Eurostars Hotel Excelsior

January was the off season, but everything was still buzzing and open without being packed with tourists. The weather stayed in the mid 50s and 60s, hoodie weather to us Americans while it's snowing back home. We found cute cafes, bars, and places to eat, and the shopping district was a 10 minute walk away. Most bodegas had snacks, liquor, and drinks. The patio had a gorgeous view of Mt Vesuvio, and the staff were courteous and very accommodating. Allesandro at the restaurant deserves a mention too. He speaks beautiful English, was patient with my Italian, and even brought ice up to the room, since ice buckets and machines aren't common. Alessandro was a delight and really embodied hospitality. This was the start of our first trip to Italy. We'd only been to England before and hoped the pillows, bed, and showers would be better than in the UK, and they were! We'll most certainly come back.

The breakfast was quite good, served in a beautiful grand hall lit by chandeliers, and the view of Mt Vesuvio is very impressive. But I booked a sea view room with a balcony and only got a room with a window until I complained. The replacement had three phone lines, none working. You can only get the thermostat changed centrally by asking reception, and there's no way to adjust fan speed, so you have to use the switch. With the heating off, none of the outlets next to the bed work, so you can't charge your phone. Reception wasn't very friendly either. There is major roadwork in front of the hotel, so cars can't get through. It's at least a 15 minute walk to the nearest public transport, otherwise you're relying on expensive taxis that often add unexplainable charges to the bill. I'd probably wait to book until the roadwork is over.

The location was beautiful, and the hotel looked lovely, but I wouldn't stay again or recommend it. There was no working elevator when we arrived, so we had to carry our luggage up five flights. The WiFi never worked, the lights in the room kept going off, and the electronic shades went up but wouldn't come down. The curtain rod was pulling out of the wall. Then someone else's luggage was brought to my room by mistake, and they asked me to carry it downstairs. I said absolutely not, especially with no elevator. At breakfast the next morning, we were charged without having been told it wasn't included. That's fine if it isn't included, but guests should be told at check-in. The staff seemed not to care about any of our complaints. Do your research and look elsewhere.

I booked this as a Christmas surprise for my partner, who loves Naples: two days together on December 25th and 26th to enjoy the city at a special time of year. I accidentally chose November instead of December, and only noticed the day after check-in when I got the “stay started” notification. I immediately explained the mistake to the property and kindly asked to move the dates or get a voucher. The only reply was, “Nothing can be done.” We lost over €700 for a room we never used, and what hurt most was the complete lack of empathy or willingness to help. I understand Booking’s policies allow the property to charge for a no-show, but I also know they can choose to do otherwise through Booking: give a partial or full refund, offer credit for another stay, or manually change the dates. So saying nothing could be done wasn't true. They chose not to do anything. It's a real shame, because a place should be judged by more than its rooms or location. A little understanding could have turned an honest mistake into a lovely memory. Even knowing it was meant as a Christmas gift for my partner didn't move them. A bit of kindness would have meant so much.