Escape to Paradise: Hotel Rojas, Lipari Island's Hidden Gem
Escape to Paradise: Hotel Rojas - My Lipari Island Love Affair (and the Tiny Annoyances)
Okay, so let's talk about Hotel Rojas on Lipari Island, because frankly, I'm still dreaming about it. I'm a sucker for a hidden gem, and this place felt like finding buried treasure. Lipari itself? Absolutely stunning. And Hotel Rojas? Well, it's got its quirks, sure, but the overall experience? Let's just say I'm already scheming a return trip.
First Impressions… and the Climb!
Getting there, well, it's Lipari. You fly into Catania, then a ferry… and then up. Because yes, like many charming places, Hotel Rojas is perched. Access? Yeah, it's not ideal for everyone. They absolutely have facilities for disabled guests, and I saw an elevator, but the initial climb from the piazza? Let's just say my calves got a good workout. But the views… oh, the views! That's what you're paying for.
Accessibility: While they do list CCTV in common areas, and have the elevator, be realistic about the location: more hills, less paved pathways.
Rooms: My Sanctuary (and My Minor Gripes)
The best part? Their rooms. We snagged a room with a balcony – crucial! I’m a sucker for a good view and this property surely delivers! They offer non-smoking rooms, which is always a good sign, and the blackout curtains were a godsend after a long day of exploring. They had a shower, and some rooms also had a separate shower/bathtub which is always a plus. The air conditioning worked like a dream, absolutely essential in the Lipari heat. Free Wi-Fi in the room, and the Internet access – wireless was reliable. Carpeting throughout – maybe not everyone's style, but I found it adds warmth. They also offer nice touches like bathrobes and slippers.
The downside? Well, the minibar selection was a tad limited, and my phone, a total luddite, struggled with the Internet access [LAN], though Internet was available. I did miss the Additional toilet. (but that might depend on your room choice…or how much you drink!) But honestly, these are minor quibbles.
Cleanliness and Safety: Feeling Safe and Cared For
This is where Hotel Rojas really shines. After the year we've all had, I was hyper-aware of hygiene, and I was impressed. I noticed a Daily disinfection in common areas, rooms sanitized between stays, and professional-grade sanitizing services, including Anti-viral cleaning products. They had Hand sanitizer everywhere and Staff trained in safety protocol, and I felt completely at ease. Plus, they practice Physical distancing of at least 1 meter, and there was the option to select the Room sanitization opt-out available. The attention to detail felt reassuring, and they even had a Doctor/nurse on call.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: A Foodie's Delight (with a Few Misses)
Oh, the food! This is where I could write a novel. The Breakfast [buffet] was a glorious spread of fresh fruit, pastries, cheeses, and all the coffee I could handle. Even better, they have a Breakfast takeaway service if you want to eat on the go. They also have Asian cuisine in restaurant which I loved, I'm always down to try new things. There's a fantastic Coffee shop to fuel your days of exploration, they offer Coffee/tea in restaurant, Desserts in restaurant and they even have a lovely Poolside bar. They always offer a Bottle of water, which is the most important part. But let's be honest, sometimes the salad in restaurant and other dishes could be a bit hit-or-miss. No matter, I'm always full.
The Restaurants had a nice ambiance, and the staff was always helpful. A special shout-out to the A la carte in restaurant! Room service [24-hour] was a lifesaver after a long day, the Happy hour was a good time, and the Poolside bar. The only letdown? Sometimes the service felt a little slow, but hey, you’re on island time!
Things to Do, Ways to Relax: Blissful Indulgence
This is where they truly earned the "Paradise" label. The Swimming pool [outdoor] with the Pool with view was the perfect place to unwind and soak up the sun. And the spa? The Spa/sauna, was heavenly. I got a mind-blowing Massage - I’m still trying to remember how to go back. They offer a Body scrub and Body wrap treatment, if you need to, and there's a Fitness center if you're feeling active. The Sauna and Steamroom were the perfect way to detox after a few too many delicious dinners. I'd recommend.
Services and Conveniences: The Little Things that Matter
From the moment I arrived, I felt taken care of. The Concierge was incredibly helpful, and the Front desk [24-hour] was always ready with a smile. They offer Daily housekeeping, Laundry service and Ironing service – all of which is a welcome luxury on vacation. They offer Currency exchange, which came in handy. Parking was Car park [free of charge], which is always a bonus. They had the option for Contactless check-in/out, and an Elevator.
For the Kids: Family Fun
They had the option for Babysitting service and facilities for Family/child friendly.
The Stream of Consciousness - The Moments That Stuck
Okay, this is where I get real. The moment I walked onto that terrace, with the view of the Aeolian Islands spread out before me… honestly, my jaw dropped. It was breathtaking. I remember one evening, sitting there with a glass of local wine, watching the sun sink into the sea. Pure magic. I still have the feeling of the fresh, salty air on my skin.
