GarDar

The apartment was underground, and the toilet and bathroom were outside it. There wasn’t any coffee or tea in the room.

We were meant to stay three nights with our ten-month-old baby girl, and the hotel’s terms said a baby bed was available. We even checked in advance and got written confirmation. But when we arrived in the evening, there was no suitable bed. They pointed to a sleeping sofa as the “baby bed” (see picture), which felt dangerous because our daughter could have fallen out. We had also been told a noon check-in would be possible, but at short notice it suddenly wasn’t. Instead of apologizing or helping us sort something out, the staff were rude and said we didn’t have to check in if we didn’t like it. We had to book another hotel that night, which was very stressful, especially with the baby. Then the manager said we had chosen not to check in and charged us for all three nights. When we called to explain, he hung up. We’ve never had service this unfriendly and can’t recommend staying here.

We felt safe here, with lots of security, and the location makes getting around Bolzano easy on foot. Restaurants, bars, supermarkets, and a laundromat are close by, and public transit is right at the doorstep. Parking in Bolzano is tough, but GarDar has a deal with a nearby garage that saves more than 50% per night. The downside for us was the noise at night, since our room was on the ground floor.

The rooms were much smaller than the listing suggested, and it’s really an apartment block by a major road, not a proper hotel. Ambulances and trucks went by all night. The owner had switched off the air-conditioning throughout the building “to save money,” even though it was advertised, and it was 30 degrees at 10 pm. Terrible place, don’t waste your money.