Bel Ombra

The one good thing was the view of Calvi’s magnificent citadel from our room. The rest was a terrible experience. We waited at least 25 minutes for the receptionist, and the phone number posted at the entrance didn’t exist, so there was no way to reach staff. The building was dim and not especially clean, and our dark gray room felt unwelcoming. Signs around the residence told guests to take their own rubbish out. Wi-Fi only worked by the entrance, and the air conditioning was noisy. The bathroom seemed to be the only renovated part, but its shower door was broken and looked like it might fall on you. We reported it straight away and got no response. Terrible value for money. I strongly advise against staying here.

The prices are exorbitant for somewhere with almost no comfort. The studios are dated, there are no amenities, and you can hear everything the neighbors do because there’s no soundproofing. At night, the hotel doors and windows are all left open, which makes the place feel unsafe. The hygiene is appalling too, with mold on the walls, as shown in the photos. Avoid this place at all costs.

The location is handy, close to the city center and old citadel, and the room was spacious. But the beds were uncomfortable and the blankets basic. After a six-hour ferry crossing, we arrived to find nobody there. We spent more than half an hour looking for our room keys before a staff member finally showed up and practically scolded us for arriving so late. The price was completely out of line with the quality. I wouldn’t recommend it.

I booked for August 3-6, 2017, but left after one night. I paid for the full stay and asked just once whether anything could be done. Nothing happened, which I’ve never experienced before, especially while traveling with children. I’m still on vacation in Corsica, and changing places, and paying twice for another place, kept the trip from being ruined. In 37 years I’ve never seen anything like this, and this is my first completely negative review. I’ve traveled halfway around the world and stayed in basic guesthouses in Central America and Southeast Asia, yet they seemed like Grand Hotels compared with this. A place that tries to rip guests off at every turn should close. I hope this review and the photos help other travelers avoid it. This isn’t really a residence, just an ugly, old room with a tiny, gross kitchen corner. The two-star rating feels fake, like it shouldn’t have any stars at all. There was a bad smell everywhere, even in the bedrooms. The rooms were small, damp, old, and unfit for anything. The kitchen area, if you can call it that, was tiny, unhygienic, and empty. There was no closet, just what I think were heating or water pipes running through the space. The floor had patches, there were signs of mold everywhere, and the beds were worn out and broken. I hoped it was age and not mice. The staff were the rudest in the world.