Boutique Hotel Calais Milano

We were made to feel unsafe and uncomfortable, so we decided to leave and find somewhere else. As we hurried out, I forgot to hand in the key. The owner followed us outside and threatened to call the police unless I returned it. The whole experience was awful, and I wouldn't want anyone else to go through it. Based on the men's attitude and behavior, I wouldn't recommend this place to women travelling alone. The trouble started at check-in. My husband had contacted the hotel through its website weeks earlier to say our flight meant we'd arrive around 11pm. At reception, a young staff member demanded 40 euros for late check-in, though we hadn't been told about the charge. He claimed staff had called my husband several times that day, which wasn't true, then showed us a number that wasn't my husband's. When I refused to pay, he said we didn't have to if we gave them a good review. We told him it felt like a scam. He told me to calm down, though I wasn't raising my voice, and I felt he was trying to provoke a bigger scene. Our room was gloomy and dark, like a prison cell, although it was clean. There were stains on the wall by the head of the bed. After a poor night's sleep, my husband found his pillow was disgusting: two flat, old pillows in one case, no protector, filthy, and with a hole in it. We asked for a replacement, and the same staff member agreed. But when we came back that evening it hadn't been changed. A man we assumed was the manager said they hadn't replaced it because we hadn't paid the late arrival fee. He spoke aggressively and said, "you had plenty to say last night." A group of Italians had just arrived and seemed unhappy with their rooms and bedding, pulling the sheets off in two bedrooms. The manager brought us another pillow, but it was almost as bad and had a blood stain on it. There was no customer service or regard for guests' welfare.

The gentleman at reception made our arrival easy by arranging early check-in as soon as the room was ready. After our long journey, we really appreciated it. He was professional and gave us helpful details about public transport and local attractions, which made our visit better. We had an excellent stay at Boutique Hotel Calais Milano. We enjoyed our time there and want to thank the doctor from Egypt who helped us check in. His welcome and service were outstanding.

We couldn't sleep in room 111, which is right beside reception. The walls seemed paper thin: we could hear the receptionist breathing as if they were beside us, and each cough woke us up. There's also a toilet on that floor, and every flush sounded like we were in a concert hall. A hotel should provide the basics, including sleep, but here that was impossible. The room was very old, and the bathroom was too small for two people. Sitting on the toilet put the heating unit right on your lap. It was 10°C (50°F) outside, but there wasn't even a duvet on the bed. I don't recommend this place. There are much better options at this price. We were misled by the 8.1 rating on the hotel's booking site, so don't make the same mistake. I've never had such a terrible experience.

The location was fine, and the staff were over-friendly, which makes me wonder why. The rooms aren't worth the price we were charged. I grew afraid to sleep because I knew something could wake me at any moment: people knocking at the front door or our window, stomping up the stairs, the receptionist coughing, or people talking at reception. It all sounded as if they were in our room. There was no respect for guests trying to sleep, and at 2am I had to open our door and ask them to be quiet. The whole thing was extremely traumatising and put a real downer on the trip. It was only a quick stopover, but I still wouldn't stay again.