Hotel Erika Fiuggi

Breakfast and tea were awful, with food that was inedible. They couldn't make an edible omelette, there was hair in the lasagne, and the toaster seemed like a fire and health hazard. For four days the juice machine was out of concentrate and dispensed cloudy water. The rooms were dirty too, with stained pillows and drains backing up, and the staff were rude. It wasn't as advertised. It reminded me of a bad Italian version of Fawlty Towers. I don't mind a clean, quirky, basic place, but this was none of those things. Avoid it at all costs.

The customer service was poor, and the hotel wasn't as advertised. It was unfinished, with no pool, just a hole in what looked like a building site.

Fiuggi is a lovely town and worth visiting, but I wouldn't stay here again. I was there at the end of December, and the first shop was a ten-minute walk away. The welcome was satisfactory, though the place was dark and badly lit. It had been adapted but not fully renovated. Some corridor floors weren't well maintained, the elevator was very run-down, and we had to make two trips to get our suitcases up to the third floor. The shower wouldn't drain properly, and the water stayed there for all three days. When my partner opened her suitcase, a huge ball of dust and hair rolled out from under the bed. It looked like it had been there at least a month. Then I spotted an open packet of sugar under the TV. Dinner wasn't fresh, and kitchen staff were shouting loudly enough to be heard in the dining room. Breakfast was miserable, with nothing local. Everything was packaged and served over several days. The powdered milk was terrible, and the croissants were either undercooked or overdone, probably frozen. I raised my concerns at reception. They were polite while discussing them, but then I was told to go to hell. I also heard the little blonde lady, who I think was the owner Alessandra, if I'm not mistaken. The workplace felt as sterile and rude as her soul. It was a terrible experience. I'll be back in Fiuggi for Easter, but I'll look for somewhere with competent, humane, welcoming staff and hope for a completely different stay.

The pastries and bread at breakfast were the best part. The rooms are ordinary, and the bedding can be a little uncomfortable. The owners are friendly too, and you can feel the small-town atmosphere.