Hotel Gabbiano

Because the staff was really very friendly it is not easy for me to say something not good about the hotel. But fact is, that my room with balcony did not see any day light. Outside it was sunny and nice and in the room and the so-called balcony it was nearly dark that I had to switch on light during sunny daytime.

Surprisingly, Manfredonia (a charming town on the Gargano Peninsula of Puglia with some great restaurants, a pleasant beach and a charming old town that comes alive on summer nights) has very few hotels. In fact, the Gabbiano and another 3-star hotel (the Panorama del Golfo?) are actually in Siponto, a couple of kilometers south of Manredonia's downtown. No worries. If you find yourself here, you are probably traveling by car and you can easily park at the Gabbiano lot (safe and free) and drive into Manfredonia for sightseeing/restaurants and find street parking there (also free). Manfredonia is a great place to stop if you are exploring the Peninsula (which is worth visiting -- especially Monte Sant'Angelo) and/or continuing on south towards Trani and the Truli villages (fabulous). The Gabbiano is in the middle of a major renovation (but they kept construction noise and mess to a minimum), so prices may rise. For now, it feels like an elegant, small-town hotel with class and warmth.