Family holidays in Italy

This is our second year at Baia dei Mori we love the location and the activities. On of the main reasons we return is the fabulous kids club, our daughter was in Sea Urchins this year and had a blast - Fabulous, caring staff. The other reason for us is the restaurant. The staff are superb and so attentive. They are super proud of their food and heritage and rightfully so. Gianfranco, Paulo and Alessandro are brilliant as well as Giulia and Simona - who went the extra mile for us sorting out a table when we had a big storm. Luigi - (Gigi) consistently makes the best pasta we've ever had and we lived in mainland Italy for 7 years! He is a delight. kind and friendly and a real asset to you. We look forward to seeing the restaurant staff when we return. They all remembered us from last year, especially our daughter who enjoyed being the centre of attention.
We mentioned the cleaning to Frosty when we were there and understood there had been a few issues finding staff. We had our problem swiftly rectified.
The one area I would like to mention is the attitude to swimmers. John, your coach, was superb again this year. I had a series of lessons with him and he is so encouraging and knowledgeable. I made great improvements. I also saw him supporting several severely nervous swimmers and he was brilliant as I watched them come on in leaps and bounds. I also took part in the introduction to open water swimming, which was informative, challenging and enjoyable. My partner and I also joined in with the Water volleyball - huge fun with 20+ competitors on each team, which shows the interest. We also made use of the stroke improvers class and the toddler swims lead by John, again great . We turned up to the prize winners night, which was great fun, but were disappointed that swimming was not included. The reason given was that "It is not a Neilson core product".We are a family that came to Neilson for the first time last year and I have to say that means nothing to us. We did not understand the hierarchy of the sports as swimming was offered along side everything else. John told us he had selected winners in each category and prepared certificates for them and was not allowed to join in. I now know Neilson's origins are in Sailing etc, but please don't treat swimmers as second class citizens. Due to an injury I am unable to take part in windsurfing, tennis and cycling and have to carry out low-impact sports such as swimming. It would be nice to feel included and many other guests I spoke to felt the same and will be raising this with you separately. Please try and get John for the whole summer next year too!!

We loved being waved off to the airport by Frosty, Filippo and the team. The first time we've ever experienced that was with Neilson. Thank you for a great holiday.
We had a fab time and we will be returning next year!

Our holiday in Baia Dei Moro, Sardinia this October half term was absolutely wonderful. We travelled there independently and our flight was cancelled but Hollie at Head Office couldn’t have been more helpful and supportive. On arrival at Baia Dei Moro, Frostie gave us the warmest welcome and it was like meeting an old friend (based on length of friendship and no derogatory reference to age!) and he provided us with fabulous rooms with the comfiest beds. The food was amazing and we were introduced to delicious Italian food (in particular, the tuna carpaccio and octopus salads were so good). The dining staff were fabulous and such fun too - particularly on Sardinian night when one danced and sang!

The most amazing thing about Neilson holidays are that there are so many fabulous things to do and staff to enable you to do them. My son adored the windsurfing and sailing and ventured into the Waveriders group halfway through the holiday and made such firm friends that they have all agreed that we will all go to the same place next year…..apparently!! My daughter chose to go to Sharksters club after a day with her mum doing yoga and tennis - preference to be with her own age group and play on huge paddle boards etc was far more fun. It’s true what they say - you’re only as happy as your youngest child when on holiday! And my husband and I cycled, played tennis, learnt to dinghy sail (RYA 1 now!) and learnt to windsurf……and we learned to relax and read and sleep and just be together.

Neilson holidays are addictive - we have been on flotilla and beach club holidays. But this one was particularly special. It felt like we were staying with friends, people like us (PLUs) and we felt safe, secure and part of a large family. All the staff were professional and Frostie makes it feel so special - if every beach club had a Frostie, they would have that extra edge and be unbelievable.

So thank you to Frostie for his above and beyond support (even driving our suitcase we left behind to the airport when we left) and for allowing us all to have the best last day of holidays ever by letting us have access to our rooms until we left at the end of the day. We never felt like commodities and always like cherished guests and people.

And thanks too to Ben (brilliant windsurf teacher), Tom (advice on windsurfing), Amy (fab sailing teacher), Lydia (looking after the Waveriders), and the girls who looked after the Sharksters. To the helpful reception staff and Dave on the bikes.

Would we go back? Yes!!. Why isn’t it open next October half term? Who knows.