Maxim Axial Hotel

We had a fun, unusual stay and enjoyed the free breakfast. The hotel is just around the corner from the Duomo, which is a great location. Our room was clean and comfortable but small, bare bones, and had no view. The building is laid out strangely, and we were given a heavy room key. We stayed on the fourth floor and had to carry our luggage up one flight because the elevator only goes to the third.

We spent three nights here. The room was basic but clean, in a heritage building. The towels and supplies could be better quality. Our air conditioning didn’t work, so they gave us a fan, and the window facing the street let in quite a bit of noise.

The staff were really friendly, which is why I gave it three stars rather than two. The rooms were good, but the hotel layout was very strange, and the decor looked like your old Italian Nona had done it. The breakfast spread badly needs an upgrade. We saw the press and decided to eat somewhere else without even sitting down. Tsk tsk.

I was actually very satisfied with most of the hotel. The breakfast didn’t have much variety, but it was perfectly fine and there was enough to eat. The room was clean enough and a little small, though the storage was designed well so it didn’t feel inconvenient. The location was perfect. The male staff member who handled checkout on February 16, a rather big-built man with a soft face and a gentle, polite manner, was also really great. I want to give him proper praise. But my experience with the older woman on duty on February 13, the one with long blonde hair and glasses, was awful. She was seriously rude and aggressive. I’ve traveled in many countries, and this was the first time I felt I’d experienced racial discrimination from a hotel employee. I went to buy water, but she said she wasn’t finished with her work and made me wait in front of her for about five minutes. Later, I accidentally left my room key inside and asked for help. She let out a huge sigh that made my son and me feel awkward, then spoke to me like a little kid. She said things like, “If you mess up again, you’ll have to spend the whole night shivering outside and wait until morning. No one will help you.” Her tone was very aggressive. I feel I know her type very well: full of inferiority complex and jealousy, with no respect or consideration for other people. It’s written all over her face. I want to give the hotel owner some honest advice: this woman is going to be a huge obstacle to the business growing.