Hotel Fonzari

We booked a standard double for four nights and nearly cancelled after reading some of the negative reviews. In the end we went, and were glad we did. The staff welcomed us and the room was fine. Breakfast was okay. Dogs aren’t allowed in the main buffet area, but the hotel set up a table for us in the bar so our dog could stay with us. We paid €118 a night for B&B. They accept dogs, with smaller ones costing €12 per day. We loved the location and are already talking about coming back for a longer trip.

We had an apartment-style room with plenty of space, and a nice view from the room.

The balcony went all the way around our big, lovely room, and I could sit there and watch people, which I really enjoyed. We also loved the pool and terrace bar, with 360-degree views over the sea and Grado. Breakfast had a great selection of pastries, meats, and cheeses. The coffee was the best.

The smooth reception and very helpful parking staff were the best parts, along with the good city-center location. Beyond that, I’d tell people to look elsewhere because this hotel isn’t worth the money. The room was dated, with old beds and sofa, and some furniture was broken or heavily worn. A boiler in the closet made heat and noise. The bed frame was broken; I fixed it myself twice, then gave up. The bathroom had drilled tiles, glue, and cracks everywhere. Repairs are understandable, but they hadn’t made the place look decent afterward. On our last night, a huge, strange insect appeared in the room. It looked like a radioactive cockroach from Fallout or the cockamouse from How I Met Your Mother. It went back into the ventilation, so I slept with the lights on. I’m not joking, it was enormous, not a little bug. The pool was closed because it wasn’t ready for the season, even though the hotel has a pool. There was no notice on the website or booking services. Reception told me to make an official complaint. I did, then heard nothing for three weeks. It left me thinking the staff care about income more than the hotel’s reputation. Breakfast was so-so; one morning we chose a nearby restaurant instead. This place feels like it might have been great 20 years ago, but the owners don’t seem to care about the hotel, its guests, or its reputation. There must be better choices in the area. Safe travels.