Hotel Palazzo Esedra

The only positives for me were that the WiFi worked and the hotel is close to Napoli’s soccer arena. I travel extensively and have stayed in everything from Airbnbs and hostels to luxury hotels, but this so-called four-star place barely felt like a poorly maintained two-star hotel in a developing country. The air conditioning in my room didn’t work, and its control panel was damaged and unusable. I was told repeatedly by the concierge that it was working, but later learned management shuts off the AC for the whole complex at night. They told me to open the window to cool down, even though that brought in the hydrogen sulfide smell that filled the halls. Opening the window made the stench worse, and I was concerned rodents could come in. My friend’s room had bed bugs, and my own had several kinds of insects, though I didn’t find bed bugs there. There were also plumbing issues, and management showed indifference and a lack of transparency. This place felt closer to a hostel with pests than a reputable hotel.

The central location worked well for trains and Napoli stadium, and there was gated parking. We stayed one night, and sleeping was difficult in the heat. The air conditioning had been shut off for the hotel, and even with the window open as we were advised, my room never cooled below the temperature shown on its thermostat. The other two occupied rooms in my group stayed just as warm. If the AC had been on, I’d have rated the stay differently.

The staff were fantastic, professional, genuinely friendly, and I’d highly recommend the hotel. It’s just steps from the Diego Maradona stadium, in a building that feels like a palace, with very high ceilings and spacious facilities. My room felt like a medium-sized apartment, with comfortable, lovely furniture and modern bathroom and toilet facilities. The place is quite luxurious, but the price doesn’t reflect that. One of the better hotels I’ve stayed in.

Friendly staff, spacious clean rooms, and high ceilings. The rooms also have electric shutters and AC. If you’re okay with grand 1940’s architecture, the hotel is nice, though nothing exceptional. The breakfast buffet was a bit disappointing and basic, mostly pastries and cold continental items with two lukewarm options. Getting into the city is manageable, about 20 minutes by metro.