Donatello Hotel

Right across from the ST. ANTHONY BASILICA, this quaint four-story hotel is in the middle of town. There are nice shops and all kinds of food nearby, though there’s no restaurant on site. The staff were excellent, the security was good, and the rooms were super clean. Well worth the money. Five stars, all day long!*****

The central location is the one advantage, but this was a really unpleasant stay. There’s no elevator to the upper attic rooms, and the bathroom had mold. There were cigarette butts on the outside windowsill, which made me wonder whether the fire system was working at all. The tourist information in the room’s welcome book was outdated. It said the city tax was 2 Euros, but reception asked for 5 and said the book was old. Keeping the displayed information updated shouldn’t be my job. It’s a shame, this seems like a hotel living on old glory and no longer up to standard. At 100 euros, it was a poor stay. Breakfast was awful too, with canned fruit and frozen croissants.

I paid €199.50 after booking in mid-July. On September 26, Booking.com showed the same room at €93, then €83 the following day. The rate displayed in the room was €100. At check-in, the manager was “unavailable,” and the only reluctant offer was breakfast. They blamed me for not checking prices every day. A professional response would have meant an apology, transparency, and some concrete gesture, such as waiving extras, offering breakfast, or asking Booking.com about a partial refund. Instead, it came across as arrogant. The room itself was bare and joyless, with a view of machinery, and small details were sloppy: the hairdryer cable ran over the switch, there was a kettle but no mugs, and the reading light barely lit anything. Breakfast was below par, capped by one of the worst cappuccinos I’ve ever tasted. The location felt like a bleak suburb, 25 minutes from the center.

The staff were kind, organized, and took care of us during our stay. We had a clean room, working AC everywhere, and a good enough breakfast. The private parking was available for a reasonable daily fee, and the location was perfect. I have only positive feedback and would stay here again.