La Siesta

I booked it for the safe parking, but be clear about what that means here. There’s no lock on the garage door leading to the bedroom, and the so-called couch would suit only very flexible people. Food was brought in by people who felt like spooks, and there were body fluids on the mirror above the bed. Don’t expect a restful siesta here. It seemed like a bang-and-go motel, with no questions asked.

The setup was unusual, but it turned out to be a great idea. We arrived on the off chance of finding a room, and with my broken Spanish and Italian, I understood the receptionist to say we should go around to garage 14. That garage was our own entrance to the room, and the only way in or out. We were in a transit van and had plenty of space, with no worries about damage or theft from the vehicle. The room was spotlessly clean and had an ensuite with a shower, sink, bidet, and toilet. Room service came through a service hatch, and we paid there after calling reception on the internal phone. We ate at the great service stop restaurant across the street. I wish I’d taken pictures.

The private garage was the only real plus. Reception wasn’t especially friendly, and although the room was okay, it felt grubby and wasn’t very clean. Most of the room service menu wasn’t available, so we ended up with greasy, absolutely disgusting burgers that were completely inedible. We’d driven eight hours and were starving. We left as soon as it got light. Wouldn’t recommend it.

I really like this idea, especially after our car was broken into and we lost half our life. Each room has its own garage leading straight in, so the car and belongings feel safe and sound. There’s no way into the inner part of the hotel, but room service is available.