The Poet Hotel

The room was spacious, and breakfast was decent, though they could offer a wider selection. The Poet Hotel is great value for money and not far from La Spezia station, which is handy if you’re planning several day trips. Highly recommended!

We found one of the best restaurants in La Spezia, so we were happy. It’s easy to get to Cinque Terre and Genoa by train, and this time we traveled that way instead of renting a car. The hotel is a nice, straightforward place, with excellent service and a good breakfast before a day trip. Very good for the price and location.

We were really disappointed by our five-night stay. We’re traveling for five weeks and had luggage, but there wasn’t a single drawer to put anything in and only a few hangers. If you’re happy living out of your suitcase, fine. For tea or coffee, you had to go downstairs for milk, then sit on the bed. The towels felt like they came from a $2 shop and weren’t pleasant to use. Breakfast was poor too. Eggs and bacon went out at the start and weren’t replenished during our five days. They looked and tasted like plastic. Service was just as bad, with nothing cleared until after you’d left. The location is near the station, but the paving is very rough, so don’t try walking with your cases. My wife also wouldn’t walk along some nearby streets at night. The rooms were serviced, but the hallways were dirty, and the stairs around the lift well were disgraceful. There’s no handrail on the stairs, which could be dangerous. The hotel tries to look chic, but that doesn’t make up for the lack of basic amenities and support. There was no porter help or even water on arrival. Sorry, I can’t recommend it for any reason.

The staff were incredibly helpful and friendly, and breakfast was included and really good. It’s a great spot for visiting Cinque Terre, with a quick walk to the train station and lots of trendy places to eat nearby.