My daughter was married in Italy this summer. She was married in a beautiful town in the south of Italy called Catanzaro. The wedding was at Tenuta Calivello. We stayed at the Hotel Palace. The hotel was very nice. They have a private beach across the street and there was a beautiful boardwalk. The nightlife was great. The staff was terrific also.

I stayed here for a girls getaway in May. Both of us are American and spoke no Italian.

The hotel is centrally located in the main part of town (walking distance to the train station) and is right across the street from the beach.

The rooms are beautifully decorated. Mine was on the third floor with a balcony facing the street. A great place to people watch. The bed was huge and comfortable, the bathroom was great! There was a bidet and a jacuzzi tub. They also provide you with amazing bath products, lotions, body wash and soap that left my skin feeling very soft.

Oddly however our suite had an office attached to it. A separate room where one could hold a meeting or get some work done. For us, this went unused and would have been better suited with a sofa and additional television, but to each their own.

The free continental breakfast was the best I have had at a hotel in Europe. It included, fresh bread, lunchmeat, a variety of cheese, and the most delicious pastries, cakes, and croissants you could ever imagine. There was a never ending supply of fresh fruit and nutella, yogurt, cookies, milk and any type of espresso drink you could want.

I looked forward to this every day, and usually ate enough to sustain myself until dinner!

The staff at the hotel are very nice, but speak very little English. But check-in and check-out were seamless. And my broken Italian/Spanish and sign language usually sufficed.

The jacuzzi on the top floor is small but comfy, Its a great place to sunbathe and get a scenic view of the area.

There are so great little restaurants in the area, and a hangout spot/bar for the hip young Italian right next door.

Located on the beach promenade, this older hotel was completely redone a few years ago, and with its Empire style furniture, crystal chandeliers, and original art in gilded frames has the ambiance of a French château and elicits a "Wow" on entering the lobby. It is easily found, and free parking is available in the small hotel lot or on the street. Many of its rooms look out over the hotel's private beach onto to the blue ocean.

Check-in was handled professionally by English speaking staff, and as we requested a quiet room, we were assigned a room facing a narrow side street. Opening the door it appeared as if we stepped into a boudoir with floor to ceiling foam backed, sound dampening woven tapestry, gold framed antique mirror, large painting, Empire style furnishings, desk, stocked mini-bar, carpeted floor, Sat.TV but no international channels, A/C, safe, double paned windows, electric shutters, and a wardrobe so high one needed to use the stick provided to hang one's clothes. The comfortable soft king-size bed with soft sheets and good pillows, coupled with the quiet room made for sound sleeping. A small balcony, albeit without any furniture rounded out the room.

The well lit, modern bath with its beveled mirror, sink with plenty of space for one's stuff, WC, bidet had the most elaborate, space age, glass enclosed shower module with all the whistles and bells one could ever desire, including a water jet seat. Fluffy robes and towels, slippers, and and a nice selection of toiletries including a shoe shining sponge kit were provided. The bath as was the room was spotless.

Dinner in the elegant restaurant was a-la-carte, very well prepared, and served by English speaking staff with a smile. The breakfast buffet with an omelet station, all the expected morning offerings, and a large selection of cakes for the sweet tooth left nothing to be desired.

Based on our experience this is the place in which to stay in Catanzaro Lido for a short stop or for a longer stay enjoying the beach. It would appear to have no equal in town, and we would be happy to stay there again in the future.