Relais Accademia

I had a wonderful time taking a cooking class with a friend. We made several dishes, and she explained what we were doing and why. The recipes were simple, using local ingredients that are easy to find, so we could definitely make them again. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to learn or try a local dish.

The location is hard to beat, a couple of minutes from the Duomo and right beside the Accademia. The room was basic but fine, and the internet worked well. Still, the way the managers treated us overwhelmed everything else. I got locked out of the entrance to Relais while my husband had our only key and I couldn't reach him. I messaged through the booking app to ask whether there was a spare in the lockbox and mentioned that two people could use two keys. Nearly an hour passed before the manager replied that this was a guesthouse, not a hotel with round-the-clock reception. Then came several messages blaming me for forgetting the key and not requesting a second one at check-in. She said I should call if I needed help, since she didn't check email every five minutes. I hadn't called because the crowd outside the Accademia often seems to knock out the cell signal in the morning. Also, at check-in she'd acted as though she didn't understand some simple questions, so I thought there might be a language barrier. After what followed, I was glad I hadn't dared call her at 8 a.m. When I said her response felt inhospitable and unlike the positive reviews, the messages turned openly contemptuous. For the next two hours she insulted me, called me arrogant, said I should stay home, and told me to pack my bags if I wasn't satisfied. Later her male co-manager or owner confronted my husband in an agitated way and called me a “little liar” several times. We still don't know what he thought I'd lied about. I never said I'd called. This wasn't the only strained interaction. When we warned them our train was delayed, still well before the check-in cutoff, the manager told us sharply to hurry straight from the station because she had another check-in elsewhere. I was heavily pregnant and she didn't offer to help with my bag upstairs. She also brushed off a short question about the area, acting as if she couldn't understand us. My husband later saw the man being pleasant and helpful to Italian guests, chatting and carrying bags. Maybe this treatment was just for us or for foreign tourists, though it felt consistent with our other dealings there. There were smaller signs of neglect too: no cases for the old, rather grimy spare pillows, too little toilet paper, no extra towels when we asked, and nothing like napkins or paper towels in the “kitchenette.” Later we were scolded for using a hand towel to wipe up a spill, though we had no idea what else we were meant to use. Each thing was minor, but together they showed little care or thoughtfulness, unlike our other stays in Italy. At the price, and with such glowing reviews, I hadn't expected any of this.

The rooms are wonderfully spacious, and the staff are kind. Everything was clean, the location is fabulous, and the price was very good too. What's not to like? :)

The host was so helpful, and the location couldn't be better. We had a roomy space, a comfortable bed, and a clean bathroom.