We just come back from one week stay in Ischia.
Hotel Grand Excelsior was a great choice.
Very nice room (please remember: Italy standard are not Asian or American standard) exceptionnal food and service, great service with very nice attention from all staff, nice view on the sea and swimming pool, perfect location on the beach and 200 meters from the nicest shops of Ischia, open late in the evening.

Eveything to have a wonderfull stay and memories !!!

We will return next year for sure.

We are a couple in our fifties. This was our first visit to Ischia. We loved the place. The hotel was probably the best on the island. Our room had a balcony but overlooked the gardens rather than the coast. It was not a problem though as we spent to little time in our room. The pool was ideally located with plenty of loungers and excellent views of the gardens. We went half board and the restaurant was as befitting a 5 star hotel and the waiters looked after us very well. Breakfast on the terrace was brilliant with the sea in the distance through the trees.
Only grumbles concerning the hotel were the they tried to only serve the local Ischian wines which whilst they were OK we wanted sometimes to have something different. We eventually got a wine list (more like a book) but 98% of it was Italian wines only and at a mega price. Also the waiters could not grasp the concept that we wanted a white wine with one course and a red with the mains. They seemed to only want to give us one glass each. very strange. Also the drinks served on the terrace each evening were expensive. To be fair we guessed they would be as there was no drinks price list. They were served immaculately though by a very smart waiter. The other grumble was the use of the spa. We used it once and an assistance showed us how to use the sauna, shower etc and then we had to sign a slip (that should have been a clue) and on checking out we were presented with a bill for several pounds. They should have warned us that the service was chargeable. Nevertheless we enjoyed an excellent week at the Hotel Excelsior and would certainly go back if in that area.

We spent part of our honeymoon at this hotel and it was not what we expected. The first week of our honeymoon was spent in the Grand Vittoria Excelsior in Sorrento which was a truley 5 star hotel in every sense of the term. However, both the hotel and Ischia itself resulted in an awful shock for our second week. Be warned - even booking a superior room does not mean anything better than a dark, small twin-bedded room overlooking the carpark. We complianed bitter every day and were eventually moved to a better room. The food is below average and is served in what can only be described as a school refectory type affair with the service to match.

I could go on and on but surffice to say - avoid, avoid, avoid.

We enjoyed our honeymoon at the Grand in September and found it a classy place, although somewhat expensive.
Maybe it's the island life, but the hotel we came from on the Mainland (Bellevue Syrene in Sorrento) was equally, if not more impressive for half the price.

What you do get for your money is a quiet hotel in a prime location with an excellent pool (although the choice at the pool snack bar leaves a lot to be desired).

If possible ask for a room with a sea view as the alternative is overlooking gardens and a car park.

The bedrooms were immaculate and cleaned daily and the walk in wardrobe we had in our superior room was bigger than some rooms I've stayed at in the past!

The staff were courteous and always willing to help with any query.

We booked B&B only as we like to eat out, but the breakfast looked comprehensive enough to convince me that you would have no worries with the food.

All in all, a hotel to get away form it all if you don't mind spending a bit more for quality.

Darren (40) and Helen (39), Lancashire, England