When thinking of Italy i think of great food, great wine and lovely warm and friendly people.....till i stayed at the Gabbiano Hotel, cattolica. I really did expect Basil Faulty to appear!

I have visited many places in Italy and have never been dissapointed, then this year i stayed at the Gabbiano hotel, which is listed as a 4 star hotel, the brochure has beautiful pictures of the buffett breakfast and dinner spreads, friendy staff, a large swimming pool and a lovely sun terrace.

The food was over cooked on every meal, there was no hot breakfast at all, we were told there was no wine list, which there was, but it appeared that unless you were Italian, you couldn't use it and then on 1 meal we were told the kitchen was closed, served a look warm meal and no dessert, well we could have a peach if we were still hungry. After complaining to our rep, we received a wine list, i chose a wine which was dumped on the table, when i poured it, it was corked and i mean sherry!, i told our waitress and she said, no good hmm, and promptly walked away, eventually i got hold of someone else who did change it for us. There was 1 member of staff who was lovely, the type of preson i have always known Italians to be like, i thank god for her!...the swimming pool was tiny, put about 7 people in it and it was full, the terrace was neglected, plant pots lying on their side, with contents pouring out, the hotel is negected and in disrepair, i have no idea where they got their 4 stars from, but they do not deserve them, i am so glad that this was not my 1st visit to Italy, as if it was, i should never go back, thankfully i know this is not typical Italian hospitality, as i have never before been dissapointed, i have always loved my visits and the people and would hate for someone else to go though this ordeal