Hi Dorrie
Just wanted to say, before I forget, the trip up to Castellabate and then to Santa Maria is definitely worth going on because it's very local and you get shown around and where to get buses and how to walk back to San Marco - partly along the beach - a very pretty walk. Also Paestum is wonderful.
The spa is gorgeous - all you need to take in with you is the white robe they give you, and the towel and flip-flops (they should be there in your room when you arrive) and, of course, your swimsuit! An hour is plenty of time to try out all the steam rooms and water pools and it's all very relaxing. I know some of the ladies who went had massages and other treatments which were not included in the holiday, and they loved them.
There are lots of places to relax in the gardens of the hotel and the bedrooms are spacious and (I think) they all had balconies or terraces. I had a corner room and it was ENORMOUS, as was my terrace which wrapped around it. Wonderful sunsets.
Nothing was too much trouble for the staff and the breakfasts were fantastic! The half-board is for the evening meal which comes with a couple of bottles of wine on the table between the 6 or 7 of you. The system was that whichever table you sat at in the morning, that was the table you got to sit at for dinner so you usually get to sit with everyone at least once by the end of the week.
I'm still waiting to find out about my surgery so can't book yet - but don't worry - it's such a great holiday I can't see any reason why they wouldn't go ahead with it!
Hoping to see you there!
Sam
