Emilia Suite Express

The room was a good size, modern, and clean, and I’d be more than happy to come back. The train station is incredibly close, just a two-minute walk.

I couldn’t manage more than one night here. It was the worst sleep I’ve ever had in Italy, and I don’t understand the high Expedia rating. The one positive was that the place seemed fairly clean, apart from mould in the shower. The bed sank in the middle when my girlfriend and I lay on it. It was so soft that even our combined weight made us roll toward each other. The fridge was extremely noisy, probably from a compressor failing, and kicked into high gear about every 20 minutes. The AC was somewhat loud too, though it worked well. Bedroom blinds didn’t close all the way and weren’t blackout blinds, so outside lights came through at night. The shared hallway was awful, about 4 by 5 feet with three or four doors, including the apartment entrance. You could hear other tenants locking and unlocking their doors with keys. There was no soundproofing between rooms either. I could hear people talking across the hall and the TV from a larger room very clearly. The shower pressure was okay, but the drain needs fixing because water pools, and there was mould in the shower. There was only one set of thick pillows. Maybe I’m particular about pillow size, but it bent my neck too far forward, and there were no alternatives. We had three more nights booked, but Expedia asked for a refund and the owner refused, saying there had been “no problems in 9 years.” It felt like a typical exploitative room operator.

The room is lovely, the beds are really comfortable, and the bathroom is dreamy. They also provide coffee and tea, and it was a very good choice. Getting up the stairs to the first floor with suitcases was hard for us, though, since we’re over 60.

Paola, the owner, was kind enough to let us check in early in the morning. We could leave our bags and go explore, which we really appreciated. The place has just three rooms, with self-check-in using keys from a combination lockbox. Our room was clean, with a very comfortable bed and a roomy bathroom with a shower. It’s right opposite the train station on a pleasant, tree-lined avenue, and the city center is a 10-minute walk away. They don’t serve breakfast, but you can order it at the station café, which has a great range of sweet and savory options. It isn’t cheap, though Modena as a whole is expensive and very beautiful. A simple, welcoming little hotel. Highly recommended.