Smart Hotel Napoli

We got from Naples Airport to the Smart Hotel easily on the Alibus and were staying there the night before our MSC cruise. The concierge team welcomed us warmly. Raphael greeted us in Italian and English, had our room ready, and kindly let us check in a few hours early. He explained everything clearly and gave us useful ideas for getting around by metro or on foot. After a long flight from Canada, those hot showers were very welcome. We liked the room right away: lovely lighting, easy-to-connect Wi-Fi, and a patio. The bed was comfortable, with warm blankets and soft pillows, and there was plenty of room to spread out our luggage in the sitting area. The kettle and tea and coffee were a nice touch, too. Breakfast was excellent, with hot and cold drinks, pastries, cereal, fruit, and hot options. Best bacon I’ve ever had. Service stayed great throughout, including a free offer to hold our luggage so we could keep exploring before the cruise left the next day. We’ll stay again before flying home after the cruise. Being so close to the port and having an easy airport transfer made this the ‘SMART’ choice for us. We highly recommend the hotel.

Only a couple of small things kept the stay from being perfect. The room got quite warm, and there wasn’t a window to open. We didn’t feel comfortable leaving the terrace door open overnight because the lower terrace is shared. We eventually found that leaving the inner door open and the outer one shut kept things comfortable. Breakfast was a little repetitive, though that didn’t matter for a short stay. The room was clean, the location was great, and the staff were incredibly kind and helped us with everything we needed. Still 5 stars from us.

I booked this hotel along with places in Rome and Istanbul. All had the same non-refundable terms. I was looking forward to Italy and Istanbul, but then war broke out in the Middle East and the airspace and airports closed. I contacted the hotels, explained the emergency, and acknowledged that the bookings were non-refundable. They confirmed the policy. I reached out again to explain the dire situation in my country and that I couldn’t travel. The Rome and Istanbul hotels understood, wished safety for me and my country and an end to the war, and hoped I’d return when things improved. They refunded me in full. This hotel showed no consideration for my situation and was extremely rude. I contacted them several times by email and phone, and each time got a cold response. I also read reviews from people who complained about curt replies and a lack of understanding when booking errors happened. I understand the policy, but expected them to recognize the circumstances and win me as a customer, as the other hotels did with kind, respectful service. Many hotels around the world also helped friends whose trips were canceled because of the war. When conditions improve, I’ll return to Italy, and Naples is on my wish list for my next trip. But I won’t stay here, and I’ll advise my friends traveling to Naples to avoid it because of the poor customer service. Note: I wanted to review the hotel on Booking.com, but today the hotel canceled my reservation to stop me from leaving a review, even though it had been confirmed and fully paid for.

The staff were nice, and breakfast in the music-filled dining area was pleasant. It also felt safe, and shutting the windows made the room quiet. But with the windows closed and the air conditioning out of order in February, the room got stuffy and had little ventilation. The hotel faces a busy street in the port area, so traffic and passersby made it necessary to close the windows and curtains. For a four-star place, I didn't think the rates were justified.