HouSmart Martinelli 11a

We booked two nights through Booking.com, but the host disappeared and never gave us a way in or replied at all. Our night was ruined. Completely unprofessional, stay away!!!

The place is in Santa Viola/Reno, about a 50-minute walk from the Asinelli Tower, and the area feels more like a suburb. It looks more like a shop or office than an apartment. HouSmart manages several Bologna listings under its name plus the street name on Booking.com and Airbnb, and our experience with the service and accommodation was barely acceptable. Light comes in very early: the mezzanine bedroom has a strange window-like opening with no actual window, and the big window and entrance door are covered with curtains that don't reach all the way down, just as the photo shows. The large window by the door also needs a proper cleaning. The pillows were so thin, about as thick as a folded face towel, and dirty inside. The shower gel and intimate wash in the family-size bottles had already been used, or at least we hadn't used them. Dishes and pots had a strong greasy smell. There weren't even basic coffee supplies, no pods, capsules, or regular coffee, just a packet of salt that someone had already opened. So if you're hoping for a restful weekend and morning coffee, don't count on it. We sent a message through Booking.com on Saturday and got a reply on Monday. The tourist tax had to be left in cash on the table with no change, since there was nobody looking after the property from arrival through checkout.

This is a ground-floor place that feels like a shop, and it's far from the historic center, around an hour on foot. The prices are like a four-star hotel, but the amenities feel like one star, maybe half a star. With the curtain open, people can see you going about your day. I really can't recommend it.

A lovely apartment near central Bologna. It's currently called GiNa Guest House.