The core framework is a CHANNEL PARITY SWITCH. The source states that current official website/phone bookings can include pool cross-use between The Siena Resort and The Siena Primo. When that entitlement exists, the pool-access gap narrows. With OTA rates, do not import that direct-booking benefit unless the selected rate explicitly includes it.
30-second decision
- Official website/phone booking: reduce the weight of the pool comparison and focus more on room style, family occupancy, packages, breakfast and cancellation.
- Booking.com/Agoda/Trip.com: treat each property's own pool as the baseline unless cross-use is written into the rate.
- 2 adults + 2 children: compare legal Family/Kids products, not two-person entry rates.
- You spend the whole day outside: pool parity may have almost no monetary value anyway.
First lock the entity: Resort is 158-8, Primo is 158-7
The names are similar and older Toscana URLs still appear for Primo. The safest first step is the address. The Siena Resort is the 158-8 property; The Siena Primo is the 158-7 property. Do not let a legacy URL or shared brand language merge the room inventory.
Direct booking can erase the most obvious comparison
If your direct-booking contract genuinely gives cross-use, then saying “Resort has the better pool” or “Primo has fewer facilities” becomes a weaker argument. You should instead compare where you actually want to sleep, the legal room for your party, breakfast/package coverage and the cancellation terms.
OTA rates bring the difference back
For OTA bookings, use only the entitlements written into that exact rate. A direct-only cross-use benefit should not be added to Booking.com, Agoda or Trip.com just because the same hotel brand offers it elsewhere. This is where two apparently similar prices can become different products.
Family occupancy can decide before pool access does
The Siena Resort uses Suite products with specific adult/child rules; The Siena Primo uses a more conventional hotel-room ladder with Family and Kids products. Enter every adult, child and age before comparing. A room that cannot legally accept the party is not a lower-priced alternative.
Breakfast and package coverage must be normalized too
Do not compare a room-only OTA rate against a direct package with meals and pool cross-use as though the price gap were a hotel-quality gap. Fix included breakfast headcount, package benefits, payment timing and cancellation first.
Compare exact-property contracts
The Siena Resort — 158-8
Booking.com — The Siena Resort
The Siena Primo — 158-7
Normalize dates, all guest ages, exact room/Suite, legal occupancy, pool cross-use entitlement, breakfast, cancellation and final total.
Final decision
With eligible direct booking, pool cross-use makes the two hotels more similar, so room contract and party fit should dominate. With OTA booking, compare each property's own entitlements unless cross-use is explicitly included. The real dividing line is not Resort versus Hotel; it is whether your booking channel removes or restores the difference.