Life Hotel Seaview & Spa

Everything is alright for business travel

We came to Porto Recanati as a base for a wedding that we were attending in Loreto. We had a lovely, secluded little room (006). It was very comfortable, but the room can get muggy and warm if you leave the front door open or sunblind up too long. The hotel has a beautiful beachside location (literally). Location is great for the beach and a selection of nearby supermarkets, but it is a 10-15 mins walk to the main part of Porto Recanati. It is a wonderful feeling coming down into the lobby, seeing the blue glimmer of the Adriatic, then stepping outside onto the terrace that faces the sea. Took aperitivo at the hotel one evening which, although a bit expensive, was tasty, convenient, and with unlimited snacks. One annoying thing was the stupid touchpad to operate the lights in the room – very fickle and an unnecessary gimmick when normal light switches would have been fine. Would certainly recommend if you want a true beachside hotel with a real sea feeling that lets you relax. Nearby Loreto is a must.

We booked 2 nights in Life Hotel, expecting a 4 star experience reflected in the cost - €150 per night including breakfast. It fell well below our expectations, worst of all being dinner in the restaurant on the night of our arrival. The real positive of our stay was the breakfast and the staff working at that time - they were wonderful. Our room was comfortable but lacked anything that could be considered 'deluxe' - apart from the fancy lighting system perhaps and a really good shower. The bed was comfortable. A large balcony in our room had 2 upright chairs and a coffee table with an ashtray - more relaxing furniture would have made it a place where you could chill out, watching the sea. There was no such zone to be found anywhere in the hotel. The lowest point was dinner - don't order the hummus as it's a tiny portion and not hummus at all but puree chickpeas with not even a hint of tahini. I ordered fish - branzino gratinato - it was terrible, could have been frozen but was definitely over-cooked. My husband had ravioli most of which was uneaten as it was like cardboard. The side of vegetables was also a sorry affair and went back almost untouched. All of which drew no comment from the waiter - service was perfunctory at best. When we complained to the reception staff they smiled and nodded, nothing more. And then on check out, I was informed that there was an extra charge for parking in the hotel garage - it was the first time I'd heard of the charge and in a hotel asking €150 per night I would have expected it to be included. The spa is also extra, by the way. So, if you're looking for 4-star standards look elsewhere. (we had a fabulous meal in hotel Bianchi Nicola on our second day).