But here’s a confession: that first morning at breakfast? I accidentally used the wrong fork. Mortified. I almost bolted. But then I remembered, I’m on vacation! So I just laughed it off (and discreetly switched forks). It's human, right?
Why You Should Book Hotel Rojas (and Why You Might Want to Think Twice)
Here's the deal: Hotel Rojas is a gem. It’s not perfect, but it offers an experience. It's the kind of place you go to disconnect, recharge, and soak up the beauty of Lipari. If you’re looking for a super-slick, modern hotel with absolutely flawless service, this might not be your perfect match. But if you crave charm, stunning views, and a genuine island experience, then absolutely, book it!
Here’s my (slightly dramatic) pitch:
Escape to Paradise: Your Lipari Island Adventure Awaits at Hotel Rojas!
Tired of the same old boring vacations? Craving something authentic, something unforgettable? Then it's time to discover Hotel Rojas on Lipari Island. Picture this:
- Wake up to panoramic island views from your private balcony.
- Indulge in delicious breakfasts with the freshest local ingredients.
- Relax and rejuvenate with spa treatments and pool days.
- Plus, we have the best value on island.
Book your escape to Hotel Rojas today!
Escape to Paradise: Saint Vincent's Luxury Hotel Awaits
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your meticulously planned, Instagram-perfect travel itinerary. This is… my attempt at a trip to Hotel Rojas in Lipari, Italy. Expect the unexpected. Expect me to wander off on tangents. And expect a whole lot of me trying to find the gelato shop everyone raves about. (Disclaimer: I haven't actually been to Hotel Rojas, so this is all wishful thinking and research-fueled fantasy. Consider it a highly ambitious, slightly delusional mood board.)
Trip: Lipari Island Fiasco (a.k.a. "Hoping for Sun, Praying for Gelato") Duration: 7 Days (Because pretending I'm employed and can take a real vacation is the whole point.) Theme: Attempting to find my dolce vita. Will likely end up covered in sand, slightly sunburned, and eternally hungry.
Day 1: Arrival & The Great Lipari Orientation (and That Dreaded Luggage)
- Morning (or "Hoping the Flight Isn't Delayed Again"): Wake up with a mixture of terror and excitement. Swear I've overpacked (I always overpack). The flight is, predictably, delayed by an hour. Mutter under my breath about airline food. Vow to survive on nothing but olives and Aperol Spritz for the entire trip.
- Afternoon ("Ciao, Italy! And Where's My Suitcase?!"): Arrive in Catania, Sicily (hopefully!). Take the ferry over to Lipari. The sea is probably gorgeous, but I'll be too busy manically clutching my carry-on, convinced it holds everything I need to survive a zombie apocalypse (and find the perfect beach read).
- Anecdote: Remember that time I tried to "pack light" for a weekend trip? Ended up lugging a suitcase the size of a small car and still forgot my toothbrush. This time, I'm determined to be better. (Narrator: She is not.)
- Evening ("Hotel Rojas, Here I Come…Eventually"): Find Hotel Rojas! (Praying to the travel gods it wasn't overbooked.) Check-in. Immediately attempt to locate the Wi-Fi password (essential for Instagram validation, duh). Unpack (maybe). Collapse on the bed and stare at the ceiling, half-convinced I've died and gone to heaven.
- Quirky Observation: The room better have a balcony with a view. If I'm going to be forced to eat dinner alone, I need something pretty to look at while I contemplate the meaning of life (and the lack of decent TV).
- Goal: Immediate gelato reconnaissance mission, even if it's 10 PM. I've heard whispers of a pistachio gelato that could change a person.
Day 2: Lipari Town Exploration & The Volcano's Whisper (and the Missing Sunscreen)
- Morning ("Coffee Fuel and Cobblestone Chaos"): Wake up early, fueled by terrible instant coffee. Wander around Lipari Town. Get lost in the winding streets. (This is guaranteed. I have a terrible sense of direction). Browse the shops. Buy something I absolutely don't need but can't resist.
- Emotional Reaction: *Oh my god, the colours! The architecture! The sheer *charm* of this town is overwhelming!* (Also, mildly panic about the rapidly dwindling Euros in my wallet.)
- Afternoon ("Climbing the Volcano (or, Attempting to Look Cool While Sweating Profusely)"): Hike up to the Volcano of Lipari. Hopefully, the views will be worth the effort. Take a million photos. Pretend I'm a seasoned adventurer. Sweat buckets. Regret wearing those cute sandals.
- Messier Structure: Somewhere in here needs to be sunscreen application. Probably forgot it. Curse myself. Decide to just embrace the impending sunburn.
- Evening ("Pizza & People-Watching - because why not?"): Dinner at a trattoria. Order pizza (probably Margherita, because simplicity is key). Practice my terrible Italian. People-watch. Make up stories about the other diners. Feel deeply, profoundly content.
