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REVIEW | BORGONOVO RESORT, PIZZO, CALABRIA (ITALY)


Okay. I'll be the first to admit, it is not easy balancing a full time job in estate agency Monday to Saturday whilst running a full time travel blog at the same time! Both require a lot of hard work, time and dedication but I must admit, there are some perks to combining the two...


Luckily for me, the company I work for also has an international sales and lettings department where applicants are able to buy/rent properties overseas in countries such as Italy, Spain, France, etc. and Chris, my colleague who runs the international department, was able to hook us up with a great place to rest our sleepy heads during our stay in Italy.


We stayed in the Borgonovo Resort, a small development of newly built apartments in Pizzo, Calabria. The resort consists of a selection of one and two bedroom apartments, some with more than one bathroom, some with gardens, some with terraces/balconies. Some facilities at Borgonovo Resort include a pool, free and allocated parking, free Wi-Fi and sun loungers. The apartment I stayed in was much better than I expected actually..


As we didn't take much photos inside the apartment, here are some photos from our travels to the beach one day! :)


Quick Rest Stop en Route to the Beach
Never Been More Excited to Find the Beach!

We were on the second floor, which doesn't sound too bad but with about six flights of stairs, heavy suitcases, camera equipment and hand luggage, I can freely admit that I was panting by the time I reached the top.. but anyway.. the patio leading onto our apartment was actually gated and had a secure key entry system before reaching the front patio doors of the apartment, where you must again use a key to enter. The apartment itself was a pretty good size for a two bed. Both bedrooms were spacious enough to fit either two single beds or a double bed as well as our suitcases and other clothing and luggage. The apartments all have open plan kitchens which I know, does not appeal to everyone, but I have always loved a good open plan kitchen. The bathroom was a decent size as well and also had an iron, ironing board, washer and dryer – very handy (although we didn't stay long enough to wash and dry out laundry but it was good to know that the option was there).


The fridge was stocked with food prior to our arrival – there was cheese, butter, milk, ham, prosciutto, bread, white wine, red wine and water. The cupboards were stocked with dry foods such as pasta, rice, more bread, biscuits and other snacks. As it was a self-catering stay, the kitchen was naturally loaded with the usual utensils, cutlery and crockery. We even had a little welcome pack giving us basic info about the local area, how to book excursions, how to use certain gadgets and appliances within the apartment, how to book taxis and more.



Long Walks Call for Long Naps..on the Beach!

Cave at the Top of a Restaurant we Found on a Cliff!

Oh yes, the best part – we had two balconies! One on the second floor – where the entrance to the apartment was, which was probably around 20ft long with some patio furniture and a very vintage-looking spiral staircase which led up to the second terrace above the flat. This terrace was HUGE! There was probably enough space for about 20-30 people with sun loungers, coffee tables, a fully functional oven and grill, kitchen sink and appliances, a BBQ and an outdoor shower. Honestly, this was the BEST feature of the whole apartment. It was the perfect place to just chill and unwind with a glass (or few a bottles) of wine after a long, hot day of exploring and hiking. We spent literally every evening on that terrace, talking, drinking and taking in the cool Italian evening breeze – literally, until the early hours of the morning. I definitely would have slept up there, under those big bright stars but for the fact that it was scheduled to rain over night and soaking wet PJ's first thing in the morning is not really my thing.


The beach is probably not as close to the resort as most people would like. Although it is said to be a “short” walk away, it probably took us over half an hour to actually find the beach – between stopping to talk to locals, taking photos at every opportunity possible and generally just getting lost. At one point we actually stopped to grab a drink and ended up having a couple of bottles of wine and resting for about an hour or so before continuing the hike towards the beach. There are also shops and restaurants maybe 10-15 minutes away.

Ashleigh Clearly Practicing for Italy's Next Top Models...

Chereece Sampling the Local Gelato

As a budget accommodation, I would rate Borgonovo Resort as follows:

Facilities – 7/10

Staff – 9/10

Comfort – 8/10

Location – 7/10

Overall – 7/10


Not a bad shout if you aren't too fussed about the location and are more focussed on somewhere to crash at night and chill in the evenings.

 

We flew to Italy with Monarch. Whilst this post 100% expresses my own thoughts and opinions, I have added an affiliate link in case you would also like to fly with Monarch and help a sister out by giving me a few pence and pounds ;)

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