There is one thing which the previous reviews didn't mention, probably because the problem didn't occur then, and that is the need to be reasonably mobile to get the best out of the holiday. Our group was mainly in the late 50s-late 80s and two of the oldest members relied very heavily on a stick. They had difficulty getting up the steep steps into the coach at Naples airport and at the hotel had to cope with a flight of 11 or 12 marble stairs up to the lift, stairs up to the breakfast terrace, stairs linking the garden terraces, and uneven/unpaved paths elsewhere. They spent most of their time in the lounge or on the terrace and when they did go out on excursions they needed to find somewhere to sit fairly close to where the coach left us and then wait for the rest of the party to come back.

There was one other member of the group who used a stick but she didn't seem to need it in the hotel and only from time to time on the excursions and didn't appear to be having any difficulty.

While writing this something else occurs to me - do remember that the Italians have a much more laid back attitude to life than most of us Northern Europeans! The breakfasts were a buffet, with a good selection to choose from, but the tea, coffee or hot chocolate was ordered from the breakfast waiter rather than pouring it out of a flask or machine for oneself. I am usually the last or last-but-one down for breakfast and eat and get out again quickly but I made the mistake on the first morning of cutting it too fine, with the result that I had a choice between having a pot of coffee and not keeping the rest of the group waiting!! I allowed more time for breakfast thereafter.

Dinner was served at tables for up to 6 people and the Maitre d' went round each table in turn taking the menu and wine orders - not something to be rushed. Consequently those at the last table were still giving their orders when the first table got their food and I heard one or two mutterings about "hurry up, I'm starving". So my advice is to sit back, relax, enjoy the drink you've brought in with you from the bar and chat to your neighbours while you wait. Oh, and it's no good thinking you'll beat the system by choosing a different table the next night and getting served first - it doesn't seem to work like that, with the Maitre d' starting at a different table each night!

Ann

I understand the issue of slow service lovely as the food is when you finally get it. Same sort of thing the first time I went to Cilento (first trip out for JY). I was pleased that the hotel reverted to buffet meals this last trip.

I think the mobility issue is something that JY try as hard as they can to warn people about pre booking but it does help to do a bit of research of your own if you can. Again the first time I went to Cilento there was a lady with some mobility issues who struggled with some of the trips she went on.

Regards

Jaya

I've recently returned from a week in Calabria - had a lovely time and quite agree with the reviews posted last year (ours was the first group of 2014).

There is one thing which the previous reviews didn't mention, probably because the problem didn't occur then, and that is the need to be reasonably mobile to get the best out of the holiday. Our group was mainly in the late 50s-late 80s and two of the oldest members relied very heavily on a stick. They had difficulty getting up the steep steps into the coach at Naples airport and at the hotel had to cope with a flight of 11 or 12 marble stairs up to the lift, stairs up to the breakfast terrace, stairs linking the garden terraces, and uneven/unpaved paths elsewhere. They spent most of their time in the lounge or on the terrace and when they did go out on excursions they needed to find somewhere to sit fairly close to where the coach left us and then wait for the rest of the party to come back.

There was one other member of the group who used a stick but she didn't seem to need it in the hotel and only from time to time on the excursions and didn't appear to be having any difficulty.

While writing this something else occurs to me - do remember that the Italians have a much more laid back attitude to life than most of us Northern Europeans! The breakfasts were a buffet, with a good selection to choose from, but the tea, coffee or hot chocolate was ordered from the breakfast waiter rather than pouring it out of a flask or machine for oneself. I am usually the last or last-but-one down for breakfast and eat and get out again quickly but I made the mistake on the first morning of cutting it too fine, with the result that I had a choice between having a pot of coffee and not keeping the rest of the group waiting!! I allowed more time for breakfast thereafter.

Dinner was served at tables for up to 6 people and the Maitre d' went round each table in turn taking the menu and wine orders - not something to be rushed. Consequently those at the last table were still giving their orders when the first table got their food and I heard one or two mutterings about "hurry up, I'm starving". So my advice is to sit back, relax, enjoy the drink you've brought in with you from the bar and chat to your neighbours while you wait. Oh, and it's no good thinking you'll beat the system by choosing a different table the next night and getting served first - it doesn't seem to work like that, with the Maitre d' starting at a different table each night!

Ann

Hi Ann,

Lovely review, brought back a lot of great memories. The only comment I have is regarding the steps. Yes, I completely agree with all you said, and I nearly fell down them because they were unmarked. However, when I went last year there was one lady who had great difficulty walking - this condition, a repeat of a previous problem, came on during the journey, and the hotel put her into their ground floor room. She still had steps to negotiate at times, but no so often. She was so bad that she had to drop out of the excursions. The gentleman who also had problems accepted this before he left the UK and often waited near the coach or went on his own to places near to where he was dropped off. He had difficulty with the steps, but managed eventually.

Sylvia