Biscardi Hotel

If you want to sleep, avoid this hotel. It’s next to a train passage, and every 10 minutes the bells ring for a full minute and wake you up. I’m writing this at 6:12 am because I can’t sleep anymore. When I arrived, there was popcorn scattered around the dirty room. The cleanliness, quiet, breakfast, and comfort are nowhere near the standard.

The place was lovely, and I liked it a lot. I’d booked the Guest House but was moved to the hotel while they were working on the B&B. It had just opened, so everything felt new, fresh, and clean. Valeria at the desk was especially kind, and the private garage is a real plus in busy Bari. I paid 18,00 euro a day, a good rate when garages in Bari can cost 2-3 euros per hour. The doors close automatically, which is a little scary if you’re still inside, but you can open them again from inside the garage! :D It’s near a railroad crossing and the bells are quite loud, so the location can be noisy. There weren’t many trains overnight, though, or at least I didn’t hear any. They start in the morning. The city council probably just changed the roads around the hotel, with shiny new signs everywhere. Google maps gets completely confused trying to find the little alley behind the hotel where the garage is, and directs you down roads that are now closed to traffic in your direction. Pay attention until Maps is recalibrated! They provide a lovely complimentary toilet set with a toothbrush and toothpaste, body lotion, shower cap, and sewing kit. That came in handy because I needed to repair something. The breakfast area is a nice bistrot on the street side, open all day. I didn’t try the full breakfast, just the cappuccino and croissants, which were nice. Just a couple of suggestions: maybe management could ask Ferrovie Sud Est to turn down the railroad crossing bells a bit. It’d also be nice to have coffee and coffee milk in the bedroom, along with the tea.

We stayed before and after our cruise, and loved the whole experience. The service was amazing, with everyone so warm and helpful. Our room was spacious and clean for our family of four, and it was well stocked. We went to the cafe every day. The desserts were delicious, and both the coffee and service were great. It’s a 20-minute walk from Old Town, which suited us: close enough to visit, but a little out of the way so we could get more of a feel for local culture. Highly recommended!

The staff made us feel right at home, especially Valeria, and the hotel was spotless and very comfortable. It’s around a 15-minute walk from the city center. We had an amazing stay. Breakfast was a real Italian treat, with top-quality coffee and wonderful service from Miriam. Highly recommended for a visit to the area!