Neilson Airone Beach Club Review
Checking In:
I was privileged to travel recently, with my teenage daughter, to the stunning Neilson Airone Beach Club, in Calabria, Italy. I have visited quite a few places within Italy previously & have fallen in love with the country, so it was going to be interesting to see how this compared – would it live up to my hopes & expectations?
I certainly wasn’t disappointed…
Location:
Neilson Airone Beachclub is around a 1hr 40 mins transfer from Lamezia airport, around 30 minutes from local towns & villages & about 15 minutes from a large supermarket & shopping complex – the hotel offers a return shuttle service here for €5 per person, so you don’t have to feel completely cut off from the outside world – unless you want to be of course.
What’s On-site:
You’ll receive an Activity Planner on the transfer coach, so no time to lose in planning your weekly schedule, from the fantastic range of available & included activities.
There is an excellent swimming pool, with plenty of sunbeds, all with their own sunshades attached, & a swim-around bar, serving a selection of cold refreshing drinks, slushes & ice creams to help refresh you from the hot Mediterranean sun!
You can also sunbathe on the main beach area where you laze & enjoy the sun, whilst watching the more active enjoy, or learn water-skiing, kayaking & sailing. Plenty of beds mean that you could leave your towels to reserve your spot, whilst taking part.
‘Relax as hard as you like’ is the Neilson strapline, & this, along with all of the others I have visited, is definitely a resort where you can do as little, or as much, as you choose.
A beautiful spa can be found downstairs in the main building, with treatments varying from manicures to full-body massages & all at very reasonable prices. Many people were taking advantage of the sport massages to soothe their aching limbs after a full day of tennis & sailing
This is one of the resorts that has rock-climbing wall for the adventurous, along with all of the water-sports – a huge range of kit can be found at the waterfront. There are 4 tennis courts & a multi-sport court
Neilson offers a great range of mountain & road bikes & has regular rides out from the resort at varying levels – some of the more hardcore cyclists were doing daily 50k jaunts – I left them to it on this occasion.
A fitness deck sits atop the hotel where daily yoga & fitness classes take place.
Children:
There is on-site inclusive childcare available from just 2 through to 17 years – split into 2-year age groups. It was lovely to see how the British child-care team – a good mix of boys & girls – interacted with the children in their groups & I can honestly say most of the children seemed to be having a better time with them, than when they were back with their parents!
The Rooms:
Neilson’s Airone Beachclub consists of rooms in the main hotel & 8 two-storey garden blocks – we were allocated a club room in block 7 by the tennis courts which was only a 5 minute walk to the main building. This resort doesn’t offer huge balconies & terraces but most rooms do have an outside seating area or view point – you’ll be spending most of you time taking part of all the wonderful activities & facilities on offer, so this doesn’t present any issue for most.
The rooms are very comfortable & offer excellent storage, a beautiful bathroom, mini fridge, hairdryer, tea & coffee making facilities & a safe.
Food & Drink:
Neilson include daily breakfast & lunch with 4 evening meals every week at their Beachclubs.
The quality & choice of food at Airone was fantastic – for breakfast there was always a choice of ‘full English’, cereals, & porridge, cheeses & cold meats, all offered with a choice of juices, hot drinks & fruits.
Lunch & dinners include pizzas & pasta dishes (my daughter took such a liking to the authentic Bolognese & Carbonara that she almost looked Italian by the time we left!), along with meats, a great range of fish dishes, salads & breads to cater for the most discerning of palettes.
There was always a great choice of desserts, which I generally refrained from, but as soon as I saw the Tiramisu … well let’s leave that there….
Complimentary still, or sparkling, water, plus tea & coffee was always available with your meals & you can also choose from a detailed wine & bar list at the restaurant which is chargeable to your room.
On the ‘non-inclusive’ dining evenings, you can choose to dine at the Piazza bar – where I tried an amazing Crab & Asparagus risotto – or head to the wonderful local beachfront restaurant, Lido Aurora, for truly authentic Italian cuisine & top-notch service & extremely reasonable prices.
This Resort Is Perfect For…
I would say people who like smaller, traditional or boutique-style properties would feel completely at home at Airone Beachclub.
It is well suited to families & couples, or singles looking for a more laid-back escape & groups of tennis, or water-sports fanatics wanting a challenging week or two away – pretty much anyone wanting an Italian experience, with all the activities thrown in for good measure. For singles, there is a ‘social’ table in the dining room, to eat with like-minded guests & the kindly & hospitable staff will ensure that you are well looked after in group activities.
How To Get There:
Neilson Holidays offer a weekly British Airways flight, from London Heathrow, on Saturdays, with a flight time of around 3 hours.
My Verdict:
I would definitely recommend this resort – the quiet location, the peaceful surroundings, warm & welcoming friendly staff, fantastic facilities, great food & drink & one of the best swimming pools in any resort I have been to. What’s not to like?!
Whilst I was there I saw a good mix of couples & families taking part in many different activities – some lay by the pool all week whereas others had a full programme of daily activities to see them through the week – however much, or little, you want to do is completely up to you.
How To Book:
Prices for Neilson Airone Beachclub start from just £565pp* off-peak & include flights, transfers, accommodation, Club-board dining, kids clubs & activities. Call Travel Club Elite (free) on 0800 707 6229 or email our Neilson Specialists on info@travelclubelite.com for huge extra savings.
*based on 2 adults departing 28th September 2019 for 7 nights from London Heathrow. Price correct as of 25/06/2019 & is subject to change.
About the author – Zoe Franklin is the Sales Manager for Travel Club Elite. Zoe has been in the travel industry for 33 years & has extensive, personal, worldwide travel experience. Recent trips have included Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Maldives, Galapagos, Ecuador & the Seychelles! For any travel advice or assistance, please contact Zoe@travelclubelite.com