Albergo Ristorante Stella

I was welcomed by a very friendly woman who even helped me with my bicycle, and the young people at checkout were lovely too. My room was large, clean, comfortable, and had a terrace with a view. It isn't IKEA-style, which suited me just fine. The hotel is old-fashioned, and I like it that way. I don't understand the bad reviews or the complaints about unfriendly service. Breakfast wasn't continental, but the coffee was great and the croissant was fresh.

I had a confirmed booking, but the hotel wouldn't let me in because their machine didn't accept Google Pay, a limitation they had never mentioned. They told me to leave and asked me to pay double in cash. I don't think that was ethical. I suspect they see Gulf citizens as rich and stupid, and I strongly recommend looking into how this hotel treats guests, especially tourists of color. When I asked them to cancel the booking since they wouldn't give me the room I'd paid for, they refused and said I had to cancel it myself. That would leave me with the cancellation charge, which is usually the full amount. Please cancel the booking without a penalty, since this was the hotel's mistake, not mine. I come from a family of hoteliers. My grandfather built the first hotel in Arabia, so we understand hospitality well.

The restaurant was the highlight for us. We'd eaten at some excellent traditional Roman restaurants in Rome during our trip, avoiding tourist traps, but the hotel's cooking was the best we had anywhere in Lazio. A local couple suggested asking for ravioli di pistacchio, which wasn't on the menu, and the kitchen made it for us. It was spectacular. The spaghetti alle vongole my boyfriend ordered was delicious too. They also treated us to extra appetizers and desserts. We stayed two nights in April 2022, and the family running the hotel made us feel at home. Our room was spotless, private and quiet, with antique charm and lovely views over a central square and the trees of a public park. The service was wonderful. We had no car and were concerned about local buses on a holiday Sunday, so they helped arrange a shuttle to the train station in Zagarolo. If you're passing through Palestrina, I'd happily suggest stopping here for lunch or dinner.

A really good spot right in the center of Palestrina.