Residence Zodiacus

We spent two nights here with our three kids, and everything was perfect. They had plenty of fun in the room, playing and having their food there. Thanks to the Residence Zodiacus team, especially the lady at reception who helped us a lot.

The location made this seven-night stay easy: the railway station, old town, shopping area, cafes, and restaurants are all nearby, with plenty of cafes less than five minutes away for coffee or a bite. I felt safe in the district, and I’d recommend this residence if you don’t want to overpay. Our room was on two levels, with a lovely balcony, a fridge, and a kettle. That was more than enough for us. The staff were super nice and helpful, and the room was cleaned daily with fresh towels. One downside, you need to keep the windows closed to sleep because it’s noisy. I guess that’s the same anywhere in Italy.

The biggest problem was the single room. It was nicely decorated, with a beautiful painting above the bed, but the tiny window made it very dark. There weren’t enough lights, and I couldn’t plug in the standing lamp. The window faced a narrow internal cloister, and a ventilation line right beside it made a lot of noise. The bathroom looked dated but was clean. There was only about half a roll of toilet paper, with no spare in the bathroom. A second roll in the room would have helped. The location is handy, just outside Bari’s historic center, about a ten-minute walk away and close to the central station. There’s no 24-hour reception, so arriving after the 08:30-21:00 reception hours could be a problem. There was no coffee machine in the room, which was a big downside for me since similar Italian hotels in this price range usually have at least a capsule option. The hotel has two buildings, so you may not be in the main one. Given all those drawbacks, I don’t see the point of booking here. I’ve found much nicer places in the historic center for the same price. I can’t speak for the larger rooms, though, which might have bigger windows.

Valentina at reception was lovely, full of energy, and gave good customer service. The location was good, but the room didn’t meet the standard I’d expect from a hotel or B&B. The bathroom was so small that only one person could fit. We stayed for seven days, and the TV stopped working on the second day. We told Valentina, but nobody seemed to know what was wrong with the TV connection or internet. The place needs a complete remodel, so I can’t give it more than two stars.