- Rambles: Okay, but seriously, the pizza in Italy is something else. That crust! That sauce! That cheese! I could probably survive on just pizza alone. Maybe I should just survive on pizza alone…
- Goal: Find a place with outdoor seating. I want to soak in the atmosphere.
- Imperfection: Will undoubtedly spill olive oil down my front.
Day 3: Explore the Island by Boat! (and the Terrifying Seasick Potential)
- Morning ("Seas the Day…I hope"): Book a boat tour of the island. Cross my fingers I don't get seasick. Take some Dramamine. Possibly overreact about the potential for motion sickness. Think about packing extra crackers "just in case."
- Afternoon ("Gorgeous Grottoes and the Unlikely Romance of Sun and Sea"): Experience the grottoes and the beaches. (Hopefully, they're as stunning as the pictures suggest.) Jump (or carefully lower myself, depending on the height) into the crystal-clear water. Take a lot of photos. Get a little bit lost. (Okay, maybe a lot.)
- Doubling Down on a Single Experience: Okay, the water. THE WATER. I want to just live in it. To swim in the Tyrrhenian Sea and feel the cool water on my skin. To watch the sunlight dance on the surface. To feel the little waves tickle my toes. This is what I came for.
- Goal: Find the secret, hidden beaches that everyone raves about.
- Evening ("Seafood Surprise (and Maybe a Few Regrets)"): Dinner at a seafood restaurant. Order something I can't pronounce. (Embrace the adventure!) Drink too much wine. Laugh a lot.
- Emotional Outburst: This is it! This is the life! I'm actually doing this! (Followed by a potentially embarrassing karaoke performance later that night.)
- Imperfection: Will probably manage to get seawater in my eye.
Day 4: Vulcano Island and the Mud Baths (and My Fear of Public Nakedness)
- Morning ("Ferry to the Fire"): Take a ferry to Vulcano Island. Feel the heat. Prepare for a unique experience.
- Afternoon ("Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud…And Awkward Moments"): Experience the mud baths. Get covered in sulfurous mud. (Embrace the smell!) Try not to feel self-conscious about my appearance (or the fact that everyone else seems to be perfectly comfortable with public nudity). Try to look like a supermodel. Fail.
- Stream-of-Consciousness Rambles: Okay, the mud. It's supposed to be good for your skin. I'm sure it is. But the smell! The texture! I feel like a character from a horror movie. Why am I always so awkward in these situations? Should I just go back to the hotel? No! I paid for this. Embrace the Sulphur!
- Evening ("Dinner and Despair" - or is that Desire?): Dinner in Vulcano. Taste and savor the food again. Return to Lipari. Start to feel the vacation blues.
- Goal: Maybe I could buy some souvenirs?
Day 5: Culinary Adventures & The Search for the Perfect Granita (and the Expanding Waistline)
- Morning ("Breakfast of Champions…or at least, of someone who really likes pastries"): Take a cooking class. Learn how to make pasta (and hopefully not make a complete mess of it). Eat everything I make. (Including the things the teacher tells me not to drink like the wine)
- Afternoon ("Granita Quest"): Begin my relentless search for the perfect granita. (I've heard rumours of a lemon granita that is god-tier. This is now my mission.) Taste-test every granita I can find. Document findings (with photos, obviously). Become increasingly hyperactive.
- Opinionated Language: The granita better be good. If I'm going to put in the effort, and become a Granita Connoisseur, I demand perfection!
- Evening ("An Evening Out"): Dinner out at some nice restaurant. Wear that one nice outfit, the one I've been saving. Try to remember to order dessert.
- Emotional Outburst: Oh my goodness, this food! The colours! The culture!
Day 6: Sunset Views & Last-Minute Souvenirs (and the Dread of Going Home)
- Morning ("Sleep In! (and Panic About the Packing)"): Sleep in as long as possible. Realize I've barely started packing. Panic. Throw everything into my suitcase. Hope for the best.
- Afternoon ("Souvenir Scramble"): Finish buying souvenirs. Buy something for everyone I can think of (and probably some things for myself, let's be honest). Spend the afternoon trying to find the perfect postcard.
- Messier Structure: Okay, I need to
Escape to Paradise: Hotel Rojas - Lipari Island - Seriously? Let's Dive In (and I'm Not Talking About the Sea)
Okay, Okay, Hotel Rojas. Lipari. Sounds idyllic. Is it *actually* paradise? Like, zero-flaws, Instagram-worthy paradise?
