IMO you did the right thing by turning down a required half-board - way too many other places you'll want to be at many of the mealtimes.
(That's my TUG review - we didn't ever even eat there, though we'd intended to, the restaurant is very pretty and didn't seem too expensive for its type. My recollection is their dinners were around 20+ Euros, so the half-board prices don't sound like a huge savings beyond paying by the meal. I believe they serve 2x a day, and they'll ask you whether you want to sign up for this half-board option when you check in. The restaurant seemed somewhat known locally and people come there just to eat. However - there was excellent pizza in town, just a stroll away, at the bridge by the waterfalls, for about a dollar a slice!)
For anyone travelling to Italy in summer and waiting for another Italy exchange match - you might not want to overlook the Italian Alps as an option. There are only a couple of resorts with ratings, not many - but I'd go back to those mountains in a heartbeat.