We just got back from Riccione, stayed in Alexandra Plaza where we spent a nice holiday. We chose it because suggested from friend.
Here is my evaluation: The setting is really good, right next to the sea and beach – not far from city centre.
The hotel is clean and the suite we stayed ( Calypso Suite) was a comfortable, with  fantastic jacuzzi in room, and big terrace with unforgettable view.
The setting around to pool is great with kids. You can lounge around, get a drink, the garden is empty and well organized.
The staff were helpful and friendly. 

maybe I should have looked at the pictures a little bit closer, maybe I should have read more reviews here, then I could have avoided this Hotel. It is not bad, but you can expect more by a so-called Four Stars Hotel. Many Hotels in Riccione are old and don't deserve those 4* because they don't do much to modernize them. This Hotel is no exception. It looked probably exactly the same way 20 years ago. Some new paint and a new TV in the Hall is all you gonna find. The garden is nice though.
Second disappointment: Compared to other Hotels i 've been to, the rooms are really small. The bathroom is the smallest i've ever seen ina Hotel and when you stand in the miniature-shower ....well let's say that's how you must feel when you take a shower in a submarine. The mattresses are very hard. All this is not very comfortable. Oh and bring your own hairdryer, the one they have isn’t working very well. As the hotel is old, the isolation is weak and you can hear all the noises from the street, and they are rather loud. If you have a light sleep you’ll need to bring earplugs. If you want to use the deckchairs from the hotel on the beach right next to the hotel you have to pay extra. That’s rip-off. Maybe the other hotels do this too but that’s not an excuse.
Room-cleaning does a decent job but, they disturb you twice more during the day: to ask if you took anything from the minibar and to bring you new towels. Absolutely unnecessary to do this! And there isn' t even a "no-disturb" sign. I guess you have to ask them or bring your own...
The food is ok. They have a cold buffet as starter and then you can order from a menu. The kitchen is good, but the buffet and especially the breakfast are very repetitive. There is of course enough variety to choose but it’s nearly every day the same.
The personal is nice, sometimes a bit chaotic though, and it’s sometimes hard to communicate in non-italian, even English is not that well-spoken by most of them. The service in the hotelbar in the Hall is rather slow considering the few people they to serve. The personal has an open ear for your questions but the director is very defensive considering complaints. She will just dismiss your complaint as if you’re a liar. You can also see this here on the site by reading her comments.
If you use the bus take a week-pass, it gets way cheaper.
Lots of families with kids, so not the quietest place to stay.

We have chosen the Alexandra Plaza for the beautiful spaces inside the hotel. We noticed it surfing the web searching the hotel for our holiday… We liked the photos showing trees and hedges on the sand, a garden full of color with tables and beach umbrellas for the restaurant. We have chosen the Alexandra because we wanted to eat outside, Sincerely my wife and I wanted a different hotel. Objectively the hotel is not new, but not for this less comfortable, it's really well kept and really tidy. The food is great, we had a greast food choice: from piadina to grilled fish. The hotel is clean, and the staff is kind and full of attentions. We really suggest it to everyone.

We have choosen Alexandra Plaza for its position, direct on the sea with large garden.
Excellent for our children. We got really good food, confortable room with balcony, very quite. Service and attention at Restaurant and at Front desk! We spent in Alexandra Plaza a fantastic holiday.