Donnastella, farm stay and restaurant with pizza in Guardavalle Marina
Donnastella is a farm stay on the seafront at Guardavalle Marina, in Calabria, with a garden, a panoramic terrace, a restaurant, a bar and free parking. Many reviews focus on the restaurant and the pizza. If you plan to sleep there, check the details carefully, because the service divides guests.
Written by Valeria Romano
Published
Mapiola is a travel blog: this is not the official website of Donnastella.
Where Donnastella is and how to get there
Donnastella is in Guardavalle Marina, in Calabria, on the Strada Statale 106 Jonica and the seafront. The page describes a Mediterranean garden with olive trees and a panoramic terrace over the sea, a picture that makes you want to stop.
The car is the best way to get there. The Certosa di Serra San Bruno is about 40 km away and Lamezia Terme airport about 82 km. One guest explains that from the main road you turn onto a dirt track of a few hundred metres to the open, spacious car park of the property, so do not be put off if the entrance is not paved.
| What | Distance or detail |
|---|---|
| Certosa di Serra San Bruno | about 40 km |
| Lamezia Terme airport | about 82 km |
| Parking | private and free |
On the view there is a small difference between sources. The page talks about a terrace over the sea, while one guest says the restaurant room does not have a sea view but is still atmospheric. If the view is a priority, ask which space you will be given.
What Donnastella really is
The page presents it as a farm stay with rooms, a restaurant and a bar. The bar and restaurant serve local specialities and a typical Italian breakfast. There is also a play area for children and free Wi-Fi.
An important point is that most of the reviews come from people who ate there and did not stay. Several guests say openly that they had dinner without spending the night. The 4.3 Google rating, from 392 reviews, therefore speaks mostly about the restaurant and the pizzeria, and much less about the rooms. I keep that in mind in everything that follows.
What the rooms are like
The rooms have flat-screen TVs and bed linen is included. Nothing else appears in the information I have: nothing on the bathroom, the furnishings or the size.
There is just one account of a night, and it is negative. A guest writes that they found the room in the attic very hot, asked for the air conditioning to be left on even when paying extra, and was answered curtly. It is an isolated case, but it concerns the rooms themselves, so ask beforehand what kind of room you will be given and how the climate works in summer.
What guests say
Most comments are five stars and talk about the food and the setting. These are the themes that keep coming up.
- The pizza. Several people think it is excellent, with a light dough and quality ingredients. One guest used to Naples rates it very highly.
- The location. A well-kept garden, generous spaces, tables inside and out and a pleasant outdoor area in the evening.
- The staff. Often kind and helpful, although service is the most debated part.
- The rest of the menu. Guests mention the fried fish, the grilled dishes, seafood first courses and a savoury maritozzo, with portions and prices many feel are fair.
One person celebrated a family ceremony there and describes a perfect day. Another, returning after a year, writes that the service had improved a lot. This makes me think the level has changed over time, for better and for worse.
What to know before you book
The faults need to be stated clearly, because they are there. The one and two-star reviews centre on the service and the rooms.
- A table booked with a request for a corner for a small dog was given a place in the middle of the room, and the service seemed poorly coordinated, with long waits for some courses.
- Another guest describes poor service and smaller portions than on a previous visit.
- A comment that is otherwise positive notes that one star was slightly dimmer than usual, perhaps because of an off evening.
- The price is a little higher than nearby restaurants, but many feel the quality justifies it.
With a 4.3 rating it is clear that most leave happy, but the service is not consistent. For those who sleep there, my advice is simple: clear everything up before you arrive, especially the room, the air conditioning and the timings.
Who it suits and what to do nearby
I would choose it for a dinner on the seafront or a family pizza, perhaps with children thanks to the play area. For sleeping there I would wait until you have more information about the rooms, which the reviews cover very little, and I would judge it better in a season that is not too hot.
Nearby, the page points to the Certosa di Serra San Bruno as an excursion. To compare other places to stay in Calabria, see B&B Villa Mariotta in Amantea, B&B AmoRosita in Diamante or Tetto Verde in Carolei.
Passionate about travel and about the kind of places that turn a getaway into something unforgettable. I love writing about hotels, country houses and charming hideaways, helping every traveller find the perfect place to rest and feel at home.