Hah! Paradise? Let's just say it's... Lipari-esque paradise. Look, the photos? Stunning. The reality? Well… It's more like, you get to the ferry after a chaotic ride from Naples, and your luggage is somehow already on the wrong side of the island, and you’re desperately trying to remember the phone number of the taxi, because you're convinced you've left your favorite hat... then it turns out the taxi doesn't take cards so you’re scrambling for euros because the ATM is mysteriously out of order. And the hat? Turns out it's jammed in your backpack. *Then* you see the hotel and, against all odds, feel a surge of...hope. But yeah, flaws. There are flaws. But they’re part of the charm, I swear!
The Rooms: Spill the Tea. What's the situation? I'm picturing chic minimalist design, am I right? Or…
Chic minimalist? Hold your horses. My room? Adorable. In a slightly…well, *lived-in* kind of way. There was this antique writing desk, bless its dusty little heart. And the balcony? OMG, the balcony *did* have a view, a stunning, breathless view of the harbor. But the air conditioning? Let's just say it had a…personality. A personality that involved gentle persuasion. Sometimes it worked, other times…well, you learned to love the island breeze wafting in from the open windows, even if that let in a few determined mosquitos. (Bring bug spray! Seriously. And maybe a prayer.) It's not sterile perfection, but it's got soul. It's got… character. And that character is what makes it homey.
Breakfast: Crucial. Is it a sad continental situation or a glorious, carb-filled feast?
Breakfast... Oh, breakfast. It's good. Really good. Okay, it’s not the *best* breakfast I’ve ever had, but it's good. Lots of pastries! Croissants, brioche--the works. Fresh fruit. Yogurt. Coffee that tastes like...well, like strong Italian coffee, the kind that jolts you awake and makes you want to conquer the world (or at least, Lipari). There was this one morning… I’m not going to lie, I went back for thirds on the apricot preserves. They were glorious. The staff were lovely, always smiling, even at 7 am when I was probably a complete mess after the previous night's wine adventure. It’s not a Michelin-star experience, more like a comforting hug with carbs.
Location, Location, Location: Is it easy to get around? Close to everything? Or am I going to be trekking uphill for hours?
The location is pretty darn good! You're not *right* in the heart of the main port area, which is a huge plus, honestly. It's a little quieter, which is a total godsend after a day of jostling with crowds and breathing in diesel fumes (you’ll encounter both, trust me). Short walk to a few restaurants (which, by the way, are to die for, especially the ones that involve fresh seafood). Walking distance down to a few of the best gelaterias on the island. Yes, there *is* an uphill bit, but if you're reasonably fit, it's not a killer and good for an extra gelato! You’ll get your steps in, but you won’t want to kill yourself doing it. Bonus: You can usually snag a taxi pretty quickly, which saves your feet (and your sanity) if you are tired from hiking all day.
The Staff: Are they friendly? Helpful? Or do they seem to secretly hate tourists?
The staff? Sweetest people you can imagine. Seriously, they're like a bunch of Italian aunties and uncles who just want you to have a good time. They were *patient* with my terrible Italian (I’m still learning, okay?). They gave amazing recommendations for restaurants. There was this one guy at the front desk, Marco, who saved me when I was completely stranded trying to book a boat trip. He went above and beyond, even helped me when I accidentally set off the smoke alarm by burning toast. He was unfazed, and that’s a testament to his character. I would happily go back just to say hello.
Anything else? Any hidden gems or unexpected delights? Any major downsides I need to know about?
Okay, a few insider tips: The rooftop terrace! Go there at sunset. The views are…well, they’re ridiculous. Grab a glass of wine and just…breathe. It's pure magic. Downsides? The internet was a bit spotty at times, which was a torture for my social media addiction. Be understanding about the local quirks, things run at their own pace. Forget the clock, embrace the 'dolce vita' and get ready to enjoy. Oh, and one more thing: be prepared to fall in love with Lipari. Hotel Rojas is just the starting point. You'll want to stay forever. You *will* want to come back. And, honestly, that's the ultimate testament to a hotel's charm, isn't it?
Okay, let's talk about the *sound*. What was it like at night? I need silence to sleep. Or... maybe I don't...
Okay, the noise…this is important. It's not a silent, cloistered abbey. You *are* in the Mediteranean. The sounds? Oh, the sounds. There's the gentle lapping of the waves (if your room faces that way, which, lucky you!). Then, there's the distant chatter in Italian, the music from the bars and restaurants, the *scooters*…those scooters are *everywhere*! They weave through the cobblestone streets like caffeinated bees! And if you are sleeping with windows open (which you likely will be to enjoy the breeze), you will undoubtedly hear them. I found it charming, actually. It's the sound of life, of people enjoying themselves. If pin-drop silence is essential for you, bring earplugs. Maybe two pairs. Three if you snore. (Considerate travel is always key.)
Swimming and Beaches! What's the deal?!
Okay, so the hotel isn't on a beach directly, FYI. You need to walk or taxi down. But the beaches…ah, the beaches. Some are pebbly, some are sandy,Boutique Inns
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