Italy - Lake Garda ? Self-Catering recommendations please

[LIZS]

Looking to sc in Italy this summer. If Lake Garda then probably S/SE coast. Ideally in a small complex with access to lake, pool, supermarkets and restaurants within walking distance etc. 2 adults and 2dc 13 & 9.

or any recomemndations for agriturismo complexes ?

Hi LIZS

I'm not sure that this is really what you are looking for but seeing as you have not had any replies..... We have just (last week) come back from a week here, and had a really great holiday. It is a complex of 2 residences and 2 hotels with a golf course, 5 minutes by car from Peschiera del Garda.

Good points -
Price - very cheap (although it was out of season and this may not be a consideration for you) - 56 Euro per night for a 2 bed apartment
Although in the cheaper residence we could use all the facilities in the other hotels - very good indoor pool, nice restaurant in one of the hotels, golf at reduced green fees
Each hotel/residence has its own outdoor pool
The whole complex is large, but the individual residences are fairly small so you don't really feel as though you are staying on a huge complex
Very close to Peschiera, with boats, trains etc to other places
Close to Gardaland (happiest day of 6 year old DS's life)
Apartment was fairly basic, but clean and had everything we needed. Very good for the price and in any case we spent very little time in the apartment.

'Bad' points
Not really in walking distance to Peschiera. This was fine for us as we had our car but if you have no transport could be a problem. However there is a shuttle bus that leaves the complex (I think) every hour to Peschiera. We never used it but is seemed to be reliable, we saw it coming and going on time.
There is small shop on site, but it really is small, only the very basics in there so you would have to food shop elsewhere.
There are restaurants in both the hotels but only one seemed OK (the other seemed like a canteenish type of place used by all inclusive holidays). When I say OK it was really very good, but if you want some variety you would have to use the bus to go into Peschiera.
You have to pay extra if you don't take your own towels and bed linen, at a cost of 20euro per person, but you can then take it home with you. Again, OK for us as we had our car but you may not have room in the suitcases! I didn't really mind paying as the apartment was so cheap but you may feel differently.

The 'bad' points for us weren't really bad at all, but having the car made a difference. We had a great holiday and will probably go back next year (DH is a golfer and thought it was paradise )

yes I think that is the sort of thing, thank you. Is Peschiera/lake within walking distance ? How "lively" is the entertainment (we prefer low key end of activities and organisation)

The lake and Peschiara are within walking distance but it is a bit of a long walk, I would say 30-40 minutes at least.

We didn't see any entertainment/activities, not sure if there was any as it wasn't high season, and not really our thing anyway. I think if you are in the apartments it would be easy to miss as I presume it would be in one of the hotels. We were out most days until about 6ish and then went to the indoor pool for a swim for an hour or two and then back to the apartment for something to eat, then bed for DS (for once so tired with all the activity he didn't moan about it). Then an glass of wine on the balcony for me and DH - so very quiet in the evenings for us. However, our DS is only 6 so it suited us.

Slightly different but has anyone stayed here in Torbole. Am confused as got a good price quoted dd(9) should go free but ds(13) would be an adult and not sure rooms can take 4 ?

Not stayed there but did stay at the above mentioned place - it is really lively in summer with plenty of kids and activities - the shuttle bus was really reliable but a tip would be to get it from the first stop - hotel Paradiso as it does fill up by the time it reaches the self-catering stops. I wouldn't have walked in to town - it's too far and on a busy main road but when we did day trips we ordered a taxi to take us to the station and it wasn't expensive. Really enjoyed it. If you book with them directly and get a flight to Verona it will prob be cheaper than a package. We found 4 person rooms a problem so depends what's more important. Torbole is lovely but Parc Paradiso won out for us as it had so much for the kids to do which meant we got a nice rest!