critics in the guide were ok on this 3*...but we hated it from the moment we arrived. The hotel is in a pedestrian area so we couldn't access the hotel with the car to unload our 50kg luggage. My wife being pregnant the hotel staff didn't offer their help, so i had to park the car 10min walking distance and have fun to carry everything on my own. 2nd experience was when we discover the room..ok i admit the view on the Calvi port is ok, but the internal decoration is a disaster....dark, painted in a awful red and blue paint. the ceiling was not even painted correctly and looked dirty (so as the bathroom by the way!). last experience was the night! ok if you enjoy the clubs on the port location of this hotel is good...you can even dance from your room till 3am...whith the windows closed! Ha, I forgot we had the chance to be able to listen to the sexual performance of the people in the room next ours (no don't ask!, to stay compliant with this website policy i will not describe it !!)...I forgot to say that we asked before taking the room if there were soundproof " of course there are Monsieur!" they replyed...Ok i stop here because i think you get the idea...we stayed 2 nights instead the 3 initially booked. Except this hotel, we are big fans of Calvi by day and by night.

We have stayed at the Balenea every year for about six years and the view from the sea facing rooms overlooking the harbour is unbeatable for landscape, seascape and people watching. The rooms used to be wonderfully light and airy but this year the hotel has had a makeover. Not to my taste I am afraid - shades of dungeon grey walls juxtaposed with jaffa or terracotta and turquoise make the bedrooms feel like a stand at an interior design show. Bedroom seating is equally quirky and, that doubled with the miniscule taseteful light fittings, probably means a torch is a good thing to pack if you are a bookworm.
Continental breakfast is still available but that's the only catering - still it's no drawback given the number of good restaurants and bars along the quayside. Summer prices quite expensive but the sea view is worth paying for.

Enjoyed our holiday in Corsica staying in hotel Balanea in the center of Calvi. From our balcony we had a wonderful view overlooking the sea and the mountains. We have been all over the world and stayed at hundreds of hotel but never had such a view. All day we could sit and watch the hectic life on the seafront, and admiring the big yacths in the harbour. This hotel has simple but nice and clean rooms and an excellent location.