B&B Del Podestà

I chose to stay there especially because of the personal care the owner gives!

Sleep was the biggest problem here. The top-floor apartment is bright and very spacious, but there's no soundproofing at all. The church bells are loud again at 6 a.m., and street cleaners pass on Saturdays. Add the spring mattresses and very uncomfortable pillows, and it was impossible to rest. The toilet makes a long, irritating whistle after every flush. Showering flooded the bathroom, and the showerhead holes were almost entirely clogged with limescale. It needs replacing. There were no bathroom amenities, and although there's a kitchen, breakfast isn't included. Getting to the entrance by car isn't possible because it's inside the ZTL. Without a permit, you have to leave the car in public parking about 600 meters away. The building is historic, with the faults that come with that as well as a few positives. Convenient location, but an unsatisfactory stay, especially for work travel when a good night's sleep is essential. That just wasn't possible here.

The apartment was eventually tidy, but the sheets and towels were worn out and full of holes, there was no soap, the bathroom flooded whenever we showered, and cobwebs were all over the place. Sleeping wasn't easy either: there's no air conditioning, so we had to leave the windows open, facing the open area just steps from the main square. Traffic, noise, and very loud music carried in, and street cleaning started around 6:00 a.m. Breakfast wasn't included because of Covid regulations. The owner sent us to a paid breakfast at a historic café nearby in the center, where there was very little choice of croissants or pastries. The whole property badly needs renovation, and I wouldn't recommend the management. The owner was very kind, but the stay itself was terrifying. Check-in was meant to start at 4 PM, yet we waited until after 5 PM. Upstairs on the top floor, the room we were shown was still dirty from the morning: unchanged sheets, full bins, and towels lying around. The owner quickly called a very young woman to clean it, though she hadn't finished by the time we came back from dinner. This was Sunday, August 14th.

They've made a little outdoor corner with just a few tables, and even without table service, I think it's a great idea. The schiacciata is wonderful and tasty, filled to order with mozzarella, cheese, and top-quality cured meats. The staff are incredibly kind, attentive, and helpful. There's always a line, and you can see why. Congratulations!