Residence Desenzano

I was nervous about staying after reading the reviews, but for what we paid, I had no complaints. The hotel is dated and basic, though the location is great. Our rooms were serviced every day, with clean bedding and towels and fresh toiletries. The staff we met were friendly, told us about the strict check-in policy before we arrived, and kept in touch when our flight was delayed. We only just made the check-in deadline, and they helped make sure we could still get in smoothly. Even though we arrived right at the cutoff, they were welcoming and helpful, not rude. I honestly can’t complain. It’s brilliant value if you just need a base for exploring Milan.

The beds were comfortable, but that was the only good part of our stay. I cut my hand on one of two nails sticking out of the wall. I can't say how many others there were, and I have no idea how clean the nail was. The staff were rude throughout. They'd told us reception closed strictly at 7:00 PM and asked us to arrive before 6:30 PM. We did arrive before 6:30, yet they seemed impatient to leave even though there was still half an hour until closing. The man at reception the next morning was even ruder. We were eight minutes past checkout, which was our mistake, but he started speaking to us harshly as soon as we arrived and yelled at us. Do they think tourists are easy targets when they're having a bad day? I wouldn't recommend this hotel if you want to enjoy Milan. The staff can ruin your mood before the day even starts.

The room was a decent size, and the bathroom was quite spacious. The air conditioning didn't work and wouldn't switch on before 6 PM, and nobody mentioned that when I booked. The receptionist tried to get it going but couldn't. When I asked for a fan, he did give me one, though he was very curt and at times rude. I should have taken the negative reviews more seriously.

After that rude exchange, I'm glad I never stayed there, and I'd choose somewhere else. I asked about checking in later because our train was due at 10 PM. At first they bluntly said it wasn't possible after 6:30 PM. After I asked several times, they said they could leave a key, but only if I emailed my credit card details so they could charge the tourist tax. I politely asked more than once whether I could pay another way, like by bank transfer. The only answer was, “Those are the rules.” Sending card details by email is insecure and comes across like a scam. That was unacceptable.