Week-end a Napoli

The hosts were outstanding: responsive, generous, understanding, and ready to do what they could to accommodate us when we raised problems. That hospitality is the reason I’m giving any stars at all. Vomero is beautiful, and Weekend a Napoli is centrally placed there, making it a great base for first-time visitors to Naples. Still, we had a genuinely mixed stay and it wasn’t the experience we hoped for. There was a damp, musty smell as soon as we entered the B&B. Scented oil in our room only added perfume to the mildew smell, and couldn’t hide whatever was causing the dampness. We also saw small grey spots in the shower that I took to be mold. That was a major concern for my wife and me, and we weren’t sure we could stay. The hosts tried to find a solution, which we appreciated, but we stayed the two days because moving and finding another hotel at the last minute for one more day seemed like too much hassle. This may have been specific to our room, but it was a serious issue for us. For the price, the room and amenities didn’t feel worth it. I expected more of a luxurious feel in the “fancier” part of town, but the design was very plain, the amenities sparse, and the room not especially warm or inviting. There’s no real shared space on the first floor, which added to the budget feel. The walls are also extremely thin: we could hear the neighboring room’s television as if it were with us, so privacy felt limited. Breakfast was similar, with a nice dining room but very few fresh choices and a very limited selection. At about $200 a night, I expected more. Other guests have clearly had great stays, and I don’t doubt them. The smell and value concerns could be limited to our room, or other rooms may feel more luxurious, but that wasn’t our experience.

Paolo and Patrizia made us feel at home right away. They’re warm and charming, and had plenty of good suggestions for us. The B&B itself is clean, comfortable, well equipped, and has a lot of local character. We had a wonderful long weekend here, and I’d definitely recommend it.

We felt at home in Naples, and the location was just right for exploring. Patrizia and Paolo made arrival easy, helping us sort out parking and check-in, and went out of their way to make sure our family was comfortable. They were especially sweet with our son. We only wish we’d stayed longer. We’ll return to Weekend a Napoli on a future trip.

Weekend in Naples was a huge disappointment. The one bright spot was that the host took us to the Funicolar, stopped for an espresso, and shared a few tips, but that didn’t make up for how uncomfortable the stay was. The welcome was poor from the start. I asked a simple question about what to do if we lost our keys, since there’s no reception, and the host brushed it off arrogantly, saying they’d had 65,000 guests and nobody had lost them, so why would we. He also said he was tired. We didn’t feel welcome, and that feeling continued throughout the stay. Breakfast required us to fill out a card specifying exactly what we wanted and what time we’d arrive. On vacation, I don’t know whether I’ll get up at 8 or 9, how many espressos or cappuccinos I’ll want, or whether I’ll want breakfast at all. That should be the guest’s choice. The food itself was pitiful: dry toast, two tiny pieces of processed cheese and turkey ham, a dry, inedible airline-style omelette, and practically no fresh fruit. We skipped breakfast on the following days. The coffee was good, at least. Our ground-floor room was stuffy and smelled foul. Opening the window brought in exhaust from the busy street and didn’t help much. If you have asthma and decide to stay despite the warning signs, bring an extra inhaler. Naples is noisy in general, so I won’t blame the hotel for that, but on Friday and Saturday night I was glad to have earplugs, which helped a little. The room felt worn out, with no amenities and no hotel slippers despite them being advertised. The empty Kleenex box wasn’t refilled during the last two days, and there’s no lounge or other place to get out of the room. The shower pressure was extremely weak, hot water took ages, and when it arrived the temperature swung between too hot and too cold. When we mentioned it, we got rudeness and an insulted attitude, and were told it was normal. Someone was supposedly going to check it while the room was empty. I’m not sure that happened, but if it did, we noticed no difference. The shower also felt dirty, and it was annoying that the bathroom light couldn’t be switched on without the fan coming on too. I asked at breakfast if they could bring glasses to the room and was told I already had one. I explained that the glass in the room, which I’d taken from breakfast, had been there for two days and could perhaps be changed. The response was an icy stare. We booked a trip through the hotel to Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius after being told we’d be taking a mini van. After the driver picked up two other couples from other hotels, he dropped us at the train station and said we’d be getting on a big bus instead. We should have been told, because we wouldn’t have booked the trip otherwise. Vomero is a pleasant neighborhood, mostly local people, and a break from the suffocating tourism in other parts of Naples. The area around Chiaia district seemed more upscale, though, and I’m not sure I’d stay in Vomero again. The host’s helpful gesture on the Funicolar couldn’t compensate for this terrible stay. I definitely do NOT recommend Weekend in Napoli.