Hotel Savoia

The only good thing was that the manager went out of his way to find us another apartment. Residence Savoia was truly uninhabitable. The place looked sad outside, and the inside was much worse: broken furniture, a rusty refrigerator and radiators, dirty sheets and curtains, worn-out old dishes, and a bathroom light missing. It felt as though nobody expected us, and the house had been neglected. The price-quality ratio was terrible, the worst I’ve come across in many years of travelling in Italy and Europe.

The only redeeming point was being a 3-minute walk from the slopes. Everything else was awful, close to disgusting. We spent New Year's Eve in Val Camonica (Tonale Pass) this year and, after starting our accommodation search a bit late, ended up in this sort of "residence," perhaps sarcastically named after the royal family that ruled Italy in the last century. Hotel delle Alpi, a 4-star hotel about 600 meters away, manages the property, and that’s where we checked in. The welcome was kind, and at first we liked the layout of the hotel, so we booked without hesitation. Then the receptionist asked for the full balance, despite our €400 deposit already being paid: €1,350 plus a €150 security deposit. We paid, perhaps too trustingly, and the smiling cashier handed over the keys. The building was easily the ugliest sight in the village. Even so, we tried to believe appearances could deceive, dragged our suitcases inside, and entered a dark, cold corridor like something from an '80s horror movie. We scrambled to get the lights on and climbed two floors to the apartment. There was no elevator, though we already knew that. The front door looked worse than one at the worst hostel in Brussels, and our last bit of hope disappeared. Inside, smoke and stale air hit us so hard we rushed to open the windows. After about 10 minutes, the smell eased. We considered going straight home, but gathered ourselves and stayed. Dust was everywhere, with crumbs on the dining table, old cupboards half falling apart, dirty dishes, and a battered stove. We cleaned as best we could until the place felt a little like "home." How could a 4-star hotel run this building and offer people such degradation? Anyone who manages or owns this obscenity should look up "excavation and demolition in Valcamonica" online and get a quote. We’ve already contacted a specialist company to spare you the trouble. Roda Construction Company, on Strada Francesca I Tronco, Pontevico (BS), seems good at first glance and guarantees professionalism and expertise. If you’re unsure, go there in person. See you never again. Thankfully, Val Camonica is much more than this.

The apartment has poor insulation throughout. With outside temperatures below zero, the heating kept running, and the electricity bill was very high.

The views are stunning, and the apartments are very good for the affordable price. They’re close to the slopes, too. I recommend them 😎