Lia Rooms 2

The room was small but worked for two, and the toilet was roomy and clean. La Spezia Centrale is so close that the place makes a handy base for exploring the 5 villages of cinque terre. The heater, water, and lights all worked well. The self check-in directions were clear, and they even let us come in early at 10 am. Good value and a great place to stay. Communication could be better. My WhatsApp messages were often read without a reply, though trying again there or through the Booking chat box worked. Maybe it was a language barrier, but things were okay in the end.

I had to find another place at the last minute after the owners closed check-in before the advertised time. They didn't answer calls or messages. A neighbor let me knock on the door and complained that nobody seemed to know what was going on. I told the owners I'd come back the next morning to check in and use the remaining two booked nights. Instead, at 4 AM they cancelled the whole booking, kept the money for those nights, and wouldn't let me finish my stay. I'm convinced they cancelled because they feared a bad review on a well-known booking site, where I then couldn't post one. So I'm posting here: the service was poor, it felt like a rip-off and a scam, and I had to spend a lot more to stay elsewhere. It seemed like they just wanted to grab my money. Don't risk staying here.

The owner was kind and willing to help, and nearby there are a few markets open even on Sunday. The rooms were clean, the beds comfortable, and there was air conditioning. Some rooms may feel small, but they had what we needed for a weekend in La Spezia. There's an elevator in the building, though you need to climb a few steps to reach it.

We arrived 45 minutes late. Before we could even read the host's message about late check-in, she'd sent another one saying the reservation was cancelled and we'd still be charged. We called, texted, and pleaded, but got no answer. She basically left us stranded. Terrible service.