AC Hotel Bologna by Marriott

The kitchen and coffee area staff, along with housekeeping, were kind, polite, and welcoming. The front desk, though, made the stay disappointing enough that I won't return to AC Hotel Bologna. Reception staff seemed unfriendly and disengaged. When we asked basic questions about managing or extending our booking through the Marriott app, they didn't know and didn't seem interested in helping. We then asked to speak to the front office manager to make sure we booked correctly. The blonde gentleman who came over was dismissive and impatient, and seemed annoyed by our questions. He wouldn't give proper answers. We even said, “sorry to bother you,” and got no simple “no problem” in response. It felt rude and unprofessional. For a Marriott property, I expected better knowledge of the product and basic customer service.

There's a Lidl grocery store half a block away, and the front desk staff are wonderful. It's a typical Marriott business hotel and very popular for conventions, so when it's fully booked you may wait longer at reception.

My room was clean and comfortable, with a cozy bed, bathtub, and minibar. The hotel is conveniently placed about 1.5 km, or a 15-minute walk, from the city centre. Parking in the hotel garage costs 15 Euro per day. As a Marriott member with high status, I was offered an upgrade, though I wasn't sure what it included and ended up in a standard room. The welcome treats, a small selection of jellies, candies, and crisps, were a nice touch. Staff were friendly, but the upgrade and other benefits for high-status members weren't explained very clearly. It was a pleasant stay, though that communication could be better.

Dinner at the hotel restaurant was quite nice, with good tasting food and excellent service. Breakfast was well served, offered plenty of choice, and felt like good value. The front desk staff were pleasant and efficient. Even though we were only staying one night, they drew us a map for exploring and suggested places to eat. The hotel itself was nice. The surrounding streets had a bunch of “go home tourists” graffiti, which made the area seem less safe from a visitor's perspective, though that isn't really the hotel's fault. I'm sure it's fine.