The hotel only has 1 suite. It has junior suites, but they face the city. We were shown one. While it offers a bit more space, it is an odd configuration, and viewless, so of no interest. We were also shown a family room, why, I'm not sure. It had two beds and not a single chair. Both of these rooms smelled quite badly. I'm not sure if it was housekeeping using a spray to attempt to mask cigarette smoke, or humidity from the sea air. We took the third room we were shown. It was sea facing with a balcony. It had a wood floor, whereas the other rooms were carpeted. We attributed the better odor to this. The room had two upright chairs, a small CRT TV, a thin hard mattress, and thin hard pillows. The room would have benefited from an easy chair. The room was quite large, and certainly had room for it.

Hermes toiletries were available on request.

Parking was 15 euros/day, and was below the hotel. There is no free parking til 3am on the road outside, so there was no way around paid parking.

Internet cost 22 euros/day. The hotel had a computer in a room that could be used free as long as you stayed under 30 minutes/day.

There is a gym on the same floor as the business center.

There were lines of cafes on the street behind the hotel, as well as shops selling tat.

The beach was fascinating to me. It was set up like a village. It was very deep. In the half nearer the street were beach volleyball courts, children's playgrounds, cafes, changing rooms, and more. Then there was a deep section with loungers. I expect there was a fee, but didn't check. There was a small area by the water that was open. There were paths laid from the street thru these facilities to close to the water.

If you are willing to drive 30 minutes and have a GPS system in your car, I can recommend:

La Sangiovesa
Palazzo Balacchi 14
Santarcangelo di Romagna
www.sangiovesa.it

It was recommend in Michelin as an affordable place with charm and good food. And indeed it was all of this. It was in the heart of an old village, with a terrace out front. The food was local and beautifully prepared. It was mobbed by locals; be sure to make a booking.

tinkybelle

So sandiego1k obviously you would not recommend this hotel

we are in vencie for a few days then have a couple of days to kill before the Grand Florence at your recommendation.
is it worth the drive to Asolo or should we just stay somewhere between VCE and FLR?

there are 4 of us

SanDiego1K

Asolo, no question. It is something very special, and completely unlike a chain hotel. It deserves all the rhapsodies you read on its thread.

tinkybelle

have just booked on that fabulous 20% off italy rate
http://www.italiansummervacation08.c...corp_coolrates

mti

I was looking at booking this...that is until I found this thread. Close call I guess.

Can anyone recommend a similar European property with a beach closeby? If possible I'd like at least a bit of culture nearby.

I'm being forced to have a 'lazy' holiday by my better half

ericj

The Meridien in Nice would be nicer IMHO.
Or the one in Croatia.
The nicest one would be Le Meridien Ra, 20 minutes from Barcelona.

Rimini : I was there in March (yeah, I know). Housekeeping should be fired, then it could become a 4 Points.

TravellinHusker

I stayed at the Le Meridien Rimini in November 2008 and can say it was an underwhelming experience. I only went there as an overnight stop on the way to San Marino (as it is only a 20-30 minute drive from there). The bed is by far the most uncomfortable thing I've ever had in a hotel and the pillows are a disgrace. I am being quite generous when I say that a sheet of regular school writing paper is thicker than the pillows. During the off season, they only have 2 floors open, 5 and 6. One is nonsmoking, the other smoking. Our floor was nonsmoking, but that doesn't stop the quite rude and disrespectful habit many Italians have of disregarding the rules regarding smoking. What's the point of having a smoke-free restaurant or bar when there are 20 smokers standing directly outside the front door to the establishment with the door propped open? All the smoke goes directly into the restaurant/bar with no means of escape making it smokey and smelly. Blecht.
The breakfast was nice, however, even if the service was not so great. Overall, IF you have to burn some points and happen to find yourself across the street from this hotel in complete desperation for a place to rest your head and the thought of sleeping in your rental car is unbearable, then by all means, stay here. If you don't find yourself in this position, in my opinion, leave. Go. Toward Bologna, Firenze, Venezia, Pescara. Anywhere, but this hotel. While Rimini is a cute city with a very beautiful and walkable historic centre with the cobblestone streets, etc.. this hotel is a disgrace to the Starwoods portfolio.

terminalfive

Definately NICE - great beaches and if you have platinum you get upgraded to a newer room with balcony and sea view. Excellent hotel

Slightly more expensive is Monaco - 20 minutes away. Hotel (CAT 6) is top class and the hotel does have its own beach but I would go for Nice because you are right in the middle of the town

Advise breakfast in room - excellent

Enjoy