Hotel Poppi

The three room changes tell you a lot about my two nights at Hotel Poppi. In the first room, the AC didn't cool things down, even though a staff member said it was set to maximum cool. The second, offered as the fix, smelled so strongly of smoke that it set off my chronic migraines. The third was a little cooler, but had peeling wallpaper and felt shabby. It was late, and after wasting so much time moving rooms, I just stayed there. The key card setup was bizarrely restrictive, with only one card per room. The AC couldn't run unless someone was physically inside, so each evening we came back to an oven that took hours to cool, if it cooled at all. The hair dryer looked like it belonged in a museum and didn't work. Breakfast was inedible to me, poor quality and badly prepared, unlike any hotel breakfast in Europe that I've found acceptable. The buffet dinner was a little better, but still below standard. Staff were mixed. The young woman at reception was kind and professional, but the two men seemed visibly irritated with me, even though I stayed polite and apologetic. I rarely complain at hotels, but these problems weren't tolerable. I travel often enough to know the difference between a bad night and an establishment I find genuinely unacceptable. I'd give zero stars if I could, and everyone in my tour bus group felt the same, so this wasn't just my impression. I did stay here for two nights. I'm not unstable, in need of peace in my life, or making any of this up. These are the facts of my stay, and the consistency of negative reviews suggests others have had similar experiences. Nearly every guest I saw was on a large bus tour. It seemed to me that bulk bookings from tour companies were keeping the hotel going, while the organizers didn't have to spend the night there themselves. That may help its bottom line, but not the individual traveler who ends up here. I don't understand how the Google rating averages four stars. After my stay and reading dozens of negative reviews, fake or padded reviews seem like the only explanation to me. At most, I'd give it two stars, and that's generous. I hope others who've had similar stays leave bad reviews so the ratings reflect what seems to be the general experience. The photos on Google look nothing like the actual rooms and spaces, and I think someone should investigate the hotel for false advertising. They look fake, plain and simple. I expect management will respond as they usually do, accusing me of lying, denying everything, and saying I need inner peace. My experience was of a poorly run hotel in poor condition that was openly hostile toward constructive criticism. If you value comfort, honesty, or basic hospitality, don't stay here. It needs an inspection, not just a PR spin.

The rooms are fantastic and really quiet, and the Hotel Poppi staff have been very helpful 🙂. We were on a tour and didn't get to spend as much time there as we'd have liked. When we come back, we'll definitely stay at Hotel Poppi again. It's been the best hotel by far.

The only thing I'd fault was the bar staff, who could be better and seemed to make up the prices from one day to the next. Apart from that, it's a good hotel, with shops nearby, a restaurant on site, bar food, and a bus stop close by. The reception team were friendly and very helpful. The young woman at the desk was fantastic and went above and beyond, though I've forgotten her name. The rooms were clean.

The gardens are immaculate, there's a good choice of drinks, and the food is delicious. The people are fantastic and make you feel right at home, with great service too.