Santa Lucia Hotel

We stumbled upon this hotel by accident. Having alighted the ferry at Bari we were heading for Sicily. After the overnight crossing from Igoumenitsa to Bari with Grimaldi, possibly the worst ferry crossing ever - they are not call GRIMaldi for nothing - we decided when we were tired of driving we look for a hotel. The SatNav listed a number of hotels at our current location and I just punched number three on the list, which was this hotel. At first we drove past it. The signage is poor, it is being addressed now, but we finally found it. Without a reservation we made enquiries as to room availability and asked to see a room. The two young ladies on reception were a delight to deal with. Where we had language barriers, we use a translation program and they were so patient. Nothing was too much trouble. The room was large and modern. Perfect for what we wanted and the car parked right outside the door was a comforting thought too. Whilst we waiting for them to process our passports etc we were offered fresh coffee, which was so welcome. Adjacent to the hotel and accessible from the hotel foyer was a restaurant. We decided we would eat there and booked a table for 8.00pm. At 8.00pm we boldly entered the restaurant to find the staff with puzzled looks on their faces. We had forgotten to set our watches and were on a different time zone. Mistake rectified at 8.00pm our table was ready. We were lucky we booked. The restaurant is large and filled up very, very fast with people who had not made a reservation waiting for a table to become available. Having eaten a freshly made wooden fired oven pizza, that was simply one of the best I have ever eaten, I was not surprised to see why the place is so popular. On the way past three weeks later we called into say hello and goodbye to them, we were leaving Italy for Switzerland, and received such a welcome. If I was a hotel owner I would want staff of that calibre. They changed what was a standard night stay into a more than memorable one. I cannot fault the hotel and seriously wish them well for the future. They deserve it.