B&B La Foresteria

The location was convenient, with plenty of good food nearby and transit close at hand. We’d planned to stay four nights in the grey room on the ground floor with my wife for our anniversary, but after one night we found another place for the rest of our time in Milan. The bathroom was disgusting and made us both feel very nauseous. Its hardwood floor had mold in the corners, and there was a damp, moldy smell. The shower’s marble tiles were discolored, the drains hadn’t been cleaned, and grime filled the crevices in the shower glass. We complained around 7 p.m., but the staff downplayed it and arranged for someone to clean the bathroom the next day. A room in that condition shouldn’t have been rented, and guest concerns shouldn’t be brushed aside. We left as soon as we woke up, after staff had already said it wouldn’t get any cleaner. I included photos and videos of the grime in case staff want to discredit my review.

This felt like an average stay in a private apartment, and it wasn’t worth the 180 euros my company paid. Under 150 euros might have felt acceptable. The place has potential, but there’s a lot to work on, and I wouldn’t return. I was there for one weekday night during the first week of May on a business trip. The location in east Milano is good, on a quiet street near regular transit. Service was limited, as you’d expect at a B&B, but the contacts I had were fine. I arrived at 7 p.m. to find a note on the bell asking me to call. A kind woman gave me instructions for getting into the building and room. I stayed in the ground-floor “stanza grigia.” The old building has kept its original structure, with old-fashioned black-and-white wallpaper. At first the room felt like it had been closed up for a long time, and a closer look didn’t help. The shower floor was damp, and I didn’t shower because I’d forgotten my flip-flops and it felt unhealthy. There was dust in places, and the plumbing hadn’t been cleaned to the standard I expect at a paid hospitality property. The housekeeping needed work. There were also mosquitoes because the window had been left open and had no screen. Breakfast was in the ground-floor living area, which had the same old-fashioned style. It didn’t smell of fresh flowers, and the dim design made it hard to tell whether it was clean. I’ve traveled a lot and worked in hospitality, and this was one of the worst breakfasts I’ve had. It started at 8 a.m., late for a weekday in a business city like Milan. The buffet, if you could call it that, had just a few basic items placed around without care. There was no quality or variety, no welcoming touch, and the atmosphere felt cold and quiet. The quality and presentation could both be much better.

We were greeted quickly even though we arrived without warning and there’s no reception. We called, were let in to wait, and a staff member arrived very soon. Everyone was courteous and friendly, and breakfast was delicious. My husband and I enjoyed our one-night stay. The room was large and very clean, with a little balcony facing the courtyard. The AC was great for cooling off after exploring in the summer heat.

There was a chandelier in our bathroom!